Dialing
Cigarette
//call received//
Devin: Cherry...?
Cerise: Hi...
Devin: Hey...
Cerise: It's been like, three days since you called.
Devin: I was satisfied with just watching you...
Cerise: [snorts] God, you're so creepy sometimes.
Devin: I pride myself on keeping people scared... either by creeping them out, or by intimidating them to the point that they pee their pants.
Cerise: Goodness... glad I wasn't chosen for the latter.
//a momentary pause//
Cerise: Is something the matter?
Devin: Not really... But, well, if you think about it, everything's matter--air, water, the table, trees, you, me--
Cerise: [giggles] Alright, Doctor Feynman. But, Physics is boring...
Devin: Agreed. So let's talk about something else. You were at The Brewery again. On Horseface's orders?
Cerise: Yeah. [mimicking a sophisticated voice] Short Macchiato, no sugar.
Devin: [annoyed] Christ, I wish you'd stop going out after dark.
Cerise: Really? What's gonna happen in Jeffersonville? Crime Rate, zero-point-zero-seven percent, might I add.
Devin: You're so gullible, Cherry. Don't trust consistency and records and rates. You can't go around believing a place is safe just because the Crime Rate is low. There's danger wherever there are humans.
Cerise: The severity of your misanthropy is sociopathic... [laughs] Worried much?
Devin: Of course I'm worried.
Cerise: Why?
Devin: Well... [after a moment] well, because you're my friend. I worry about my friends.
Cerise: Ah, we're friends now, are we? [snarkily] Strange friendship... I mean, I don't even know who you are.
Devin: Strange is good. [quickly] Okay, so why'd you call, to try and get to know who I am?
Cerise: What, really?! [mocks] So, now I need a reason to call my friends?
Devin: Well played on the friendship card. [softly adding] You're a walking, talking contradiction, Cherry...
Cerise: A contradiction? How so?
Devin: I don't know how to explain it... like, you're smart, clever. You're so good in English Literature, but then you suck at judging people--you trust too easily.
Cerise: [quiet]
Devin: [continues] And then, you're so timid and always taking beatings from everyone, but there is courage in you. A different kind of courage, one that got you through so much in life alone, single-handed.
Cerise: Cigarette...
Devin: And I remember from your diary entries, when you were hungry, but you could only think about the starving, homeless people... when you were bullied, but you worried about the people who were bullied worse than you. [sounding frustrated] Jesus Christ, every fucking thing about you is a goddamn irony!
Cerise: I-- I don't...
Devin: You won't understand... in this case, like in Calculus, you're pretty fucking dumb.
Cerise: [choked laugh, sniffles]
Devin: What... Cherry, are you crying?
Cerise: No...
Devin: Liar...
Cerise: [sniffles again] Yeah, okay. I just got the nicest, longest compliment in the world, followed by a short, rude insult, and got a little emotional...
Devin: Silly Cherry...
Cerise: [giggles] Yeah... silly me.
//stillness, excepting the last remaining snivels//
Cerise: [after controlling her crying] I can be smart, you know... I have substantial reason to believe we share English Literature class, and Calculus, too.
Devin: Clever Cherry...
//long lapsing quietness//
Devin: We should sleep. It's three in the morning.
Cherry: I guess...
Devin: [asserting] Sleep, Cerise. Goodnight.
Cerise: Oh, wow...
Devin: Oh, wow?
Cerise: Uh-huh. Just... just that you called me Cerise.
Devin: ... It is your name, isn't it?
Cerise: Yes, but... it somehow sounds better when you say it.
Devin: [short, low chuckle] You're tired... go now, sleep.
Cerise: Okay. Goodnight, Cigarette.
Devin: Goodnight... Cerise...
//call disconnected//
***
YOU ARE READING
🗸 the quintessences of cherry & cigarette
Short Story|| in which a broken boy takes interest in a broken girl and they realize that neither of them require fixing when they fall in love with each other's pieces, flaws, frayed ends, and quintessences || [ love unconditionally ] [ adore irrevocably ] 𝓬...
