by Jana David
Darcy
He was the last person I expected to get a call from.
Just as I was heading out to an interview for this internship I'd applied for, his name lit up on my screen. For a moment, I contemplated whether or not I should answer, but the fear that it might be an emergency was what finally made me put the phone to my ear.
“Hey”, I said, a little hesitant.
“Hey”, I heard his voice on the other end, the same hesitation in it.
“What do you—“
Ian interrupted me. “Is she with you?” It was hard for him to talk about her, I could tell.
“No”, I said, “why would you think that?”
He stayed quiet.
“Why would you think that?” I repeated, a little more insistant.
“Darcy...” His voice cracked a little. “She's gone.”
I knew that feeling all too well. It was like déjà vu. Almost five years ago now, it had been Ian who had called me with the news then, too. This time, I knew better than to doubt him. I couldn't believe we were going to go through this again.
“How did you find out?” I asked.
“Went to her room, knocked on the door, but no one answered. When I tried to open it, the door was unlocked, and the room was completely bare.
“Completely bare?”
“Completely bare. Like, ready for someone else to move in”, Ian confirmed.
“Any idea where she went?” I asked
“No. I thought she might have come to you. I was hoping...Anyway, I tried calling her, too, but she won't even answer her phone. And then Jessica, who lives on her floor, came over and told me Allie left late last night.”
I started pacing my room. “You know where her parents live, right? Have their phone number?” I knew she was trying to run away again. This time, I wouldn't let her get away with it.
Ian was still hesitant. “Yeah, but I already called them. Her father told me Allie didn't want me to know where she'd gone. He said she was alright, though. I guess, I was just hoping she came to you.” he said.
“No, she didn't.” I flatly answered.
We were both quiet for a moment.
“Well, I just had to ask”, Ian finally said. “I guess I'll leave you to it, then.”
And he hung up without saying goodbye.
When I got off the phone with Ian, I tried calling Al, too. I don't know what I was hoping. That she would talk to me, but not to Ian? She didn't pick up. I left her a message, asking her to call me, but I doubted she would.
So I sat down on my bed, buried my head in my hands and went through the same feelings I'd gone through five years before.
Back then, it had all seemed like a bad dream. When Ian called me, telling me the Wright's had moved out, I though he was joking. His tone was serious, though, and I knew this wasn't just his idea of a bad prank.
It wasn't a joke this time around, either.
I did end up going to the interview, but I barely remembered any of it afterwards. All I'd been able to think about had been: why again? Even though I was pretty sure I knew the answer. That didn't mean I was willing to accept it.
I called again. And again. And again.
And then she called me. It was another call I didn't expect to get.
I almost didn't answer. I was afraid of what she might say. Now, at least, I could still hold on to the hope that she was coming back.
“Hey”, I greeted her.
“Hey”, she echoed.
“Listen, you don't—“
“No, you listen”, she interrupted me. “Stop calling. Stop trying to reach me. I'm not coming back.” There was a short pause where Al drew a deep breath. “I'm not the Princess you seem to think I am.”
“You don't—“
But Allie interrupted me again. “Just move on with your life. Be happy, do what makes you happy, and forget about me. Because I only seem to make you miserable.”
I wanted to contradict her on that. I wanted to say something, anything to convince her that what she was saying wasn't true. But she didn't give me the chance.
She hung up before I could even say one word.