S T R U M

S O M E T I M E

7 years after the voicemail

Dakota was sweet and smelled good.

      He made me happy,

And many other girls too.

   Dakota was an asshole.

It was hot, and my curtains were drawn and the summer breeze gently traveled into the humid room.

  It was quiet and lonely, grad school is quiet and lonely.

  Ring ring

My heart stopped and I felt my stomach sink as I read the caller ID

     I contemplated putting my phone on silent and going to bed,

            But I didn't.

"Hi Reg."

"Hey Ada."

My name falling off the tip of his tongue made me smile and remember the millions of seconds we had together.

     But he never called.

"Why did you call?"

"Five minutes ago I was about to have my first smoke in 7 years, I had a lighter out and everything. But I remembered how much you hated the smell and how mad you used to get," he laughed.

    "....."

"I've missed you Adalise."

     "For how long, because you could have called or texted or written me an email, for fuck sakes I don't know."

  "I know, I'm sorry."

I Sighed Imagining all the years I spent crying over him.

  "Did you ever get my voicemail?"

      "Yeah. I should have called, I know I should've."

"Yeah, you should've."

His sigh was audible over the other end, "after all these years, it's always been you. You were the one I needed. You were also the one that called quits with us, remember? I loved you."

"Don't put this on me. A call once in a while was all I was hoping for, a text fucking something. You were the one that left me, I woke up and you weren't there Reg. I needed you, I never said goodbye," a tear slid down my cheek and I told myself not to cry for him. I promised myself that.

"I'm sorry."

"...."

  "Remember the night after our Gig at busters when we went to that retro diner? You were so happy after I told you about us getting Signed. You were sad though, you didn't want me to see it because you knew I would stay in Scranton and get a job at Best Buy or something. Your were scared that I'd end up resenting you. I should've stayed with you Ada, you should've just let me stay. Life has been so different without your smile."

   "You told me that you loved me that day."

      "I'll always love you."

"...."

"..."

      "What do you want Reg?"

"I don't know, to hear your voice, something."

  "Well you've heard it."

"Can I see you sometime?"

    "It's late Reg, I'm interning  tomorrow."

"I'll call you tomorrow Ada, promise you'll pick up."

He was An ass, but it was nice to hear his voice and hear how he told me he missed me

       And loved me, Adalise Grace.

"Alright Reggie."

"Alright?"
I could hear his smile.

    "Hang up Reggie."

"Bye Ada."

     My legs were sticky from sweat and the AC was broken on Summer's hottest night

and I had to wake up in 4 hours but

    I smiled

  And I don't know why.