Basically Strangers (revised)

[3 - Stranger With A Call]

[3] Stranger with a Landline

You stood outside Arkin’s locked apartment. He hadn’t given you a key. You could hear the heavy sound of his boots as he galloped up the stairs.

“Sorry, kiddo,” he said with a chuckle. “Forgot I lock the door.” He unlocked it with a key on a carabiner on his jeans. You walked in and plopped on his couch, dropping your bag on the floor. “Pull out your homework, let’s figure this out.” You groaned, sliding deeper into the couch. “C’mon, what?”

“Why do I have to do homework when I’m hanging out with a friend?” you groaned. He perked up.

“We’re friends?” You shrugged.

“I don’t know what else to call you. My neighbor? This is a weird ass relationship to have with a neighbor. And I can’t call you family. I dunno. Dude who kidnapped me after I witnessed your crimes?” Arkin laughed loudly and heartily.

“I didn’t kidnap you, YN,” he laughed. “You can leave anytime you want. The door isn’t locked.” You rolled your eyes with a laugh. “Well. If you don’t wanna be friends, but we’re not neighbors or family and you’re not my victim… I dunno. Am I your sugar daddy?” You choked on the air.

“Don’t!” you choked as he began laughing his ass off. You were blushing madly, wishing the couch would swallow you whole. After a long while that felt like forever, he stopped laughing.

“Okay, okay, okay… C’mon, take out your homework.” You shook your head, being defiant. No way you wanted to work on your sociology homework. Suddenly, he was leaning over you. You could feel his heat radiating from his body. “I said take out your homework.” You felt your ears and face burning blushing. “If you keep disobeying, I’m gonna act like a daddy. Got it?”

You were on the edge of shrieking. Not exactly in fear, but definitely in ‘whatthefuckwhatthefuckwhatthefuck’. Arkin suddenly stood up straight

“Sorry,” he chuckled. “Let’s play a game instead. Just to get to know each other.” You were still kind of frozen. “Well, if we’re going to be friends, we should know each other better. Right?” You forced yourself to nod, then pushed your body to sit up. Arkin sat on the floor across from you with a mischievous smile on his face. He asked the first question.

“How old are you?”
“Seventeen. But you knew that.” He chuckled and ran a hand through his hair.

“Fair enough. Fair enough. Your turn.”

“How old are you?”

“Just turned twenty three a few weeks ago.” You chuckled.

“Happy late birthday, old man.” He rolled his eyes as you giggled. “Well… What’s your favorite colour?”

“Neon black.”

“Mines- wait, what?” He tossed his head back laughing, which echoed through the apartment and caused you to start to laugh with him. Soon, the two of you were basically on the floor crying and failing to breathe. Finally, after you stopped laughing, Arkin wiped a tear off of his pale cheeks and coughed.

“Neon black, YN. It’s a shiny, silky black. Not many people can imagine it.” You sighed.

“My favorite colour is (favorite colour).”

“What are your pronouns? I didn’t want to assume, and I saw some nonbinary pride pins on your bag.” You smiled. He was kinder than you thought he would be. He didn’t seem homophobic, but you didn’t know anything about him.

“They/Them,” you said. “What are yours?”

“I’m a he/him,” he chuckled. “Just a boring, cis gendered pansexual.” Suddenly, the phone on the wall began ringing. It was the landline hanging from the wall beside Arkin’s bedroom door. Arkin stood up and walked across the room to grab the phone, giving you an apologetic look the whole time. He turned his back to you.

“Hello?” he hissed at the person on the other side. “This is him.”

He glanced at you, then turned back away, beginning to whisper to the person, but you heard wisps of what he was saying. The person on the other side was talking for a long time. You couldn’t make out what they were saying.

“Look, I can’t- Excuse me? That’s not how this… Now look here. I have a guest over right now. You can’t just-” The person started shouting on the other side, and you heard a few swear words. “Listen here, rat.” Arkin’s tone became vicious and aggressive. It made you jump. His brow was furrowed and he looked mad. From behind, he almost scared you. “I tell you what to do and you do it. Alright? No cuts, no buts, no coconuts you worthless piece of-” Arkin stopped talking as he looked over his shoulder and saw you running your hand through your hair anxiously. He turned around and lowered his voice again. “Just do it, dumbass.”

Arkin hung up the phone and sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He walked across the room and sat beside you again.

“Um… can I ask who was on the line?” Arkin sighed defeatedly.

“No. No you can’t. It’s a… personal thing.” You stopped trying to ask, and sighed to clear the air. “So...um… I guess… Is it your turn or my turn?” Brushing off the fact that Arkin threatened someone over the phone, you shook it off and let Arkin ask the next question.

After hours of just messing around and asking each other stupid, meaningless questions (i.e. “Do you believe that state sponsored cannibalism would help population control? Soylent Green style”).  The both of you were laying on the floor, your arms draped over your body while Arkin laid completely spread out. You sat up, looking at the clock. While you pulled on your shoes, Arkin just rubbed your backYou grabbed your bag and got ready to leave for your own apartment. Your dad should’ve still been gone, meaning that Starla would want nothing to do with you.

After you got into the apartment, you walked past Starla, who was drunkenly nursing probably another margarita, you got into your bedroom and went to bed. Arkin wandered past your apartment, grabbing a brick by the front door and making sure that you were inside. Once in the parking lot, he walked to his car and popped the trunk.

“C’mon, dick. Let’s get this over with.” The sound of muffled screaming came from the trunk as he slammed it closed. Arkin started the car and dropped the brick in the passenger seat, ready to get rid of his unwanted guest. The car drove down the roads, twisting at corners and silently zooming around. The quiet buzz of the electric engine zoomed to a bridge just outside of the city. He stopped the car with a deep breath. Arkin leaned his head against the headrest. “I wonder if YN is asleep yet.” He smiled, then coughed. “Okay, moving on.”

Arkin pulled his car to be parked sideways over the bridge. He picked up the brick and stepped to the side. He slammed a hand down on the trunk.

“Say bye, nice car,” he chuckled. “You’ve been good, but it’s time to say goodbye.” There was the loud sound of banging in the car trunk, along with muffled shrieks. “Oh my fucking god, shut up.” Then, Arkin pushed the gear stick in drive and dropped the brick on the gas pedal. The car roared to a start, bolting off the bridge and divining into the river below.

With the moon shining high above, Arkin groaned loudly.

“Fuck. Now I gotta walk home.”

*****
1254 words in total.
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