Take This Heart

{April 21st, 1:05AM}

My cell phone rang on the nightstand next to the bed—The Fray's version of Heartless played throughout the dark room. Under the covers I shuffled my warm body, a light groan coming from my lips as I moved around after being woken by the loud noise.

I didn’t bother to pick up my head from the pillow—instead I just stuck my hand out, knocking over the alarm clock in the process, to grab at the lighted phone on top. “Stupid fucker,” I grumbled irritated. “Who the hell is calling this late?” I barely got out before I flipped open the small device to place it against my ear.

The ear piece had just made contact with my ear before a loud screech erupted from it, shocking a sleepy me into a wide awake state. “Krissy!” the person on the other end yelled again—I sat up, letting the heated covers fall to my lap as I reached for the lamp and flicked it on.

I groaned, grumbling inaudibly before I glanced at the screen, squinting at the bright light. “Johnny fucking Christ,” I mumbled. I placed the phone back and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. “Andy?” I questioned, trying to confirm that it was my older half-sister.

I heard the familiar giggle on the other end. “He’s here, too,” my sister laughed and it took me a moment to figure out that she was talking about Johnny.

As if on cue, I heard the distant call from the bassist, “Hey, Krissy!”

I couldn’t help it—I let out a laugh, my irritation from before slowly disintegrating. I felt comforted at hearing my sister’s voice. Andy lived in California, hours away from my college leaving us to see each other when we could.

“Hi, Johnny,” I greeted, knowing my sister would pass the message on. I glanced over at the clock on the floor and saw the bright numbers blinking in the darkness. I groaned the sound traveling into my cell phone over to Andy on the other end. “Why are you calling me at—one in the morning!?” I asked shocked.

I could already see my sister rolling her eyes at me, since we both knew that I was used to staying up later than this when I get the chance—but with finals I needed all the sleep I needed. I hadn’t talked to my sister in so long though that she knew that I was going to let it slide this once.

“Do you know how much our mother talks?” my sister’s voice filled my ears as she asked. Now it was my turn to toll my eyes—of course I knew how much our mother liked to chat, from dusk to dawn my mother was almost never off her phone. Main reason why I only called her when I knew I had time to spared—or kill.

“Duh—did you just get off the phone with her?” I questioned. I was curious what this had to do with me—if it wasn’t as important, Andy would have called me during the day when she knew I’d be awake.

“Yes, I did,” she replied, “Move the fuck over Johnny! You take up the whole damn couch.” I giggled, knowing that she was constantly arguing with Johnny over something—it was the way their friendship was.

“Anyways, I made a deal with her,” Andy told me, “If that’s alright with you.”

“Go ahead,” I yawned, reclining against the wall, waiting for my sister to continue.

“Well, since I know you won’t want to stay with our passive mother this summer, I offered to have you stay with me once you graduate and help you prepare for that job you got down here.” I sat up straight, quickly rubbing the sleep from my eyes. “Why do you think?” my sister questioned.

I wanted to avoid spending my summer watching my mother gossip about the soap operas she watched all day—so this was my chance and I wasn’t about to let it slip from my fingers. “Of fucking course!” I yelled. At the loud noise my roommate glanced up, narrowing her eyes as I mouthed an apology.

“Great!” I heard my sister exclaim and I chuckled. “I’ll call you tomorrow with more details.”

I nodded but shook my head as I recalled that my sister couldn’t see me and gave her my vocal agreement. I hung up the phone, placing the silver device on the nightstand again, excitement running through my body, knowing that it was going to be an unforgettable summer.