The Phone Call

It's 1 AM, Jett wakes up from what seems like the best sleep he's ever had in the last five years. He gets out of bed, his room has been cleaned out for weeks. The only things he has left is a suitcase full of clothes, a toothbrush, an electric razor with aftershave lotion, and some cotton balls with a backpack full of snacks for the road. The drinks are in the car already. They consist of cans of Arizona, Mountain Dew Kickstarts, and some water. He goes to his window to look at his car, a red 1972 Chevy Chevelle SS with racing stripes on it and named it Kelly since he always loved Saved by the Bell.

Jett takes in a breath before exhaling one final time since this is the last time he'll be in town before he drives to Arizona. He changes from his pajamas into a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and a vest. He goes to reach his suitcase but he can practically hear his phone calling to him, there's a call he has to make and it's to someone that he almost always thinks about more than she thinks about him: his really close friend, Mia.

Jett sighs, remembering the history he has with her. The friendship, the relationship they had, the breakup, even the time that they were friends with benefits before she dated some asshole named Kevin. That guy was a total dick, why she ended up with him? He has no clue but he threw a parade when she got all the sense in the world to leave him. He grabs his phone, the screen lights up and he taps the phone app. He dials 6, Mia's name shows up but he hesitates.

"Shit," said Jett. "I must be out of my mind."

He taps her number and taps the phone button to call her but before it rings, he quickly hangs up.

"SHIT, JETT!"

He yells to himself as he puts his phone in his vest pocket, he grabs his suitcase and puts on his backpack. He gets his keys and iPod from the floor, the last song he remembered that was playing on his iPod before sleeping was "Passionfruit" by Drake. He puts earphones on and plays the song again while he heads out.

Jett goes to his car. He opens the trunk and puts his suitcase in, he grabs an Arizona. He goes to the driver side, opens the car door and takes his backpack off first. He tosses it in the passenger seat, he gets in to stick the key in the ignition but he opens his glove compartment first. The first thing he sees is a pack of Newport cigarettes he smoked the last time he saw Mia about three weeks before this night.

"Damn it, Mia.... I hate that you're in my head even when you're not around," said Jett.

He knows that with Mia, she brings out the best of him and the worst so he grabs a cigarette and puts it to his lips. Before he lights it, he thinks for a minute so he takes the cigarette from his lips and grabs his phone, he wakes it up and tries to call Mia again but this time, the phone rings once before hanging it up.

"Ugh!!! Come on, Jett! Talk to her, damn it!" Said Jett as he punches the steering wheel repeatedly.

He closes the car door and puts the cigarette back to his lips, he grabs a lighter from the glove compartment before closing it. He ignites it, brings the flame closer to his cigarette, and takes a puff when the flame hits the cigarette. A sigh of relief is released from him after he blows out smoke as if he's been tense all day, "Mia, Mia, Mia....." Said Jett to himself while he taps his foot.

He knows what he's going to do so he takes another puff of his cigarette before he tosses it out from his car window. He pulls out his phone one more time and calls Mia without hesitation, the phone rings. One ring..... second ring..... third ring.....

"Come on, damn it, pick up the phone," said Jett.

Fourth ring...... The phone picks up but it's not Mia on the other end, it's a male voice and it sounds like Taylor Launter.

"Hello?" Said the voice.

"Hey, is Mia there?" Asked Jett.

"Who is this?"

"A close friend of hers. Is she there?" said Jett.

"Yeah. Hang on," said the voice.

Jett puts his head down because he can't believe what's going on so he prepares another cigarette but before he can light it, Mia answers.

"Hello?" said Mia.

"Hey, little troublemaker," said Jett.

A light smile runs across his face, he's missed Mia but he wishes he didn't have to leave except he's had that conversation with her before.

"Hey, sweetie. So what's going on? I doubt you called me this late just to talk," said Mia.

Jett, knowing that she's right, opens his mouth to say that he's leaving but something else comes out, "I just wanted to see how you're doing."

He shuts his eyes tightly and taps his head on the top of his seat in frustration, he places his hand on the key in the ignition.

Mia sits up in bed at her place while she's on the phone with Jett, "I'm great," said Mia.

She gets out of bed and Jett tries to say something, "Mia, I—"

"Don't say another word, Jett," said Mia. "Can we see each other before you leave?"

Jett ponders at Mia's question, he's surprised at this because he can't believe she's asking this plus he thought that maybe her boyfriend answered the phone before she talked to him. How could she want to see him? Why does she want to see him? Does she love him again or something? Jett comes out of his head for a moment.

"Yeah. Where?" asked Jett.

"The park at our favorite bench," said Mia.

She hangs up, and Jett slowly puts the phone on the passenger seat and turns the car on. He pulls out of his old driveway to see Mia. Shit. Jett is thinking about the ways that this could go wrong like he might kiss her, she might kiss him, she might bring the guy from the phone, he might say something stupid. Mia is one of the smartest women he knows and she hardly says stupid stuff, this would be so much easier if she did though, maybe he'd know what to do. He makes a right turn past Safeway, it makes him think of times he'd go grocery shopping or make small errands with Mia. The thought of this makes him smile a little but his face shuts down again when he makes a left, the streets are empty and there's hardly anyone else outside. It's quiet and the only things he can hear are some of the streetlights and the night, he makes another right.

He sees the park ahead, he parks his car on the side of the road. Mia pulls up in front of him at least five seconds after him, she drives a 2015 black Toyota Camry. Jett sees her and even late at night, she looks amazing. Her red hair is tied up, she's wearing a jacket zipped up but he knows that she's wearing a tank top underneath, and she's wearing sweatpants plus a pair of Van's that he bought her as a gift for Christmas earlier in the year. Jett opens his door to get out, he puts his phone in his vest pocket and closes his door when he gets out. Mia gets out of her car, they walk to each other and without saying anything, she jumps onto Jett with the biggest hug he's ever gotten from her.

She gently whispers in his ear, "I really missed you," Jett missed her too so he hugs her a little tighter.

He puts her down but she's still holding on to him, "So is this it?" asked Mia.

"Yeah. I leave tonight," said Jett.

Mia lets him go, Jett starts to walk but she hooks on to his arm. Then, they both start to walk. The night is quiet but the weather is still talking, some slight wind is blowing and there are a few clouds but it's not enough to rain. It's not hot but it's not cold either.

"Can you imagine leaving without seeing me first?" Asked Mia.

"Actually, I can. I almost left without calling," said Jett.

Mia smiles and punches his arm, "Ow!" Exclaimed Jett. "You're so violent, you know that?"

"Oh, cut your whining. You still love me," said Mia.

Jett caresses her arm a little, "Maybe I do."

They approach their favorite bench, it sits on the same trail that they're walking on but it's on the side and it's sitting by the lake. They sit down and Jett notices some writings on the bench, it has more than the last time he remembered but one grabs his eyes more: JJ + MH.

"Our initials are still here from a year and a half ago," said Jett.

Mia sees it and she smiles, "Well, the bench loves us."

They sit down, Jett is thinking of a way to ask her about the guy on the phone before she answered without trying to let her think that he's jealous. Mia releases her arm from his, Jett scratches his face while he taps his foot.

Then, he folds his arms, "So.... I have—" says Jett but Mia cuts him off.

"His name is Shane. I met him 3 months ago at work," said Mia.

"Do you like him?" Asked Jett.

"No. Shane is just a gorgeous body," said Mia.

Jett scratches his head to hide his relief but Mia sees right through him, she lightly taps him with her shoulder and he taps her back.

He smiles, "I hate his voice."

Mia laughs, "I know. I'm not a huge fan of it either."

"He's still at your place, is he?" Asked Jett.

"Yeah, he's gonna be out of there in the morning anyway."

Jett feels a mix of emotions right now. Conflicted, happy, sad, and angry. He's happy that Mia is doing okay, sad that he's leaving her, conflicted with himself because he may have feelings for her again, and angry because he's worried about the decision he might make. If he leaves, he'll worry about Mia and she might end up with a guy that may treat her like shit plus he doesn't want her to end up in a bad place because he's not around but if he doesn't leave, he'll be really depressed and resent Mia for making him stay but knowing her so well, she'll want him to go and that'll piss him off because he went with her decision instead of his own.

"It's okay, sweetie, I know you'll miss me when you leave," said Mia as she caresses his hair.

Jett leans into her arm, she caresses his head and face periodically. She knows what he's feeling, it was the same as the time that they broke up and they spent the night crying together. A tear wells up, it streams down Jett's face, he wants to say something but he knows that Mia will know when he's crying but she kisses his forehead and notices his face.

"Oh, don't cry, hon. You'll make me cry," said Mia as she wipes his tear.

"I just feel really bad I'm leaving you," said Jett as he regains his voice. Jett kisses Mia's cheek, she holds him a little tighter and gets an idea.

"Let's spend the rest of the night together, then." said Mia.

"But, Mia, I have to be awake in a few hours."

"Well, then you can wake up to me before you leave," said Mia.

"But what about Shane?" Asked Jett as he sits up to face her.

"I can handle Shane," said Mia. "Just be ready when I text you, okay?"

"You know I'm always ready for you, Mia," said Jett.

Mia and Jett go to their cars, Mia starts her engine and drives to her place. Jett gets in his car, he looks at himself in the mirror. He thinks about the kind of guy he is and how he was made into the man he is now.

"Whoa......" said Jett.

He's realized a truth that's flown over his head repeatedly since he's known Mia for 7 years. Without her, he wouldn't be the man he is today, not even in his own chaotic world. With that realization, he smiles as he starts his car and drives to go meet with Mia. He makes his way from his parking spot and goes straight, then makes a right past an old restaurant where Mia helped him get out of a date when they were in high school and makes a left past an old skating rink. His phone rings, it's a text from Mia but he doesn't look at it since he knows what it says. He makes another right on a street that they walked on when they were juniors in high school back when they shared their first kiss and he makes one more right, it's a shortcut to Mia's place. He sees Shane leaving in disappointment and getting in his car when he pulls up.

Jett gets out of his car, Shane manages to see him before he drives off. Jett walks to Mia's door, he opens it and jokingly shouts, "Honey, I'm home."

Mia comes from her room, she's wearing only her tank top and some underwear, "Darling, welcome home. You'll never believe the day I had with the kids," said Mia as she hugs him.

"Well, tell me about it as we go to bed, my dear. Do you already have cartoons going?" asked Jett before they get to the room.

"Your favorite one, sweetie," said Mia as they enter the room.

There are juice boxes and snacks like Oreos, crackers, some candy, and chips on the bed. Jett takes his vest off and jumps in Mia's bed, she grabs some licorice and lies down with him. She opens it and gives him one, he takes it and hits the play button. It's Tom & Jerry.

The night was going better than he thought but it made him realize how much of a dick he was for not spending enough time with Mia before leaving. One thing is for sure though, he's definitely going to miss her dearly. Mia pulls the blanket in while Jett moves the food to her side of the bed, after clearing the bed, they get comfortable with each other. Mia rests her head on his shoulder and places her hand on his chest, Jett holds her hand and places a tender kiss on her forehead.

"Does my hair smell good?" Asked Mia jokingly.

"Your hair smells like my stepmom's dinner," said Jett.

Mia bites his chest, "Ow! Damn it, Mia," said Jett while he laughs it off.

She kisses his cheek, "Stop your whining. You love it when I do that."

"I hate it, Mia. I hate it more than I hate Justin Roiland's voice as Lemongrab on Adventure Time," said Jett.

Mia smiles, she knows he hates it when she tries to do his voice. They watch Tom & Jerry for a while, Mia isn't active like earlier. Jett looks at her when an episode ends, she's sleeping. He kisses her hand before getting the remote to turn the TV off. After he turns the TV off, Mia tosses and turns a little since she talks in her sleep for a second.

"Don't leave..... stay with me....."

Jett holds her closer, he knows she won't respond but he says something anyway.

"I couldn't leave you even if I tried, Mia. You're way too important to me for you to just disappear from my life. You're my girl. Now, always, and forever," said Jett.

He knows he's going to wake up late but it's time to sleep, he closes his eyes and sleep envelopes him.

It's 10:34 AM, Jett wakes up. Mia isn't in bed, she walks in with a cup of coffee, wearing the same tank top but she's wearing a different pair of sweatpants. Jett is about to say that he doesn't like coffee but Mia knows that except she doesn't want to hear it.

"You need as much energy as you can possibly get, Jett, you'll be the only one driving and I don't want you drinking nothing but those kickstarts and Arizonas. Now, drink," said Mia.

Jett smiles, sits up in bed and takes a few sips.

"This coffee isn't bad at all. This is pretty good," said Jett.

He gets out of bed and grabs his vest, before putting it on, he shakes it to see if his keys will be there.

This was it, he was leaving. He downs the coffee, Mia is trying to fight her tears but some have streamed down her beautiful face already. Jett sees her and he wipes her face.

"Don't cry, my dear. Leaving already makes harder than it is," said Jett.

"Are you sure you can't stay?" Asked Mia as she struggles with her voice.

"Positive..... but I'll tell you what, if you're in town or you want to move in, you know you're always welcome," said Jett as he caresses her face. She smiles.

"Wait!" Exclaimed Mia. "I have something for you."

"Come on, Mia, you know you didn't have to get me anything," said Jett.

"No, I did, I want you to never forget me," said Mia as she goes to her drawer looking for something.

"Are you kidding me? Not even a memory wipe can make me forget you," said Jett.

She finds what she was looking for and hands him a heart shaped locket, "I know we're not much of the gift giving type but we always make it count," said Mia.

Jett smiles and he opens the heart, it's a picture of him and Mia when they were in high school.

"You're practically etched in my head, Mia, you're not going anywhere and even if I did forget you, I know you'll find a way to bring me back," said Jett as he wraps the locket around his hand.

Mia hugs him tighter than she did at the park, he can barely breathe but he doesn't mind it.

"Actually, I have something for you, too, but it's in my car," said Jett.

They hold hands as they go out to his car together, it's sunny outside but there's some small clouds. Jett gets in the passenger seat, he opens his glove compartment and gives her an album, Logic's Under Pressure with three bonus tracks. He knows she's listened with him before but she knows it's one of his favorite albums.

"Oh, no, I can't take this. It's one of your favorites," said Mia.

"It's fine. I know it's in good hands," said Jett. Then, he gives her both of his soundtracks to Guardians of the Galaxy.

"Ok, now you've definitely lost your mind. I wouldn't have given these to you before leaving," said Mia.

"I know, that's why I want you to have them plus I have them on my phone so I'll be fine," said Jett as he gets out of his car.

"You better call me at least three times a day," said Mia.

"I wouldn't dream of not doing that," said Jett.

They embrace one last time, Jett will miss her so much that it's causing him some pain right now but he knows he won't forgive himself if he stays since he knows what'll happen if he does. They release each other.

"I'll be back during the holidays, I promise," said Jett.

He gets in his car, puts his key in the ignition, and starts his engine. Before he shifts gears, he looks at Mia, she smiles at him with tears running down her face. Jett waves at her with a smile as well, he puts the car in drive and heads into a future that's uncertain for him but he knows what he needs. Tears well up in his eyes as he hooks up his phone, the first song he plays is "Letters from the Sky" by Civil Twilight. He opens the locket and looks at the picture of himself and Mia as he drives into his new life.