A New Pair of Wings

Part 3

  Belle stares blankly at the phone screen as it vibrates on the tabletop.

  RING RING!

  Reluctantly, she picks up the phone and answers the call.

  "Belle?" Carson calls her name. Belle freezes. She loved the way he says her name all the time, with a deep, soft, enriching tone.

  "Hey," she lamely responds.

  "Just wanted you to know that I'm coming back home right now," he continues. His loud, elegant footsteps are audible over the phone.

  "Oh, okay," she says, trying to contain the relief in her voice, "How's Hailey?"

  "She's gone back to her house as well," Carson responds, "Anyways, I meant to call to thank you for the dinner."

  A smile ignites on Belle's face. "Really? I mean, you're welcome!" 

  "I was kinda worried why you left so abruptly," Carson says, a tone of worry emerging from his voice, "You said you had something to do, but I wasn't sure if you were..."

  "Telling the truth?" Belle finishes for him.

  "Yeah."

  Belle hesitates for a moment before asking, "Carson, what would you do if you felt sad?"

  "So what? I'd just shrug it off," he simply replies.

  "No, I mean what if you were so sad that you can't stop thinking about it everyday? What if it was so devastating that you can't forget it?"

  Silence. Belle gulps, prepared for what may come her way next.

  At last, Carson asks, "Did someone hurt you?"

  "Kinda," she subtly replies.

  "I swear, if anyone dared to hurt you, I'll beat him up!" Carsons exclaims angrily.

  "I don't think you'd dare to beat this guy." Belle looks back at her snack.

  "What? Is he hard to find? You know, Belle, I wouldn't hesitate to defend you when you need it."

  "It's alright. I need to experience life anyways. I can't be treated like a princess 24/7. "

  "If you say so," says Carson, "But I'd never let anyone hurt you, bro."

  A tear falls from Belle's eye. You just did, Carson, she thinks, But I can't do anything about it. "Well, have a good night," she wishes him.

  "You too, man. Get some rest and don't think too much about that guy, okay?" Carson reassures her.

  "Okay. Night." Belle hangs up. But I can't stop thinking about you. I never will.

  She turns around to finish her night snack. A minute passes. She is sitting on her living room couch watching Netflix, her banana-and-crackers snack in her hand. Slowly, she bites into it bit by bit as the movie plays.

  She thinks back to the conversation with Carson earlier.

  "I was kinda worried..."

  "Did someone hurt you?"

  "I'll never let anyone hurt you..."

  He's still the kind and caring guy that I've known all these years...she smiles to herself.

  Meanwhile, Carson arrives home and unlocks his door. As he  steps inside the house, he thinks to himself, What a magical night. He takes his shoes off and goes upstairs to his bedroom. He walks into his closet and changes into a black T-shirt and jeans. Then he removes a small piece of paper from his pocket.

  Hailey's number was written on it.

  Carson whips out his phone and enters Hailey's number into it.

  I'll call her tomorrow, he thinks. He suddenly recalls Belle. I wonder how she feels right now. Hopefully she's doing alright.

  Thinking he should drop her a text, he opens up Messenger, goes to Belle's contact and types.

  Smile! It's gonna be OK!

  The message comes up on Belle's phone. She reads the message displayed on the screen.

  And she smiles.

  The rest of the night is spent with Belle watching horror movies and Carson making plans for tomorrow. Finally, the clock strikes 10, and it's time to sleep.

  Belle turns off Netflix and washes up her dessert plate. She dries it with a towel and stacks it neatly back on to the red dish rack. Then she turns on her phone and reads the message again.

  It's gonna be ok, she reads the last sentence to reassure herself, Maybe Carson will eventually come to the conclusion that Hailey's not right for him. Maybe he'll then like me instead. Maybe I can have a happy ending with him after all.

  She turns off her phone and walks up the stairs to her bedroom. She walks in and sits on the side of her bed. Maybe I should send him one more text, she considers.

  Carson has finished writing down his plans in his planner. He sets his pen on to his table, gets up from his seat, and walks to his bed. As he sits on the bed, his phone buzzes. He turns it on to check.

  Always together forever.

  Carson smiles at Belle's message and lies down on his bed, prepared to go to sleep. Thoughts of Hailey come back into his mind. So beautiful.

  Carson goes off to sleep and spends the rest of the night dreaming about Hailey.