Unknown Number

by Victoria Hyder

  ‘Stop being bitter!’ his mind snapped.

  He cringed at how harsh he was with himself.

  Finishing off his food, he downed the last of his bottled iced-tea and reclined in his chair with a heavy sigh. He and Cavan had still been texting, although it wasn’t as often as it had been prior, and their conversations always seemed rather stilted. It was like they both wanted to talk about something but neither had the guts to broach the subject in conversation. For example, Cavan had sent him a text first thing that morning and he hadn’t had the brainpower to reply. Not yet.

  Still it would be nice to call the kid again –hear his voice –let time fade away in the background.

  The bell chimed, jarring him out of his reminiscing.

  Lucas nearly dropped his head on his desk. Four more hours. He could do this. Just four more hours and he could go home.

  He don’t know how he did it but somehow he found himself walking listlessly along the chilly pavements as the sky darkened overhead towards his block of flats. He adjusted his coat collar and stepped into the lobby, keys digging into his palm as he mounted the stairs. He didn’t have the energy to go out for Chinese that evening, but he knew Rodrick and the others would come and drag him out of bed if he even dared to ignore their demands.

  Hanging his coat by the door and toeing off his shoes, Lucas made straight for the bathroom. Turning the water on full-force and hot, he peeled his clothes off and made short work of stepping into the shower and soaking himself through. The heat blitzed through to his bones, allowing him to shake off the chill from the day. His frantic thoughts were dampened down considerably as he raked his fingers through his raven hair and soaped himself up.

  ‘Getting back to my normal routine will be good for me,’ he told himself as he massaged the shampoo in. ‘If I sit and wallow in my own misery, they’ll only barge in at 3AM for an intervention.’

  Once he was rinsed through, he padded out and dried himself off, changing into a loose pair of black slacks and an open collared white shirt. It wasn’t overly fancy, but he didn’t have the heart to dress in more ‘festive’ colours. Eleanor had often described his wardrobe as ‘monochromatic’. Once dressed and his hair had thoroughly dried, he went into the kitchen and made himself a cup of tea and down some tablets to take the edge off how unsettled his stomach was feeling. He had about half an hour before he needed to leave for the restaurant. Just enough time to relax his mind. He pulled his phone out and opened up Cavan’s last message.

  (9:07) Hope you’re having a good morning –since I know you’ve probably been awake for a while. Try and smile :)

  He smiled wistfully at the emoticon. Cavan knew that they bugged him, but he still sent one anyway –probably just to irk Lucas into actually smiling. He went to his screensaver and felt his insides twist; the day they’d spent at the aquarium still made him flush with excitement. He hadn’t genuinely enjoyed someone else’s company in what felt like an eternity. His phone vibrated.

  (17:45) I hope you’re ready Mister! Fletcher and I are waiting! x

  Lucas rolled his eyes before walking out to the hall, slipped his shoes on, grabbed his coat, and headed out the front door. He met Fletcher and Bonnie at the end of the hall, and they walked downstairs towards the small car-park behind their building.

  The drive to the Chinese restaurant took all of ten minutes.

  Rodrick was already inside having gotten a table for the four of them. He’d ordered the first round of beers and Lucas felt his stomach squirm. Upon seeing them walking over, Rodrick grinned. “Hey guys, I hope you don’t mind I already got us some drinks.”

  “I’m only having the one,” Fletcher insisted. “Someone needs to help these two get home safe.”

  Rodrick barked out a deep laugh. “Sounds about right.”

  The others settled down into the vacant seats on either side of the table. Lucas found himself sitting opposite Rodrick and next to Bonnie. Uh oh. “Shall we order?” Bonnie piped up. “I’m starved!”

  Lucas swiped a menu off the table although he knew exactly what he’d be having, even though his gut protested at the thought of digesting solid matter. It was a wonder they didn’t start cooking their order as soon as they walked through the door. He just needed to mentally prepare himself. He could feel the weight of Rodrick’s gaze on him and his skin prickled.

  It was going to be a long night.

  It wasn’t until after their food had arrived that Rodrick broached the subject. “So, Lucas, tell me about this person you’ve been chatting-up.”

  Lucas almost inhaled his chopsticks. He shot Rodrick a venomous glare but before he could open his mouth properly, Bonbon dove headfirst into ruining his life. “His name is Cavan and he’s made Lucas absolutely smitten!”

  “Bite me, Bonnie! He hasn’t done shit to me!”

  “Really?” Fletcher retorted dryly. “They were texting virtually all day every day. He even persuaded Lucas to start reading and they weren’t even in the same room at the time.”

  “Really?” Rodrick’s thick eyebrows shot up in amusement.

  “Yes!” Bonnie cackled. “He came over to borrow some of ours! Still has them. And any that we didn’t have, he’s bought on my kindle.”

  “And if you keep this up, I’ll throw them out of the window and set fire to them,” Lucas sneered.

  “No, you won’t you love them too much!”

  Damn, she had him there. He did love those goddamn books –even with the amount of deaths involved. He clenched his jaw and returned his attention to the meal before him. Suddenly, the other half of his food looked unappetising. He took a long swig from his pint and tried to calm the jittery feeling in his chest, but the beer soured in his mouth and he felt the urge to spit it out.

  “Are we ever going to meet this Cavan then?” Rodrick teased.

  “Not bloody likely.”

  “Why not?”

  Lucas glared up at the older man, his headache making his eyes hazy. “Let’s take stock here. My friends consist of you, this maniac,” he jerked his head at Bonnie, “And the silent giant over there.”

  Fletcher rolled his eyes at the nickname. “You’re just grumpy because the kid’s taller than you.”

  “Kid?” Rodrick frowned. “Dear God, Lucas, you’re not doing anything illegal are you?”

  Lucas glared harder. “No, Rodrick, it’s not illegal.”

  “So how old is he?”

  “He’s twenty-one at the end of this month.”

  “Oh,” Rodrick said. “That’s not terrible.”

  Lucas felt his shoulders tense. He went to take another sip of beer but decided against it. He set his glass down and tensed even more. “Spit it out, Rodrick.”

  “I’ve not said anything.”

  “You’re thinking something.”

  Rodrick sighed and fiddled with his chopsticks. “Fine. Isn’t a thirteen year age-gap still a bit too much?”

  “Well it’s not like we’re dating so it doesn’t matter,” Lucas groused.

  “You’re not?”

  “Yes, they are!” Bonnie insisted.

  “Bonnie, we’re not dating!” Lucas snapped. “Just leave it will you? He’s a friend and that’s it.”

  “Calm down, Lucas, you don’t need to get grumpy,” Fletcher said calmly. “We’re only teasing.”

  “Yeah well I don’t need that sort of shit right now!” he snapped. “Did you ever think that maybe I’m having a stressful few weeks?”

  “What because of that blip you guys had?” Bonnie frowned. “I thought you guys fixed that?”

  “Hardly,” Lucas curled his lip up. “It’s not been the same so yeah, thanks for taking the piss out of me.” He stood up and swiped his coat up off the bench.

  “Wait –Lucas, are you feeling okay? You don’t look well,” Bonnie grabbed his sleeve, but he swatted her hand away.

  “Save it.” He dug in his pocket and tossed down a twenty pound note. “Keep the change.”

  They called out
after him, urging him to come back and finish dinner. Rodrick even made a grab for his shoulder but sharp reflexed allowed him to dodge the older man quite effortlessly.

  “I’ll see you Monday,” he intoned before leaving. He could feel several pairs of eyes follow him out, but he didn’t care.

  At the end of the road he paused, drew out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and lit up. Inhaling the sour taste, he started walking again with no particular direction in mind. The streets were black, illuminated only by the sparse pools of lamplight along each side of the road. A cold wind whipped through his hair and down through his clothes. He pressed his lips firmly around the cigarette butt and took a few moments adjusting his coat collar higher around his face.

  He didn’t know how long he ended up walking but he soon found himself overlooking a large stretch of neatly cut grass with black iron benches dotted alongside the stone paths. Down in a natural dip of land there sat a small oval pond. It was empty; a sheet of smooth black glass that glimmered faintly. Lucas walked towards it, seating himself on the bench beside it.

  It really was cold.

  The evening’s events played through his head and Lucas couldn’t deny that all of his sour musings and mood-swings were down to him being too wrapped up in his head about Cavan. The beer must have dulled his senses somewhat, because before he knew it, he had his phone in his hand and was dialling Cavan’s number.

  He answered on the fifth ring.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey kid it’s me.”

  “Oh um … h-hey Lucas. I –didn’t expect to hear from you today.”

  “I know. I’ve been shitty with you for the last few weeks and I want to apologise.”

  “Okay.”

  “I’m sorry for being a shitty person.”

  “Mmmmm I guess I should be used to it.”

  “No, God don’t do that!” Lucas groaned.

  “I’m sorry?”

  “Don’t get used to something as obscene as that. I want you to tell me when I’m being a shithead.”

  “I tried that once. It didn’t end well, remember?”

  Lucas cringed gripping the phone tighter. He tried to quell the way his stomach lurched uncomfortably. “Yes. I’m sorry. I … uh … I don’t know why I called.”

  “Why did you call?”

  “I was out having dinner with Fletcher, Bonnie and Rodrick and … well … long story short they were antagonising me about you and considering how things have been I may have snapped and stormed off.”

  “Drama Queen.”

  “Perpetually.”

  “Mmmmm –uh! Who’s Rodrick?”

  “Friend from the army. Now my boss. Some things never change.”

  “I see.”

  “Did I wake you?”

  “Sort of. I was drifting.”

  “Sorry.”

  “Nah, it’s fine. If I wanted to ignore you, I’d have rejected the call.” More shifting sounds as Cavan rearranged himself in his bed. Lucas tried not to think about how adorable the damned brat probably looked. “So where are you now?”

  “On a bench by a park pond.”

  “Very psycho-killer. I like it.”

  “It is somewhat spooky. Lonely, too.”

  “Well I’d offer you company but a) I don’t drive yet and b) I don’t think either of us want me taking a forty-five minute train-ride just to sit on a bench with you.”

  “It’s not all we could be doing.”

  “Mr. Trunell are you trying to proposition me?”

  “That depends. Is it working?”

  “It might be.”

  “You sound absolutely shattered. Do you want me to let you go?”

  “I’m fine! I’m fine!” Cavan yawned. “I’ll stay on the line until you’re home.”

  “I guess I should head back then. The guys might have gone home early after my little stunt so hopefully they won’t ambush me on my way to the door.”

  “Are you okay? You sound a little huskier than normal.”

  “Thanks.”

  “I’m serious, are you getting ill?”

  Lucas tried to ignore the stiff lurch of his heart. “So, tell me, how is life in London? How’s Sophie’s exchange program?”

  “It’s cute you remember my family,” Cavan mumbled. “Life’s pretty dull and I’m having to scrimp every last penny for driving lessons. Soph’s okay, but she’s busy out having fun and exploring so she doesn’t get to message as much as she could.”

  “Your parents?”

  “Dad’s been busy at work prepping for hay fever-season and my mum has been getting all excited because one of our cousins is having a baby so that’s a thing.”

  “Eurgh babies.”

  Cavan snickered down the line, “Not a baby person I take it?”

  “They’re messy! And they have the attention span of a stoned sloth.”

  The laugh that caught his ear made Lucas’s insides melt. “Oh shit! I forgot how funny you are!”

  Damnit was he blushing now?

  “How’s Uni going?”

  “It’s going,” Cavan sighed. “I have until the end of August to finish my dissertation and I am going insane. I may have to stop the driving lessons soon to focus on it.”

  “You just need help managing your time a little better, that’s all.”

  “We’ll see. It doesn’t help that my sports medicine professor is a bat-shit crazy cow who probably snorts meth to stay on top of everything.”

  Lucas tried to stifle a cough, his chest aching with every spasm. “Good grief. Does she talk at a million miles a minute?”

  “I’d say yes but I don’t think she uses WORDS! I swear she opens her mouth and it’s just buzzing.”

  Lucas chuckled and was momentarily surprised to find himself standing outside his building. Digging out his key, he managed to slip it into the lock and start making his way up the stairs. “Well I’m in the building now. Another five minutes and I’ll be indoors and safe.”

  “I’m so glad,” Cavan hummed.

  “Little shit,” Lucas mumbled. He fiddled about with his key for a while before he was able to unlock his front door. He closed it behind him and slid the chain on. “Okay. I’m in.”

  “Huzzah! The valiant warrior hath returned, unscathed, from his wanderings!”

  “Methinks the maiden doth protest too much.”

  “Oi!” Cavan choked. “Don’t talk like that.”

  “Why?” Lucas purred. “Does it do bad things to you?”

  “Shhhh sleepy Cavan going to bed now!”

  “Don’t try it brat.”

  “Shhhh night-night Lucas …”

  Lucas smiled as the line went dead. “Sleep tight, brat.”