The ringing of my phone shattered the silence in the room. I blinked a few times and lunged for the phone, sensing who was calling. In my haste to mute Alex's call, the smartphone slipped from my hand and landed on the wooden floor, still ringing loudly.
Blinded by the lit screen, cursing the day I let Alex into my life, I groped for the device. Finally, the room fell silent again, but now it wasn't just me who was awake.
Lying next to me, Victor stirred and tightened his arms around me before opening his eyes.
– What time is it? – he whispered sleepily into my neck.
I looked at the dark night sky outside the window, then at my phone screen.
– It's four in the morning – I announced, after a brief moment of staring at the glowing display showing a missed call notification from damn Alexander.
May hell finally take him and leave me alone!
Victor glanced at me, slightly confused.
– It's the middle of the night. Why do you have an alarm set for this time?
– It's not an alarm – I muttered briefly, deleting the notification from the call history. – It's... someone called. Probably by mistake.
– Uh-huh – he nodded in understanding. – You should have given them a piece of your mind – he whispered, enclosing me again in his iron embrace.
Not even a minute passed before his breathing deepened again, but I couldn't fall asleep. I lay there on pins and needles, waiting to see if that hated phone sound would ring again. I stayed alert like that for a good half hour, but nothing happened.
And just when I was relatively relaxed and closed my eyes, the phone rang again, searing into my brain with doubled intensity.
I no longer had the strength for these night calls and desperate messages, so I finally answered.
– Alex, stop calling me – I said, barely restraining from a juicy curse, and my voice almost hit a pleading tone.
– Paulina? – a slurred but cheerful voice replied on the other end. – You picked up.
– You're drunk – I noted, as this alcoholic mumbling couldn't be mistaken for anything else. – Sober up, or we won't have anything to talk about.
Sleeping next to me, Victor stirred and lifted his head from the pillow.
– Who are you talking to? – he asked in a sleepy voice. – Who is it?
– It's Alex – I replied resignedly. – He's drunk.
I no longer had the strength to navigate and pretend in front of him that nothing was happening. I was tired of these night calls and didn't have the energy to come up with any excuses.
Victor hesitated only for a moment before taking the smartphone from my hand.
– You're calling my girlfriend drunk in the middle of the night? – he growled into the phone, not bothering with greetings and introductions. – Listen. – There was a threat in his voice. – If you harass Paulina day or night, drunk or sober, we'll have a talk and it won't be pleasant. If you can't control who you call when you're drunk, hire a nanny or don't drink. Leave my girlfriend alone.
He hung up and, before returning my phone, performed a few quick taps.
– I blocked his number – he announced, handing the device back to me.
– Victor, you don't have to... – I began timidly, but Victor didn't let me finish.
– Was it him calling earlier too?
YOU ARE READING
Butterfly's Year
Romance" - We are in a church, - I remarked sensibly. - Absolutely, - he agreed with a pleasant purr that vibrated between my legs. - Your parents are standing right there, - I whispered, discreetly pointing to his mom and dad standing in front of the alta...
