Never Alone

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V O I C E M A I L

"You have reached the phone of Elliot Davis. I'm afraid that I can't answer the phone right now, which probably means that I am really busy doing something that is way more fun than having a conversation with you or...well, I just don't want to talk to you which, in that case, I wouldn't recommend leaving a message. But, if you're really in the mood to piss me off, feel free to leave a message after the tone."

"Hey Elliot.

It's Maddie here. Although, in all honesty, I don't really need an introduction, do I? I'm pretty sure we'd know each other's voices anywhere or, at least, I know that I'll always recognize yours which may be...a little odd, I admit. I guess it's just kind of engraved in my brain, you know what I mean? I mean, I've pretty much heard your voice for my entire life and I guess...I guess I just sort of learned how to recognise your voice. I'm sure there's some fancy psychology behind it all but how the mind works is kind of more your thing. I mean, you're the one taking psychology. I'm just a math nerd who doesn't have the faintest clue about how the mind works. So...I think I'll leave that side of the education system to you.

But, anyways, I'm rambling.

Believe it or not, I didn't call you to discuss the psychology of recognising my boyfriend's voice and I'm kind of glad that I didn't because...that would be a really strange reason to call for and would probably lead to a very odd conversation so...I'm just going to move onto the main part of this conversation before I embarrass myself even further.

We haven't spoken in a while, despite me quite literally living next door to you. Which is fine...I guess. I mean, you probably want to go over your notes before college starts up again next week. I do too. I...I just haven't seen you in a while.

Not since I sent you that text message.

Yup, I brought up.

Whoopsies.

Sorry.

But I thought it was kind of necessary to, seeing as you may or may not be avoiding me because of that certain text message. Not that I'm accusing you or anything, of course. It's just a hunch. I mean...I would need some space to think if you said the 'l' word to me as well so...you have the right to have your space. I guess.

But I'm a really clingy girlfriend.

Although, after two years of dating, I would honestly be surprised if you hadn't worked that out for yourself yet. I do tend to be a little needy sometimes. You already know this but...I'm not the most confident person. In fact, the only person I can really be myself with is you. And I know that sounds like some cliché garbage and I also know that you're probably vomiting in your mouth right now because you hate all the cliché stuff, believe me, I do too but...it is true. There's...you've kind of been the only constant in my life. Through everything, you've been there. Long before we started dating.

Can you believe it's almost been two years? That's a long time and...and I've enjoyed every minute of it.

Which, reminds me, it's our anniversary this weekend and...I got a message from your friend, Shawn. Isn't he the one with the blonde hair? I could have sworn he was the one who set his hair on fire at your fourteenth birthday party...anyways...he texted me saying that we were all going to hang out...as a group. On our anniversary. And I...I don't know if that's a good idea, Elliot.

Call it dumb but...I was expecting something a little bigger. For a two-year anniversary I..., I don't know. I was really expecting a big gesture like...like a romantic dinner for two with roses or something and...and I know it's ungrateful of me and I shouldn't expect all of that stuff because that happens in books and books are fictional and this is reality...but, I'm a girl and...girls tend to have these high expectations of their boyfriends because of all the fictional crap.

So, I'm not mad. Or disappointed. I was just...fantasizing, I guess. Which is kind of what I do best. Daydreaming is a big thing for me. But you already know that from the number of times I've zoned out on you in a conversation.

And maybe it will be nice. Celebrating with a larger group rather than just the two of us. It's...it's nice that your friends are happy for you. Us. I just don't know them all that well. We don't really talk all that much. But, then again, you don't really know any of my friends either.

Come to think of it, that's a little odd. We've practically been best friends since birth but we don't know each other's friendship groups. I guess...I guess the thing we have together is sort of private to everyone else; if you get what I mean. And now...now it's so much more special now that we're dating.

So maybe this is a good idea. We can finally get to know each other's friendship groups rather than always going off to be in private because...because then we can be a couple with our friends; if you get what I mean. We can put the two worlds together because...as much as I enjoy being in my own little private heaven with you, it's always painful when I crash back down to reality.

I love my friends...I do... but it just doesn't compare to being with you.

So...maybe this is a chance to finally put the two worlds together.

That way I'll never have to crash back down to reality because I'll be on Cloud 9 all of the time.

Because then we won't have to split up and part ways whenever any of our friends show up. Why do we do that, again?  I mean, they know that we're dating so...why is it such a big deal? What's the big issue with keeping it separate? Do you think it makes our time alone more special because...I don't know either. Is it because we don't think the two groups will mix together well? Ugh, I'm rambling again. But, if you happen to find the answer to that question, let me know because I'm still trying to figure it out for myself.

Hope your mum's doing okay. I haven't seen her in a while either. My dad was wondering if she wanted to come over for dinner sometime. Maybe we should have a get-together, just the two families. I think that would be nice. I haven't seen your brothers in ages. Not that that's a bad thing, of course. Noah always has a habit of getting on my nerves and Jacob...well...he scares me a little bit; if I'm honest.

But...anyways. Call me back when you get this.

And don't worry about what I said in the text. We'll...we'll talk about it later.

See you around Elliot, call me back when you can."