Never Stop Falling
Page 7
I’ll call you once I get to Jersey. Hopefully, you’ll find it in your heart to talk to me. I know you don’t have one mean bone in your body, but you have every right to be upset. I give you permission. And I know I’ve already asked too much of you, but please tell Braiden and Tess I’m sorry, that I will miss them both terribly. Don’t say anything to Gemma. I’m missing you already.
Let’s try to talk every day. See you in six months.
Yours always,
Cori
KelleyNick1715 has signed on
HotShot68: What are you doing up so late?
KelleyNick1715: Me? Isn’t it like three a.m. for you?
HotShot68: Can’t sleep.
HotShot68: Still stuck in west coast time.
KelleyNick1715: Same here.
KelleyNick1715: Can’t sleep, I mean.
KelleyNick1715: You’ve been there two weeks.
HotShot68: I know.
HotShot68: Feels longer though.
KelleyNick1715: I know.
HotShot68: I don’t think it helps that my aunt’s house feels like a sauna.
HotShot68: The humidity here is no joke.
KelleyNick1715: Haha. No central air?
HotShot68: They have those units you stick in the window, but not every room has one.
HotShot68: And the office doesn’t have one…which is where I’ve been sleeping the past few nights.
KelleyNick1715: Aren’t you staying with your mom in the guest room?
HotShot68: I tried.
HotShot68: She cries every night.
KelleyNick1715: Cori.
HotShot68: Charlotte leaves for her internship in a month. I’ll move into her room until Mom and I find our own place.
HotShot68: My cousin’s room is the coolest in the house, thank God.
KelleyNick1715: Your own place?
HotShot68: I meant a place for my mom.
KelleyNick1715: Right.
HotShot68: So, did you go to orientation today?
KelleyNick1715: Yeah.
HotShot68: How’d it go?
KelleyNick1715: As expected. Got a campus tour. Enrolled in classes.
KelleyNick1715: Took a look around the art department.
KelleyNick1715: They’ve got a kick ass dark room.
KelleyNick1715: Braiden tagged along. The guy hears ‘free food’ and he’s suddenly interested in my education.
KelleyNick1715: He’s good company, but I wish it was you.
KelleyNick1715: Hello??
HotShot68: I’m here.
HotShot68: I wish I was there with you, too.
HotShot68: I think I’m finally getting sleepy.
KelleyNick1715: OK. Talk tomorrow?
HotShot68: You don’t have to ask twice. :)
HotShot68: Same time. Same place.
KelleyNick1715: Cori?
HotShot68: Yeah
HotShot68: Yes
HotShot68: ???
KelleyNick1715: Good night.
HotShot68: Good night, Nick.
HotShot68 has signed off
KelleyNick1715: I love you.
KelleyNick1715 has signed on
HotShot68: How was your first day?
KelleyNick1715: It was fine.
HotShot68: That’s it? Fine?
KelleyNick1715: What do you want me to say about it?
KelleyNick1715: School is school.
HotShot68: Did someone forget to eat their bowl of sunshine this morning?
HotShot68: :)
KelleyNick1715: It was just…weird.
HotShot68: ??
HotShot68: Your bowl of sunshine? I was speaking metaphorically.
HotShot68: Wait…is there actually a cereal called that?!
KelleyNick1715: You asked me about school.
HotShot68: Oh. Duh.
KelleyNick1715: It was just weird without you there.
HotShot68: I’ll be there next semester.
KelleyNick1715: It’s just weird without you here. Period.
HotShot68: Ditto, kid.
KelleyNick1715: School is closed for an extra couple days the end of next month.
KelleyNick1715: I was thinking I could come out and see you.
KelleyNick1715: Since it will be a long weekend and all.
KelleyNick1715: ??
HotShot68: Sorry.
KelleyNick1715: Sorry meaning…no?
HotShot68: No, sorry it took me a while to respond.
HotShot68: Charlotte was just showing me pictures of where she’ll be staying in Paris.
HotShot68: Lucky bitch.
KelleyNick1715: So…what do you think?
KelleyNick1715: About me coming out there?
HotShot68: Sounds good!
HotShot68: But we’re gonna have to talk about it later. My aunt’s calling me for dinner, and she won’t stop until my ass is sitting down at that table.
HotShot68: Imagine Edith Bunker’s voice on a broken record. You get the picture.
HotShot68 has signed off
DATE: Thursday, September 14 at 9:25pm
FROM: Tess Kelley
TO: Corinne Bennett
SUBJECT: Hey stranger
Just checking in. Haven’t talked to you in a while. I miss you. My brother misses you. He says he’s planning on visiting you at the end of the month. I wish I could come along.
Senior year isn’t panning out like I hoped. It’s pretty lame, actually. In fact, everyone is lame. No wonder I hung out with you guys all the time.
Anyway, let’s talk soon. With you and Gemma away, I need a little estrogen in my life. Braiden says hi, by the way. He’s practically on top of me as I write this. And he says he’s turned on now because I said estrogen and on top of me.
HotShot68 has signed on
KelleyNick1715: Hey…
HotShot68: …is for horses.
KelleyNick1715: Did your cousin tell you I called a few nights ago?
HotShot68: You’re not amused?
KelleyNick1715: HA.
KelleyNick1715: So did she tell you I called??
HotShot68: Yeah, she did. Sorry, I haven’t called you back. I’ve been busy.
KelleyNick1715: I need to know if you still want me to come out next week.
KelleyNick1715: You never gave me a definite answer.
HotShot68: Of course I want you to visit.
KelleyNick1715: OK. I’m gonna buy my plane ticket.
HotShot68: You can’t.
HotShot68: I’m going to Paris. Next week.
KelleyNick1715: I’m confused. Your cousin is going to Paris.
HotShot68: Yeah. She asked if I wanted to come along since there’s room in the flat the company is boarding her in.
KelleyNick1715: Wow. That’s great.
HotShot68: Right?! I figured what the hell! The only downside is that my dad is paying for my trip.
KelleyNick1715: Downside? That’s pretty generous of him.
HotShot68: Whatever. If his money gives me a chance to travel and gets me far away from him, I’m game.
HotShot68: Sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I’ve been busy figuring out the logistics.
KelleyNick1715: Don’t be sorry. You’ve always wanted to travel.
HotShot68: I know, but I also wanted to see you.
KelleyNick1715: Well, you’re always looking for adventure, right? Now is your chance. It’ll be a nice getaway before you come home.
HotShot68: I gotta jet. Oh, can you tell Tess I got her message? And tell her I miss her, too! And Braiden!
KelleyNick1715: Sure thing.
HotShot68 has signed off
DATE: Saturday, December 23 at 1:07pm
FROM: Corinne Bennett
TO: Nicholas Kelley
SUBJECT: Not-so-Merry Christmas
My mom told me you called last week. Sorry I haven’t called you back. Not only was I depressed upon my return, but I came home to news that Henry will be spending Christmas with us. Why and how? I don’t know. But w
hat a way to end the best vacation of my life. Talk soon.
KelleyNick1715 has signed on
KelleyNick1715: I thought I was the only pathetic one.
KelleyNick1715: Are we the saddest people on earth?
KelleyNick1715: Sitting in front of our computers on New Year’s Eve?
KelleyNick1715: Cori?
KelleyNick1715: ???
KelleyNick1715: You must have left your IM on.
KelleyNick1715: Happy New Year.
KelleyNick1715 has signed off
DATE: Monday, January 15 at 5:06pm
FROM: Nicholas Kelley
TO: Corinne Bennett
SUBJECT: RE: School
Wow. This is huge. If you’re sure this is what you want, then I’ll support your decision. You know I always do. But doesn’t deferring again basically mean you’re giving up your admission entirely? Call me.
DATE: Tuesday, March 26 at 10:05pm
FROM: Corinne Bennett
TO: Nicholas Kelley
SUBJECT: Old Fart
Before you know it, you’ll be wearing old men’s diapers and breaking wind without even realizing it. Did you get my birthday card? I called your house earlier, but no one picked up. I’m sorry my plans to make it out there fell through. Happy Birthday.
DATE: Monday, June 17 at 11:56pm
FROM: Nicholas Kelley
TO: Corinne Bennett
SUBJECT: Congrats
I ran into your dad earlier tonight at the pub. He mentioned you got into NYU for the fall semester. Funny, I didn’t even know you applied. I guess congratulations are in order.
TheNewTesstament has signed on
KelleyNick1715: Yo
TheNewTesstament: Are you serious? I’m right across the hall.
KelleyNick1715: Your screen name is lame.
TheNewTesstament: You’re lame. What do you want?
KelleyNick1715: Not sure I can answer that. I don’t even know myself.
TheNewTesstament: Great. You must be in one of your ‘I miss Cori’ moods?
TheNewTesstament: Your silence speaks volumes.
TheNewTesstament: It’s been long enough, Nicholas.
TheNewTesstament: It’s been a year.
KelleyNick1715: I know.
TheNewTesstament: You gotta move on. You gotta get laid.
KelleyNick1715: Yeah, can we not have this conversation?
TheNewTesstament: Trust me. You think I wanna talk about my brother getting laid?
TheNewTesstament: Desperate times call for desperate measures.
TheNewTesstament: That one chick I always see at the pub seems to have taken a liking in you.
KelleyNick1715: Riley? We’re just friends.
TheNewTesstament: Who said friends can’t bone each other?
KelleyNick1715: You better be referring to my situation.
TheNewTesstament: :X
KelleyNick1715 has signed off
DATE: Friday, October 4 at 5:06pm
FROM: Nicholas Kelley
TO: Corinne Bennett
SUBJECT: We need to talk
I don’t know if it’s just me, but I feel like our correspondence over the past few months have been few and far between. You’ve got school now, so I get you’re busy. I hate that I’m doing this over webmail, but there won’t ever be a good time to say this. I have to get it off my chest before I completely lose the courage.
I love you, Cori. I am so in love with you. I should have told you that night of the 4th or at least before you left. Who knows if this even changes anything? I simply needed you to know.
I lov
HotShot68 has signed on
KelleyNick1715: Hey.
HotShot68: Hey.
KelleyNick1715: What are you up to?
HotShot68: Had to finish something up at the library.
HotShot68: Checking webmail then heading out.
HotShot68: You? Not working tonight?
KelleyNick1715: No. I asked my dad for the night off. Needed it.
KelleyNick1715: I was actually in the middle of writing you a message.
KelleyNick1715: Where are you headed?
HotShot68: Gonna go have dinner with a friend.
KelleyNick1715: Your dorm mate?
HotShot68: No. She went home to Long Island for the weekend.
KelleyNick1715: Oh.
HotShot68: I met someone.
HotShot68: He’s a senior.
KelleyNick1715: Oh.
KelleyNick1715: Like a date?
KelleyNick1715: Cori?
HotShot68: Yeah.
HotShot68: I don’t know if it’s a date.
HotShot68: He just asked if I wanted to have dinner.
HotShot68: And I said yes.
HotShot68: Figured I should start being more social. :)
HotShot68: Nick?
KelleyNick1715: Sorry, I was about to send the message, but I clicked on something and somehow it got deleted.
KelleyNick1715: Gotta love technology.
HotShot68: What did it say?
KelleyNick1715: Nothing that can’t wait.
HotShot68: Okay. I have to go. He’s meeting me at my dorm soon.
KelleyNick1715: OK.
HotShot68: Good night.
KelleyNick1715: Have a good time.
HotShot68 has signed off.
DATE: Friday, October 4 at 5:06pm
FROM: Nicholas Kelley
TO: Corinne Bennett
SUBJECT: We need to talk
I don’t know if it’s just me, but I feel like our correspondence over the past few months have been few and far between. You’ve got school now, so I get you’re busy. I hate that I’m doing this over webmail, but there won’t ever be a good time to say this. I have to get it off my chest before I completely lose the courage.
I love you, Cori. I am so in love with you. I should have told you that night of the 4th or at least before you left. Who knows if this even changes anything? I simply needed you to know.
I lov
RileyJones127 has signed on
KelleyNick1715: Hey there.
RileyJones127: Who are you, The Flash?
RileyJones127: I swear I left the pub before you.
RileyJones127: :)
KelleyNick1715: My dad let me off early.
RileyJones127: It must be nice to have a dad for a boss. :)
KelleyNick1715: It has its perks.
KelleyNick1715: He owed me for working six nights this week.
RileyJones127: I take it back. That dad of yours sounds like a slave driver.