The Universe and Infinitely More

Chapter Six | Impossible

Two days ago
March 26 ~ Spring Equinox

      HE WAS LATE.

      I stood outside the movie theater, blinking up at the flashing neon sign above the entrance in what seemed like the thousandth time. My eyebrows furrowed together in confusion, feet tapping against the paved sidewalk as the inexplicable feeling in my stomach continuously nagged at me. I was absolutely sure that I was at the right place, if my eyes and or my sense of orientation wasn't deceiving me.

      Where was he?

     I looked around, feeling like an idiot as I stood there and stared dumbfounded at the building. I noticed the girl from behind the cash register of the ticket stand looking at me weirdly, probably wondering what I have been doing in the exact same spot for the last forty minutes. It was getting late, the area slowly being deserted of people and vehicles as the sun went down inch by inch. The silence encouraged the steady ba dum ba dum of my heartbeat in time with the tick tick tick of my wristwatch; the sound of the second hand vibrating against my wrist as it continued its clockwise movement again, again and... again.

     Three more minutes have passed.

     I swallowed down the gnawing nervousness and worry that was eating at me. I checked my phone, rereading two recent messages from Caden.

     Hey love. I'm sorry, but I'm gonna be late tonight. Have some last minute errands to run. Maybe you should leave the dorm at 7, I don't want to make you wait.

     I'm really really sorry, Jules. I know you're probably worried sick by now. Are you already there? I'll be there in a few.

     The last one was sent 30 minutes ago. It was already a quarter to nine. He was an hour and 55 minutes late. Five minutes 'til two hours.

     I can't help the worry and the unease from creeping into my thoughts. My thoughts— a cage of my own doing with pinpricked walls a bleeding gash of insecurities and fears and squeezing pulling pounding truths so harsh I desperately wish I could escape from. I would do anything, anything, to flee from myself.

     I felt a small prick by my right hand and glanced down to see my nails chipped so badly from my constant picking due to stress. Even these unconscious habits never seem to let me go.

      I closed my eyes briefly and waited for a few more moments before deciding to call Caden again. He hasn't answered any of my calls or messages for the past hour.

     I blew out a breath and decided to stroll around the block, but not before I gave him one last call. It rang three times before a voice spoke out.

     Hey! Caden here. I'm busy at the moment but leave a message and I'll get back to you.

     "Hey, Cady... is everything okay? Maybe we should just move this to some other day. So I— um— I'm going back to the dorm, it feels like it's going to rain anytime soon. Stay safe and don't forget to call me when you receive this." Beep.

     To be sure, I approached the lady in the ticket booth and described Caden to her, "If you see him, please tell him that I— that Julie has already gone home."