Who Knows|✔

e i g h t*☎*the prize for insanity

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It was an especially cold day and an especially uneventful shift at We Know and Avery was thinking about the many events of yesterday. Specifically, the call with Hotline Guy.

In the note he left, he said 'the next time' he called which obviously implies that he would call again. The time was past that he would usually call and Avery wondered if he even would today.

Avery had stayed long after she was scheduled, hoping that the phone would ring. She even turned the heat off so that it wouldn't cost her.

Avery shivered as she retrieved her jacket from where she had used it to seal the crack under the main door in an attempt to keep the heat in for as long as possible. She shoved her arms through the sleeves and huddled down in her chair, a day old Venti Starbucks cup clutched in her frigid hands- don't worry that she was drinking cold coffee, She had refilled not long ago with hot chocolate.

She sat there in the cold, waiting for the phone to ring, her eyes never leaving the little light on the side that would blink if it did.

Then, out of the dark and the cold, came a light, the light of the phone.

"Twenty questions."

Avery smiled at the familiar, warm voice of Hotline Guy... but then... she wished she had something to call him other than Hotline Guy.

"What's in it for me?"

" Well you get to know more about me."

"As much as I'd LOVE to get to know you, I'm not sure it's enough to get me to play, considering you've called on a RELATIONSHIP HOTLINE."

"I'm building my relationship with you...?"

Avery grumbled, it wasn't really unrelated to this hotline, but it was definitely on the border.

" How about we extreme-ify it?"

Intrigued, Avery replied with, "I'm listening."

"Lower the amount of questions, and we'll add points to earn. At the end whoever has the most points wins."

"What will we win?"

"We can decide on that after the fact."

"Okay...but wait. How will we get points?"

" When you ask the question, you guess the answer and if it's right you get a point."

"Fine. You go first."

" Alright, uhm...pet peeve? Let me guess you're a 'nails on a chalkboard' kinda gal."

"Actually, I'm a 'guys who call relationship hotlines, without feasible reasons' kind of gal."

"Hahaha very funny."

"Kay it's my turn, I bet your pet peeve is... the word moist."

"Ew, don't say it!"

" Ha! I was right! I get a point, ha ha haha ha!"

" Whatever, your turn."

"Okay, unpopular opinion. I'm thinking your a socks with sandals weirdo."

"..."

"Wait what!?! You are? I was joking!"

"I'm not a weirdo..."

"Yes you are, and I'm beating you! Ha, loser!"

"Oh, it's on. Your unpopular opinion is hot cocoa over coffee."

"I thought we weren't bringing that up."

"Sorry, not sorry."

" Well, you're unpopular opinion is...ugh do I get bonus points for acting like I care about any of your opinions?"

"I think someone's feeling cranky."

"I think someone needs to shut up."

"Wow, I'm hurt."

" I care so little that I literally almost passed out just now."

"That's a little melodramatic don't you think, Sweetheart?"

"Sweetheart?"

"Just go with it."

"I'm going to need therapy after this."

"Hey! I heard that!"

"You were supposed to!"

And just like that, Avery forgot all about her continually numbing fingers and the breath she could see in the air in front of her, she focused on the warmth blossoming in her core.

"So I'm kind of done with this game now. Can we just count up the points already so I can decide my victory prize?"

"And who said you won?"

" Uhm...me."

"No no, you must be mistaken. It was obviously me that won."

"With all due respect,- however little it may be- that's a bunch of crap."

"I would explain it to you, but I'm afraid your brain would explode."

"I can tell you think what you're saying is funny...but no, no it's not."

"..."

"Oooo stick that in your Venti Starbucks cup and suck it!"

"..."

"I won, just admit it!"

"Winners, losers, I'm the one with the normal brain."

"Define normal."

"Well, for one, I'm not insane."

" What you call insanity, I call inspiration."

"I suppose that's why you work here."

" Basically."

"...you might be slightly insane, but you might also be brilliant."

"So...can I have my prize?"

"What do you want?"

" I want to know your real name."

Somewhere out in the city, Hotline Guy debated about whether or not to tell Avery his real name. He knew her name and they had been talking for a while now... He decided on a compromise. His middle name.

"It's Daniel, but just call me Dan."

"Dan." Avery tested it out. "that sounds familiar..."

It reminded her of someone she hadn't spoken to in weeks. Someone she missed.

It reminded her of Kaden.

This book will update again next Friday.