The Loudest Silence

Mason

The shrill sound of my ringing cellphone greeted me early morning just as the sun was close to making its appearance for the day. 

I groggily woke up and turned over to the side of my bed where my phone lay charging. Running a hand over my face, I cleared my throat before answering the call. 

"Hello?" I answered, a yawn slipping through my mouth as the voice on the other line spoke up.

"Mason, I need you to come down to the cafe around 7 a.m. We have things to discuss." My boss's firm, but strict voice informed as I ran a hand through my messy hair. 

Pulling my phone back from my ear, I squinted my eyes to see the time which read 5:37 a.m. I let out a deep sigh as I put the phone to my ear to reply to my waiting boss.

"You called to inform me of this before the sun even rose?" My husky voice, thick from sleep, questioned as I attempted to stay awake.

"Yes, and I have no regrets. Be there." He concluded, ending the call before I could even have the chance to reply.

Letting out a deep yawn, I stood up, and stretched my body as a feeble attempt to brush off any grogginess and excess sleep. Glancing over to my right, I found a sleeping Fletcher, arms and legs held scattered across the length of his bed. His mouth was ajar and his hair stood up in different directions as he quietly snored. 

"Strange kid." I muttered under my breath as I moved towards my bag that carried the basic necessities I had packed. I didn't pack much due to the fact that I knew I would be able to make trips to my apartment which was a short commute from the college. 

Pulling out my towel, toothbrush, and clothes from the bag, I made my way towards the bathroom that was thankfully included in our room. I quietly shut the door before turning around and facing the mirror.

Staring back at me was a young man in his twenties. Dull brown eyes illuminated under the sink lighting as dark circles took refuge beneath his eyes. 

Even after staring back at myself for minutes, I felt like a stranger. 

It felt as if I didn't even know who I was anymore.

I had felt that way for years now.

I quickly brushed off the dark thoughts that threatened to occupy my mind, and turned my attention to getting freshened up for the day.

I spent time brushing my teeth before showering and getting dressed. I ran a quick brush through my hair to untangle any knots before making my way out of the bathroom and back towards the room. Upon walking in, I saw that Fletcher had awoken and was now sitting on the foot of his bed staring at the floor. I quietly made my way over to my bed and began putting my bags back in their original spots under my bed. I hadn't unpacked and wasn't planning to do it anytime soon. 

I wanted to complete this job as soon as possible and move on to the next case boss would assign me. 

I took a seat at the edge of my bed and began slipping my shoes on to get a head start to the cafe. It wasn't too far, but I felt like walking rather than taking my car. It gave me a chance to walk around the campus once again to refresh my memory of where everything was located and allowed me to breathe in the fresh air.