Hot Line | ✓

call #23

"hello, teagan."

"i guess the cat is out of the bag." she laughs. "hello, evan. nice to meet you. i'm teagan."

"you have an oddly similar voice to my friend tee. i'll have to tell her about it later."

she laughs before letting out a soft sigh. "thanks for talking to my brother. i know it was probably weird but i didn't know what to say when he asked me why i spend all my time on the phone."

"it's cool. i didn't mind."

"i also wanted to show you that i trust you. what benny said isn't true. i'm not just using you to make my paycheck bigger."

"i know you're not."

"i'm trying to be more open," she says. "it's just scary when i know that this can all come back to haunt me."

"i know. it's fine. i don't expect you to trust me."

"but i do trust you. i think that's the scariest part. i didn't think i'd ever tell you anything about my life but i find myself wanting to tell you everything."

"i know what you mean. i didn't think i'd ever be pathetic enough to call a sex line and vent to a stranger about my problems. but now that i have i can't really picture myself not telling you everything."

"i'm really glad you called that night, evan."

"me too."

she pauses. "i'm not just working this hotline because of the money. well, i am. but there's a reason i need the money."

"you already told me you need it to pay your tuition. i get it. college is expensive. i'm not judging you."

"i have a full ride scholarship," she says quietly.

he stays silent for a moment before saying, "okay? then what are you using the money for?"

"my brother chris got in an accident a year ago. it paralyzed him from the neck down. he lives with me and i take care of him. he hates that i take care of him but our parents don't live in the states anymore and this was his best option."

he stays silent, processing the information. before he has a chance to speak, she continues.

"his wife died in the accident," she says quietly, a sadness to her tone. "chris is very bitter. he, well, he isn't exactly the easiest person to try and help. the only thing that even makes him remotely happy anymore is his daughter, zoe. i also help take care of her."

"wow," he says, not really sure what else to say. "that's a lot to handle at twenty years old."

"i manage," she says, a trace of a smile in her words. "that's why i work this job though. i need the money and the flexible hours. i never know when i'm going to need to take chris to the doctor or stay home and take care of zoe. having a job that i can work from home is the best option to ensure that i still have money coming in even when i can't go out."

"tee, you don't have to explain yourself to me."

"i just want you to know that this isn't a path i would have chosen for myself. i don't like that this is my job. i do it because i have to do it. it only became—never mind."

"what?"

"nothing."

"what were you going to say?" he pushes.

she sighs. "it only became bearable when i started talking to you."