me and you - isaac garcia

part twenty two: mud-ball fight

Dinner was delicious. I mean, at least that's what you'd assume after seeing almost everyone grab seconds and maybe thirds.

Growing up in a hispanic household, while also being hispanic myself, we didn't really eat as much Americanized foods as often as we did with the Walters. I did miss my mom's tamales, and her sopes, and — oh my, gosh! — her quesabirrias!

Okay, maybe I did miss her food more than I care to admit, but I do enjoy the food here in Colorado. It was different, but Katherine and George were amazing cooks and Will's pot roast was amazing.

If only I could enjoy it just a bit more.

Instead of enjoying the conversation and food in front of me, I was constantly checking my phone.

Where is she?

"Y/n, you okay?"

I looked up at Alex, who was looking at me from the other side of the table. I mustered up a smile, "I'm fine. It's just that Jackie went on her run and I thought she'd be back by now. I mean, dinner's almost over."

"I'm sure she's fine. Jackie's probably just taking the long way. I mean, she does like her runs." he said jokingly.

I forced out a laugh but something wasn't sitting right with me still.

Jackie never missed my calls and she never failed to text back. It was odd that she hadn't been back yet either. She told me she'd be back forty minutes ago...

"Where are you going?" Cole asked as I stood from the table. I shook my head.

"Nowhere. Just gonna try and call Jackie again."

"Call her? Why, where is she?"

"She went on a run and she's still not back yet. I just wanna make sure she's okay and back before it starts raining." I replied, waving him off, "It's fine though. I'll be back."

And with that, I took my plate and headed to the kitchen. The first thing I did was place the dirty dish into the sink, but I was interrupted when the phone rang.

I wiped my hands and went to grab it, "Hello?"

"Y/n?" Jackie's voice chimed in through the call.

"Jackie?" I furrowed my brows, "I was just about to call you. Why are you calling from the landline? And why haven't you been picking up your phone? And why aren't you home yet?"

"Jeez, slow down, Y/n." she said, "I'm fine I just, uh, lost signal."

"You lost signal so you called the landline?" I questioned, "Why didn't you just call me?"

"Well I was, but I also wanted to check if this was, uh...the right number for the landline still." she replied, but her voice sounded unsure.

"The right number? Why would it be any other number?"

"Oh, you know, the whole cycle of phone numbers. Out with the old, in with the new. Am I right?"

She laughed nervously over the line and the line between my eyebrows only increased.

"Okay...well then what does that have to do with you being late? Nathan's already here and dinner's almost over." I leaned against the doorframe.

"He is? Oh my, gosh, I missed it!"

"Yeah, you did." I nodded, "But why?"

"Um, I just decided to take the — scenic route?"

Again she sounded as if she was lying, and I knew something was off.