₁ 𝐆𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐆𝐎𝐑𝐄

𝐍 𝐈 𝐍 𝐄

It was September twentieth, approximately two weeks after Casey Becker's eighteenth birthday party. It was a Saturday. The wind was starting to blow as summer was coming to an end and fall was beginning.

The Becker girl had invited her best friend, Abi, and both of their boyfriends over to watch a scary movie. She was all excited about it. Casey loved the double dates and she loved having people do them with her.

It was around nine ten pm and everyone was supposed to be at Caseys' at nine sharp. Casey hated when people were late, so she called Abi from the home phone of the Beckers'.

"Hello?" Abi answered her new cellular device.

"Where the hell are you?" Casey asked her in a sassy tone as she got the popcorn from the pantry.

"I'm so sorry. I'm running late. My aunt needed me to catch a spider in the kitchen. " Abi apologized.

"Yeah, yeah. Is Kyle with you? " Casey curiously asked.

"Nah, he called just a bit ago and told me he was riding with Steve. They wanted to talk about the game or whatever. " The girls laughed. "I'm shocked they aren't there yet, though."

"Yeah, I know right. I thought at least someone would be here by now. " Casey rolled her eyes and ate a red gummy bear.

"Alright, well, I'll be there in twenty," Abi said, driving.

"Okay, see you then. Drive safe, love you. "

"Love ya." Abi smiled and hung up.

Less than five minutes after Casey got off the phone with Abi, the phone rang again. She started the jiffy pop popcorn on the stove.

"Hello."

"Hello." A man's voice sounds through the phone, deep but scratchy.

"Yes."

"Who is this?"

"Who are you trying to reach?"

"What number is this?"

"What number are you trying to reach?" Casey smiled and ate another gummy bear, this time yellow.

"I don't know."

"I think you have the wrong number." She twirled the cord of the phone.

"Do I?"

"It happens. Take it easy. " She hung up the phone. Casey went to get the film ready for the date. The phone rang again. She grabbed the portable phone. "Hello."

"I'm sorry. I guess I dialed the wrong number." The man chuckled, flirtatiously.

"So why did you dial it again?"

"To apologize."

"You're forgiven. Bye now"

"Wait, wait, don't hang up." The man pleaded.

Casey hung up and stood in front of the sliding glass door to her outside patio with her pool. The phone rang in her hand.

"What?"

"I want to talk to you for a second."

"They've got 900 numbers for that. Seeya. " She hung up the phone with a tiny grin on her face. She set the phone down to go check on the popcorn. Casey covered it with a lid so it didn't pop everywhere. The phone rang again. After two rings, she answered.

"Hello."

"Why don't you want to talk to me?"

"Who is this?"