Banter || Hemmings

Ni Ju Ku

I opened my eyes slowly. A breeze rushed past, throwing dirt into my face. I lifted my head slowly and sat up. I was surrounded my rubbish and dirt. There was no one in sight. My jacket was beside me so I reached into the pocket and pulled out my phone. My head began to pound as rushed of memory flashed in my mind. Lights. Loud music. Dancing. Dan. I turned my phone on and saw I only had three percent. I scrolled down the collection of missed calls. Mum (5), Dan (2), Mum (7), Kian (3), Mum (10). I unlocked it and clicked Dan’s name before bringing it up to my ear. It rang four times before he answered. 

“Ash. I’ve been looking for you,” he said but it wasn’t normal, he was panting and out of breath. 

“Dan I…I don’t know where I am,” I said as tears welled behind my eyes. 

“Fuck!” I heard a girl shout. 

“What was that?” I asked. 

“Nothing Hayley just stubbed her toe,” he said then let out what sounded like a held in groan. “Where are you?”

“I…I don’t know,” I said in panic. 

“Alright well…”

“Dan fuck!” the same voice squealed, a “fuck,” from Dan following. 

I was shocked, “Dan…” was all I was able to utter. 

“Ash it’s not…” the call suddenly cut off. 

“Dan?” I said then looked at my phone. “Dan!” I screamed when i realised it was dead. 

I threw my phone and put my head between my legs. I stood up and looked around. It was silent until I let out a piercing scream and threw myself down onto my knees again. Tears streamed down my face as I fisted my dirty hair. I moved my hands down the side of my face as I sobbed. I yanked at my hair again as I stood up. God was pushing me for something. I was being punished. I curled my hands into fists and put them out. 

“C’mon!” I screamed at the sky. “C’mon!” I screamed louder. 

I screwed my eyes shut and put my head between my elbows as I spun around. Why was I being punished? What had I done to deserve this? I tripped over my own feet and feel to my knees. I laid back and closed my eyes tight. I needed to stop crying. 

“Fuck you!” I screamed at the top of my lungs then hurled myself forward and buried my face in my hands and I broke down in tears. 

I sobbed until I was all cried out then grabbed my jacket and stood up. I dusted myself off as best as I could before sliding the leather jacket over my shoulders. I found my phone amongst the dirt and saw it had cracked in a spiderweb pattern from the right corner. I stuffed it into my pocket before I went to walk. I felt a harsh rubbing against my neck and realised it was the necklace Dan had given me. I ripped it off my neck and looked at it for a moment. I covered my arm and slowly let the broken chair holding the key pendant slide out of my hand. I looked down at the broken piece of jewellery on the ground then stomped my boot on it, breaking it more. 

I swayed slightly as I felt dizzy. I let the dizziness fade before walking far enough to find a rode. I decided to follow along the side of it, hoping I’d find something soon. After a while my legs began to ache and he throbbing of my brain against my skull had intensified. I looked up from my boots and spotted a small diner in the distance. Relief washed over my as I walked closer. 

Inside was dead. The only sound I could hear was some radio station playing a song I’d never heard. 

“Oh my. What happened to you?” a girl who only applied to be a few years older then me asked. 

“Do you have anywhere I can charge my phone?” I asked her. 

“Do you have a charger?’ she asked. 

“No I don’t,” I replied. 

“Then no. Sorry sweetie. But we do have a phone you could use if you need to call someone,” she offered. 

“That would be amazing,” I said and offered her my best smile. 

The phone was one of those old one that hand on the wall and had a cord. It was down a hallway so I at least had a little privacy. I went through my mental contacts and decided on calling Blake. 

“Hello?” I’d never been more relieved to hear his voice in my life. 

“Blake?” I asked. 

“Yes. Who is this?” he asked. 

“Blake it’s Ash,” I said, tears starting to well up again. 

“Ash hey. What’s up?” he asked. 

“Blake I…I’m in trouble and I need your help,” I said as the tears started to flow. 

“What’s happened?” he asked in concern. 

“I…I went out with Dan last night but I don’t remember much and I woke up in the middle of nowhere and when I called him he was having sex with some girl named Hayley and I…I don’t know what to do,” I sobbed. 

“Oh Ash. Where are you now?” he asked and I heard keys in the background. 

“Some diner out in the middle of nowhere. I didn’t see the name,” I said and wiped under my eyes with the back of my dirty hand. 

“Was the party near Dan’s house?” he asked.

“Yes,” I whimpered. 

“Alright. I know where you are. Wait there and I’ll come and get you, it will just be about an hour or so,” he told me. 

“Ok. Thank you so much Blake,” I said. 

“No problem Ash. I’ll see you when I get there”

“Ok. I love you,” I said. 

“I love you too. See you when I get there”

“Bye,” I said then hung up. 

I walked out and sat at the old style counter, “I’m guessing you don’t have any money on you,” the girl told me. 

“No I don’t,” I replied then rested my chin on my palm. 

She turned back to the kitchen window and set a plate in front of me, “on the house since you look like you’ve had a rough night…and morning,” she said with a caring smile. 

“Thanks,” I said with picked up the knife and fork. 

“Wanna tell me what happened?” she asked and leant against the bench. 

So I told her. I told her everything and afterwards I felt a lot better. I leaned a bit about her. Her name was Alice and she lived with her boyfriend out int he middle of absolute fucking nowhere. It took Blake an hour and a half to arrive and when he did I sprinted to him and gave him the tightest hug. 

“Do you want to tell me what happened properly now?” he asked as we got in his car. 

“Yesterday was my birthday and to “celebrate” Dan took me to a party, but he wasn’t himself. He spoke about our sex life when I asked him not to, he was obnoxious and annoying and just plain awful. We went out to get drinks and that’s about all I remember aside from bits and pieces of a rave. Then i called him this morning and he was having sex with some girl. So I walked all the way here and then called you because my phone is as dead as a corpse. It’s also smashed,” I explained. 

“Shit Ash. I’m so sorry,” Blake apologised. 

“It’s fine. I’m all cried out,” I shrugged. 

“I need to smash his fucking face in,” he seethed. 

“Go ahead. I’m not stopping you,” I said and he seemed to be slightly amused at that. 

“Why didn’t you call your mum?”

“Would you want to sit in a car for an hour with your mother lecturing you then probably doing the same thing for an hour or two when you get home?”

“No not really,” he said then offered me a smile and I returned it. 

Shit's gone down.