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Weight - 386 words
Kevin Foster

Hehhhhhlo?

Hi.

Oh god, what’s wrong now?

Do you just assume that every time I call, something’s wrong?

Yes, yes I do. Because every time you call, something is wrong.

Oh come on, no need to exaggerate.

Fine. What’s going on?

There’s something I needed to talk to you about.

Jesus Christ.

He got very tired of these phone calls. Though he prided himself on the quality of his friendships, his loyalty and sacrificial instincts, he became conditioned to cringe when she called, let her small problems lose steam against the formality of his voicemail, not necessarily with the intent to screen her phone call but just weed out the small stuff, and certainly not because he didn’t like to hear her voice as it still had the mystical effect of making him very hungry and slightly nauseous and for some reason he liked this feeling. Despite that, he still got very tired of these phone calls.

I don’t exactly remember how it all happened, honestly. God it sounds so stupid but we had just met and were dancing and he was charming – I, I think it was his teeth – and next thing I know the music was far away, just faint vibrations in the floor – it must have been his teeth, I’m a sucker for teeth, you know - God I know I shouldn’t make light like that but… Well, know that his teeth changed and he wasn’t smiling anymore, not charming at all, but I guess he didn’t need charm at that point. There was nothing I could do.

...

I’m sorry.

No. Don’t be sorry.

Well I am.

…

You can’t say anything. It happened at the end of last semester. It’s been too long.

…

He’s a really nice guy, otherwise, you know – I avoid him now, mostly, but he wasn’t like as malicious as you would think.

...

…

What can I do?

Well. I guess, nothing. I just needed to tell you.

…

Anyway, I’ve got to run. It’s Sara’s birthday, we’re going out, just the girls tonight. I’ll see you over the holidays, huh?

Yeah, sure. See ya.

And feeling a little more weight than he did when he answered the phone, not knowing exactly what else to do, he hung up the phone and got back to work.