Flash Fiction #11
Idea started by a writing prompt: "Begin the story with this sentence: When the phone rang at midnight I knew..."
End the story with this sentence: "I should have trusted my instincts."
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When the phone rang at midnight I knew who and what it was for. When the time came, I prayed it wouldn't happen and that my doubts from the past several months would remain unconfirmed. After staring at the wireless phone for five seconds in a pitch dark room, I reached over from the couch to the coffee table in the middle of the living room to answer the call. I asked, "David, is it what I told you earlier?"
"What do you want to hear first? The good news, or bad news?"
"There's a choice?" I replied with confusion, "Good news sound right at this moment."
David start to chuckle to make light of the news, "You were over thinking everything as usual, so that's the good news."
I wiped off a couple of drops of sweat and gulped, "That's all? Then what's the bad news?"
"Well..." His voice started to trail off and then I heard her over the phone. "David, give me the phone! I want to talk to Jackie right this instant!"
David apologized, "Sorry, Jackie. You told me to be careful but I got caught spying on her. Please forgive me. Anyway, I'm handing the phone to Crystal."
I immediately straightened my back with fear when I heard what David told me. I could feel my heart beating really fast and was constantly wiping my sweat every couple of seconds. I took a deep breath to prepare myself to speak, but she quickly spoke, "Jackie, how dare you send your friend to follow me!? You told me that you trusted me! You're such a liar! I can't believe it!"
I was caught off guard and started to stutter, "Crystal, I can explain. There's a reason for it."
"I don't know if I want to hear your reasoning. David told me everything he knows." She sighed, "Jackie, I'm really disappointed in you."
I pleaded, "Please give me a chance to explain myself. I know I was being stupid. I really should have trusted you, but the different scents, and the multiple late shifts. I was weak months ago and gave in to my insecurity, but I've gotten stronger! Crystal, I swear!"
"I really need some time to think about this and our relationship in the future." Crystal replied, "All I'm feeling right now is betrayal of your trust between us. I need to be alone."
I dropped the napkin that I was using to wipe my perspiring face in shock. "D-Does that mean what I think it means?"
She simply answered, "We should take a break from seeing each other. It would be the best for the both of us to think about our future as single people, and as a couple."
I stood up and yelled with widened eyes, "Please don't! Crystal, I beg you! I was wrong and please don't do this!"
"Jackie, I'm sorry. You brought this upon yourself. Good night." Crystal had hung up the phone.
After the conversation ended, I dropped the phone and slowly fell to my knees onto the floor. I started to sob and tears fell down that night. She was everything to me. I really did love her. This was a mistake that I made, but I decided at the time that the next time that I saw Crystal I was going to try to convince her that we still have a future together as a couple. I couldn't let it end our relationship on bad terms. Despite that resolution I made that night, I should have trusted my instincts from the very beginning to avoid any of that drama.
End the story with this sentence: "I should have trusted my instincts."
----
When the phone rang at midnight I knew who and what it was for. When the time came, I prayed it wouldn't happen and that my doubts from the past several months would remain unconfirmed. After staring at the wireless phone for five seconds in a pitch dark room, I reached over from the couch to the coffee table in the middle of the living room to answer the call. I asked, "David, is it what I told you earlier?"
"What do you want to hear first? The good news, or bad news?"
"There's a choice?" I replied with confusion, "Good news sound right at this moment."
David start to chuckle to make light of the news, "You were over thinking everything as usual, so that's the good news."
I wiped off a couple of drops of sweat and gulped, "That's all? Then what's the bad news?"
"Well..." His voice started to trail off and then I heard her over the phone. "David, give me the phone! I want to talk to Jackie right this instant!"
David apologized, "Sorry, Jackie. You told me to be careful but I got caught spying on her. Please forgive me. Anyway, I'm handing the phone to Crystal."
I immediately straightened my back with fear when I heard what David told me. I could feel my heart beating really fast and was constantly wiping my sweat every couple of seconds. I took a deep breath to prepare myself to speak, but she quickly spoke, "Jackie, how dare you send your friend to follow me!? You told me that you trusted me! You're such a liar! I can't believe it!"
I was caught off guard and started to stutter, "Crystal, I can explain. There's a reason for it."
"I don't know if I want to hear your reasoning. David told me everything he knows." She sighed, "Jackie, I'm really disappointed in you."
I pleaded, "Please give me a chance to explain myself. I know I was being stupid. I really should have trusted you, but the different scents, and the multiple late shifts. I was weak months ago and gave in to my insecurity, but I've gotten stronger! Crystal, I swear!"
"I really need some time to think about this and our relationship in the future." Crystal replied, "All I'm feeling right now is betrayal of your trust between us. I need to be alone."
I dropped the napkin that I was using to wipe my perspiring face in shock. "D-Does that mean what I think it means?"
She simply answered, "We should take a break from seeing each other. It would be the best for the both of us to think about our future as single people, and as a couple."
I stood up and yelled with widened eyes, "Please don't! Crystal, I beg you! I was wrong and please don't do this!"
"Jackie, I'm sorry. You brought this upon yourself. Good night." Crystal had hung up the phone.
After the conversation ended, I dropped the phone and slowly fell to my knees onto the floor. I started to sob and tears fell down that night. She was everything to me. I really did love her. This was a mistake that I made, but I decided at the time that the next time that I saw Crystal I was going to try to convince her that we still have a future together as a couple. I couldn't let it end our relationship on bad terms. Despite that resolution I made that night, I should have trusted my instincts from the very beginning to avoid any of that drama.
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