The city streets were cold and sharp, the chilly wind cutting through my black t-shirt as I walked, my shoes scuffing the ground, my bag bouncing lightly on one shoulder.
*I should call her,* I thought, a small smile tugging at my lips. *Tell her I’m coming, maybe we can still grab some food somewhere, hit up that late-night dinner she loves.*
I took my phone out from my pocket, the screen lighting up with a notifications—texts, app alerts, the usual chaos. I swiped them aside without looking, too tired to care, and went straight to my contacts.
Aeri’s name sat at the top, her picture a candid shot of her grinning in a park, her eyes crinkling. I hit call, tucking one hand back into my pocket, the phone pressed to my ear as I kept walking, the city blurring around me.
*Ring. Ring. Ring.* The phone droned on, longer than usual, the sound sharp against the quiet of the street. I frowned, glancing at the screen, wondering if she was asleep already. Finally, a click.
"Hello—" I started, but stopped dead, her tone cutting through.
"S-stop, idiot!" Aeri’s voice came through, giggling, like she was shoving someone away, playful but distracted. My steps slowed, my brow furrowing, the wind suddenly colder against my skin.
"Yes? Hello, Ezra..." she said, her voice settling, though I could hear the smile in it.
"Umm, hello," I said, my voice, curious. "Where are you, Aeri?" I shifted the phone, my bag slipping a little on my shoulder as I stopped under a flickering streetlight, the city’s hum fading into the background.
Before she could answer, a loud voice boomed through the phone, cutting her off. "YOUR SWEET MOMMY IS WITH ME, YOU LITTLE BABY! SLEEP ALONE SUCKING MILK FROM A BOTTLE TONIGHT!! BWAHAHAHA!!!" Sara’s voice was unmistakable, wild and mocking, followed by a burst of laughter that made me pull the phone away from my ear, wincing.
"Sara, calm down," Aeri said, her voice a mix of laughter and irritation, like she was wrestling the phone back. "Let me talk to him."
"Yeah, yeah, your little baby needs you, ahaha," Sara teased, her voice fading as she walked away, her laughter still echoing faintly.
"Jeez, Sara... sigh," Aeri said, her voice clearer now, like she’d stepped into a quieter spot. "Yeah, Ezra, hello. Sorry about that."
I blinked, confused, my free hand rubbing the back of my neck. "What the fuck was that?" I asked, my tone half-laughing, half-baffled.
"What? You didn’t see my text?" Aeri asked, her voice tilting with surprise, a hint of worry creeping in.
"Text? Which one? No," I said, pulling the phone from my ear and switching to speaker, my thumb swiping to WhatsApp. "I just got out of work and called you." The screen loaded, and there it was, her message, sitting unread among the pile of notifications I’d ignored:
Sara’s marriage is in 2 days so I’ll be staying with her till then. Sorry, she came suddenly. I prepared dinner for you. Eat it after warming it up, take care and sleep early ❤️
"Okay, so you’ll be sleeping at her house, then," I said, my voice flattening as I processed it, leaning against the streetlight pole, the metal cold through my t-shirt.
"Yeah, I have to," Aeri said, her tone apologetic but firm. "It’s her last days before the wedding, you know how she is. I’m sorry, Ezra."
I exhaled, my breath visible in the chilly air, my shoulders slumping. "It’s okay, no problem," I said, keeping my voice steady, even as disappointment tugged at me. "I understand."
"We’re checking designs for her right now, picking out some last-minute stuff. It’s a mess."
"Sounds like Sara," I said, managing a small laugh, my eyes drifting to the street, where a couple passed by, laughing, their hands locked to each others. "Okay, take care."
"I will," she said, her voice warm. "You too, okay? Warm up that dinner, don’t skip it."
"Yeah, yeah," I said, my lips flattening into a half-smile, the cold sinking deeper into my skin. "Bye, bye."
"Bye, bye," Aeri said, the line clicking off, leaving me with the quiet of the street and the distant hum of the city.
I lowered the phone, staring at the screen for a second, her message still open, the heart emoji staring back at me.
The wind picked up, chilling my face, and I shoved the phone back into my pocket, my bag heavy on my shoulder as I started walking again, the night stretching out ahead, emptier than I’d hoped.
The distant hum of car horns and faint club music faded into the background, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
A deep sigh escaped me, my breath clouding in the frosty air, my chest tightening with a sudden, aching loneliness. It was just two days, I told myself. Just two days with Sara, helping with her wedding, and Aeri would be back. I shouldn’t feel , shouldn’t let the emptiness creep in so fast. But it wasn’t just the distance—it was the nagging fear as well, sharp and cold, that Sara, that loud, reckless bitch, might let something slip about my secret, about my brothel work
Sara’s mocking voice echoed in my head—"your little baby"—and a nerve twitched at my temple, my jaw clenching.
"Stupid bitch," I muttered under my breath, my voice low and bitter, the words swallowed by the wind.
"Hmph!" I shook my head, trying to shove the thought away, my sneakers hitting the ground harder as I picked up my pace, fast-walking toward the subway station.
The streetlights cast long shadows, my bag bouncing against my back, my hands stuffed deep in my pockets to fend off the cold. The city moved around me—couples laughing, a street vendor packing up, the screech of a distant bus—but I felt alone, my mind racing with Aeri’s giggle on the phone, Sara’s taunting laugh, and the weight of everything I was hiding.
The station’s neon sign glowed ahead, promising home, but the unease clung to me, heavy as the night itself, as I hurried forward, desperate to leave it all behind, even for a little while.