📳 The 2:03 AM Call📳
2152 Words
The house was silent.
Too silent.
The kind of silent where even the walls felt like they were holding their breath.
Aria stared at the ceiling from her bed. The same white ceiling. Just a different room.
The whiteness of the hospital was still stuck in her eyes. Every time she blinked, she heard the _beep_ of the machine.
For the first time in years, her stomach was full. Twelve yellow flowers sat on the nightstand. Like they were watching her.
A note was under the pillow. _"I'm here."_
She kept touching it. Like if she let go, it would disappear.
Her fingers were still shaking. The IV mark on her hand was still red.
_Who cleaned the house?_
_Who paid for the taxi?_
_Who remembered the mac & cheese I used to eat at 2 AM in the US?_
The questions hammered in her head.
Her body still wasn't okay.
Her bones ached. Like her body had stored all the pain from 3 days of unconsciousness.
She got dizzy. Even sitting up made everything go dark.
Blood deficiency. The nurse had said that.
But the biggest wound... wasn't hunger. Not sleep. Not peace.
Her phone was charging on the table. 1%. Then 2%.
No contacts. No balance. No one to call.
The street outside was silent. The whole city was asleep.
But her mind wasn't.
_Gray._
_Where are you?_
_Are you okay?_
_Did the infection get worse?_
_Do you still have a fever?_
3 days.
For 3 days he sat by her in the hospital.
Wounded. Feverish. Without eating, without sleeping.
Just so she wouldn't die alone.
Memories of the hospital flashed in her mind.
Day one: unconsciousness. The sound of machines.
Day two: the nurse said "There's a boy. He won't leave."
Day three: she opened her eyes. And he was gone.
_Is he in pain too now?_
_Did he take his medicine?_
Her chest tightened. She couldn't breathe.
Panic attack. Again.
She put both hands on her chest. Took a deep breath.
_Inhale. 4 seconds. Hold. Exhale. 4 seconds._
The doctor had taught her that.
But the fear didn't go away.
The fear that all of this was a dream.
That she would wake up and the flowers would be gone. The note would be gone.
Back to that white room. Back to being alone.
She turned over and hugged the pillow.
The clock on the wall ticked. 1:58 AM. 1:59 AM.
Her body was exhausted. But her mind wasn't.
9 years of darkness doesn't end in one night.
She was about to fall asleep when—
*BRRRING.*
The sound tore through the darkness like glass.
Aria jolted upright. Her heart jumped to her throat.
The old phone on the table lit up. Unknown number.
2:03 AM.
Her breath caught.
Cold sweat on her back.
2:03 AM. The same time. The same 4 numbers that had destroyed her world 9 years ago.
That night was also 2:03 AM.
That night the phone rang too.
That night he said _"Black, I... did something."_
Her hands were shaking. Her heart was beating so fast she thought she'd faint.
_Should I answer?_
_What if it's bad news again?_
With trembling hands, she picked up the phone.
She didn't say anything.
Silence.
On the other side, just breathing. Soft. Calm. Familiar.
The same breathing that had stayed by her bed all night in the hospital.
Then a voice came. Low. Rough. Like he hadn't slept in days.
Like he had stopped himself from saying these words.
His throat was hoarse. The voice of a fever.
_"Are you asleep?"_
Just 4 words.
Click.
The call ended.
Aria stared at the phone.
Dial tone. Nothing.
Her heart was beating so loud she could hear it in her ears.
Anger. Relief. Fear. All at once.
_Gray._
Who else could it be? Who else knew the importance of 2:03 AM? Whose voice was that?
She called back immediately.
_The number you have dialed is not reachable._
Again.
_Not reachable._
Her hands started shaking. Not from fear. From anger. From helplessness.
_"Don't do this to me,"_ she whispered in the empty room. Her voice cracked. _"Don't call and leave. Not again. I can't take it."_
She had no strength. But she got up anyway.
Bare feet on the cold floor.
Dizzy. She held onto the wall.
Went to the window. Pulled back the curtain.
The street was empty.
Except...
Across the street. Under the yellow streetlight.
A shadow. Hoodie. Hands in pockets.
Head down. Like he was tired.
He wasn't looking at the house. He was looking down.
But he was there.
Aria's breath stopped.
Her chest hurt.
She put her hand on the cold glass.
The shadow looked up.
Even from far away, in the dark, she recognized him.
The way he stood. The slouch of his shoulders. The angle of his head.
It was him.
He raised one hand. Didn't wave.
Just... _I'm watching you._
_I'm here._
Then he turned. Slowly. Like every step hurt.
And walked away into the darkness.
Gone.
Aria stood there for a long time. Shaking.
Her legs had no strength left. She sank to the floor.
The phone was still in her hand. 2:03 AM glowing on the screen.
She took the note out from under the pillow.
_"I'm here."_
Tears fell. But they weren't sad tears.
They were 9-years-later tears.
_"i***t,"_ she said with a laugh through her tears. Her throat hurt. _"You really are here. Stubborn."_
That night she didn't sleep.
She sat by the window.
Waiting.
Watching the street.
Checking every 5 minutes to see if he came back.
Her body hurt. She felt feverish.
But her heart... for the first time, it felt light.
Because after 9 years, someone had called at 2:03 AM...
not to break her.
to tell her she wasn't alone.
---
Morning. 6:47 AM.
The sun hadn't even come up properly when the phone rang again.
*BRRRING.*
Aria woke with a start. She had fallen asleep on the sofa. Her back hurt.
Her eyes were puffy. Her head was heavy.
She looked at the screen.
Unknown number.
She stared at it for 3-4 seconds.
Her heart was still racing from last night.
_What if it's him?_
She answered. Her voice was hoarse.
_"Yes sir?"_
_"Ms. Carter. This is Principal Hayes. Come to school in 30 minutes. We need to talk."_
_"Ok sir... sorry sir... I—"_
_"30 minutes, Ms. Carter. Don't be late."_
Click.
Aria threw the phone on the table.
_"Whatttt???"_
The principal had called.
School.
That meant...
_My job. I didn't lose my job._
_"Oh my God. I'm okay. Everything is still okay."_
But her body? Her body wasn't okay.
She got up and felt dizzy. Grabbed the wall.
3 days without proper food. No sleep.
Blood deficiency.
But she had to go.
She rushed.
Washed her face with cold water.
Phone on the table. Bag in hand.
10 minutes later she was fresh, dressed, hair tied up.
Lipstick on. So she wouldn't look weak.
She grabbed her purse. Took out a few pennies from her savings. Only 200.
Locked the door.
And walked out with new determination.
But every step made her breathless.
A taxi was waiting by the gate. Like it was waiting for her.
She quickly got in. Leaning her head on the seat.
But one thing was bothering her.
_Why did they call me after so many absences?_
_What if it's to fire me?_
_I missed the papers. The grades. Where are they?_
_What if Gray threw them away while cleaning?_
_If I lose my job, how will I pay rent?_
The thought made her panic. Her hands went cold.
She shook her head.
_Whatever it is. I'll find out there. Running won't help._
The taxi stopped in front of the school.
Aria paid 150. 50 left.
Took a deep breath and walked in.
Her legs were heavy. Every step was exhausting.
And there...
Jenny.
Her colleague. Confident. Beautiful. Blonde hair. Red lipstick.
The kind of person whose life always looked perfect.
_"Hey Aria! What's up?"_ Was the concern real or fake?
_"You went to see your aunt, right? How was the trip?"_
Aria forced a smile.
She didn't know what to say.
_How do I say I was in the hospital? That someone saved me?_
She just said, _"Yeah. It was good. Everything's good. She's better now."_
Jenny nodded. Then got serious.
_"Miss Carter, the principal wants to see you in his office. Now."_
Aria's heart sank.
Walking to the office, a hundred thoughts ran through her head.
_You're fired._
_Too many absences._
_We found someone else._
_Go home._
_How dare you disappear like this?_
She stopped outside the door and took 3 deep breaths.
Her hands were still shaking.
Inside, the principal was scolding a teacher. She could hear it.
The door opened. Miss Reynolds came out. Eyes red. Sad.
Aria licked her lips. Knocked.
_"May I come in sir?"_ Her voice shook too.
Principal Hayes looked up. He looked angry.
Then he saw her.
And his whole expression... softened. Completely soft.
_"Yes, Ms. Carter. Come in. Sit."_
Aria froze.
In 5 years the principal had never spoken to her like that.
Especially after breaking all the rules. 2 weeks absent. Without notice.
_"How's your aunt now?"_
_"Y-yes??"_ Aria was completely confused. Her mind spun.
_"I got a call,"_ the principal closed the file. _"Someone said you were with your aunt. That she was in the hospital. Very sick. That's why you couldn't come."_
Aria's mind went blank.
_Call? Who called?_
_Hospital?_
_Gray._
_"A-ammm... yes sir. She's better now. Thank you for asking."_ A lie. But a necessary one.
The principal nodded. For the first time in 5 years there was no harshness in his eyes.
_"Okay. Go to your class. The students are waiting for you. And Ms. Carter..."_
Aria turned back, surprised.
_"If you have any problems... financial, family, health... you can share them with me. Okay? We're a team here."_
Aria just nodded. _"A-ammm... ok sir. Thank you."_
She walked out. She felt like she was floating.
_What just happened to that grumpy man?_
Then it hit her.
The yellow flowers.
The clean house.
The paid taxi.
The mac & cheese.
And now... her job was saved. With a fake excuse.
_Gray._
He was doing it again.
Fixing everything behind the scenes.
No face. No name.
Just taking care of everything.
Walking to class, her body was giving up.
Dizziness. Weakness.
But she had to smile in front of the students.
Her hand shook while writing on the board.
In the middle of the lecture, her vision blurred for a second.
And she was back in that hospital room.
_Day two. It was 3 AM._
_Nurse Elina came in with water. Aria was unconscious._
_A boy was sitting on the chair. A white bandage on his head. A little blood on the bandage._
_His face was pale. His lips dry. His forehead sweaty._
_A thermometer was on the side table. 103.4°F_
_His eyes were closed, but his hand... his hand was still right next to Aria's bed._
_Like he was saying "I'm here."_
_The nurse said softly: "Son, you need medicine too. Your wound is getting infected."_
_He opened his eyes. They were red from fever._
_And he only said: "Her first. When she wakes up, then me."_
_Then he closed his eyes again._
Aria's heart sank.
_He had a fever. His wound was infected. And he sat here?_
_For 3 days? For me?_
Her breathing sped up. She grabbed the staff room wall.
_Is his wound still hurting?_
_Did he take his medicine?_
_What if the infection got worse?_
_What if... what if he's alone in bed with a fever?_
Tears filled her eyes.
_I'm safe here. I'm eating. I saved my job._
_And him?_
_Is he sitting under a tree across the street, with a fever?_
When the period ended, she sat in the staff room. Head in her hands.
Only one prayer in her heart: _God, please don't let anything happen to him._
And then she looked out the window.
Across the parking lot.
Under a tree.
A black hoodie. Hands in pockets.
Head down.
Not looking at the school.
Just... standing there. For 2 hours.
Her breath caught.
For a second he looked up.
Like he felt someone watching.
Even from far away, their eyes met.
Then he turned and walked away.
Aria gripped the edge of the desk.
Her heart was pounding.
Tears in her eyes.
_"I'm here."_
Yes.
He really was here.
With a fever. With pain. With exhaustion.
In the evening when she got home, her fever was 100.
But when she opened the door...
There was food on the table again.
Soup. Bread. And a note.
_"Rest. Medicine is in the kitchen. - G"_
She sat on the floor and cried.
This time not from weakness.
From relief.
*To be continued...*
- Writer
