Stuck In Quarantine

20.

      It had been two days, since James talked to Celeste. He didn't meant to hurt her, and was regretting everything he said, and everything he didn't. The only silver lining that James took away from the situation, was that he was writing again. He poured all his frustration, and regret into his next book. He typed the words, as fast as his fingers would allow. Spending hours, upon hours, in front of his laptop. He barely slept, barely ate. He just wrote.
      He had written over eighteen chapters, so far. And he didn't know, if the book was going to be good, or not. But he honestly didn't care. Everything he had gone through this past year with Stacy, with the quarantine, and with Celeste. He poured it all into the book. He wasn't sure if him and Celeste would go back to how they were, or if he even had a chance with her, still. So he made sure the characters in his book, did.
      Making sure his character in the book spoke the words, that James didn't get too. His time away from Celeste, made him long for her. He did like her lots, and was willing to go for broke, and see what happens between them. But he figured it may be too late. She was right, he couldn't live his life based on things from the past. He pushed the word, rebound, out of his mind. And replaced the word with, try.
       He took a break from writing, and stood up from his couch. Stretching out his body. He hadn't left the living room in two days. He walked over to the kitchen, and grabbed a cup of water. He leaned against the counter, and slammed it back. Looking at his laptop, after he was done. He didn't want to stop writing, the words and inspiration, was jumping out of his body. He walked back to his laptop, and just as he was about to sit. His phone went off, in the bedroom.
      He entered the bedroom, and grabbed his phone. He didn't recognize the number, and he wasn't sure if he should answer it. He didn't want to deal with telemarketers, at the moment. But something deep within, told him, he should answer it. He swiped up to answer, and put the phone to his ear.

      "Hello?" He asked.

      "Hey baby! It's Stacy! I've been trying to get through to you, for the past few days. But my call would never go through. It's like I'm blocked?" Stacy loudly exclaimed. Causing James to remove the phone from his ear, with annoyance.

He brought the phone back to his ear, and she was still talking.

      "So I had to use Robert's phone, to call you! Since I couldn't, you know, get thro-- "

      "That's because I blocked you." James calmly said. Interrupting Stacy.

Stacy immediately stopped speaking. James could feel how shocked she was, he felt it echo through the phone.

      "Wh-- wh-- what do you mean, baby? Why did you block me...?"

      "Because you're cheating on me! I don't want to deal with you anymore! This past year has been hell for me, because of you!" James has been wanting to say that for a long time.

      "I'm-- I'm not cheating on you, baby... I love you! You're my author! " She said. Lying through her teeth.

      "It's done Stacy! We're over! I caught you! Remember that phone call a few days ago, from a unknown number? That was me! I borrowed Celeste's phone, to call you. And heard you and Robert on the other end!" He fired back. "Sounds like Robert couldn't keep his hands off you, eh?!

      James got nothing but a stutter of words from Stacy. She couldn't even put together a full word. She was tripping over her tongue, and her lies. He just held the phone to his ear, and enjoyed the moment.

      "Oh yeah! Who the fuck is Celeste?!" She shouted. Finally speaking actual words. "Your new little whore?! I hope you enjoy each other, you fucking loser! You're nothing! You're just a shitty writer! Your first book sucked, by the way!"

      "Oh ouch... That hurts... Why you so mean, oh no..." James said. Sarcasm oozing through his words. "When you get back, your shit is already packed! And by already packed, I mean in garbage bags, in the hallway! Enjoy!"

      James hung up the phone, and held it in his hand for moment. He closed his eyes, and breathed deep. And in that moment, James was hit with a realization. He knew what he had to do. The last two days were too long, he needed to speak with Celeste, and tell her how he felt. And not just in book form. Even if she didn't listen, he needed to get this all off his chest. He had to, try.