Until Now

Surprises

     I awoke to the soft vibrations shaking my bed. I opened my eyes slowly, letting them adjust fully to the morning light. I reached over, smacking my hand against the bed multiple times in an attempt to find my phone. As I moved slightly to the left, my hand brushed against the coolness as it vibrated against my fingers. I curled my fingers around it, pulling it over my head. I clicked answer and held it to my ear.

     "Hello?" My voice was groggy; it was too early.

     "Maisie, are you sick?" The voice on the other line questioned.

     "No," I shook my head, leaning back against the pillow. I closed my eyes again, "Just tired."

     "Oh, did I wake you?"

     "No, no," I lied, sitting up and rubbing my eyes.

     "I did, didn't I?" Jack laughed into the phone.

     "Yeah," I yawned, "You did."

     "I'm sorry," He hesitated before continuing, "I just thought you'd be up. It's almost noon."

     "It is?" I yawned again, my eyes flicking across the room to the clock sitting upon the desk. He was right; the numbers flashed 11:57. "Shit."  

     "Listen," He started, "I was thinking we could go out."

     "Where?" I leaned back, my head smacking against the pillow.

      "It's a surprise. Get ready, I'll pick you up in 20."

      "Jack, I'm tired and—"

      "Get ready, Mace,"

     "Fine." I grunted, clicking 'end'. I groaned, sliding my legs over the edge of the bed. I had to be careful not to trip over the pajama pants that were too long on me, and trailing behind me. I slid my feet across the floor, my body limp and lifeless. I grabbed the plug to my flat iron, shoving it into the wall and flipping it on. I hadn't showered last night, I had been exhausted. Since my hair hadn't touched any sort of water, the natural waves had stayed away. It was straight, for the most part, still, and it only needed a few touchups.

     As the heat began to project from the pink, metal straightener, I trudged back across the room to my dresser. "Something to wear," I mumbled to myself, yanking out a pile of clothes. Flipping through them, I mumbled, "No, not this, no." Finally, I stumbled upon the perfect outfit. Tossing it onto my bed, I rushed back to the now-burning object. Smoke was beginning to cloud the air, and I yanked it off the wooden desk. A small area was burned, but it wasn't a big deal. It was rare I used either of the two products, it didn't matter what was ruined. I pulled the flat iron across my hair, fixing the ends that were beginning to curl from my sleep.

     The doorbell rang, and I flipped the off switch on the straightener. I reached over to grab my purse, glancing around the room to look for my phone. The doorbell rang again. "Coming!" I shouted, even though I knew he probably couldn't hear me from here. Thankfully, my phone started to ring. It was as if it knew it was lost and wanted to be found. 

     I turned, frowning, facing the bed. The vibrations were faintly heard, but it was clear that my phone was, indeed, ringing. I dug through the sheets, flipping the comforter from the bed entirely. Where had I put that? 

     As I noticed the small pink cover, I lunged forward, landing on my stomach atop the large bed. "Hello?" I panted. I had assumed it was Jack letting me know he was out front in case I hadn't heard the doorbell. I was surprised when I heard a different voice.

     "Hey, Maisie, you've got to come down here."

     "Where? Where are you?"

     "I'm at work," He stated, his voice hushed. "I'm not supposed to be on the phone. Just come, please?"