Obsession || h.s [completed]

9 | complicated

"You have one new voice message. You have three saved voice messages. First voice message."

There's a short pause and all I can hear is the soft breathing of whomever decided I was worth calling.

"Hey... umm... it's me." That voice. So familiar. My eyes grow wide.

Why is he calling me?

"Rita told me that you moved about a month ago... I'm sorry we never got to say goodbye. I know I was a jerk to you..."

I can't believe this. I can't breathe.

"I just want you to know I did love you, Mason... I still do."

I may faint. Or throw up. Or both.

"I guess I just... I don't know. I don't really know why I called... but if you want to, you can call me, anytime, no matter what."

He pauses for a moment and I imagine him in his beat up, baby blue pickup truck as he runs a hand through his black hair.

I may cry. Or scream. Or both.

"Well, I gotta go... bye, Mason." Just as I think he's about to hang up he adds, "I love you. Call me."

"End of voice message."

I stare at my phone for what feels like an eternity after I exit my voicemail, but it can't be more than a few seconds.

I'm torn and numb as my thumb hovers over his number in my missed call history. One second and I could be calling him back. One moment and I could be talking to him again. One minute and I could possibly even be his again.

Before I can think twice I tap his number and hit send.

It goes straight to voicemail.

"Hi, you've reached Zayn." His voicemail message has changed since the last time I called. "Sorry I can't pick up or just don't want to talk to you right now, but leave a message and if you're worth talking to, I might just call you back."

Beep.

"Hey, sorry I missed your call..." I don't know what else to say.

I laugh at the awkwardness of the situation, but it comes out an odd strangled sound. So attractive, Mason.

"This is really weird... but yeah... umm... I just wanted to return your call... umm... yeah I'm going to hang up now." I wait a beat too long. "Bye."

Even after I hang up, I stare at my phone as if doing so will make any of this more realistic. It feels like a dream, or maybe a nightmare.

I haven't talked to Zayn since we broke up all that time ago.

"Mason! You have a visitor!" Carol calls from downstairs.

I'm even more confused as I quickly compose myself and decend the stairs.

Carol has already left the foyer.

I invite her inside, confusion most definitely written on my features. "Hannah, what brings you here?"

And how do you know where I live?

"You forgot to grab your paycheck after your last shift. Mike asked me to run it over and see if you were home." She holds out an envelope which I presume is said paycheck.

"Oh thanks."

"Not a problem." She shrugs.

There's a beat of awkwardness.

I think maybe it would be nice to start making more friends around here. "Did you want to stay for a while? I don't have anything going on."

She looks a bit surprised by my invitation. "Sure."