Page 39 of Call Me Baby 2: Side B

She's still laughing,

and it takes her forward,

tears in her lashes.

I roll my eyes.

“Whatever. I don’t care. I’m chill. If I weren’t chill, he’d know it by now. I’d be knocking on his door with a knife. But I’m not.” I gesture around the room. “Got shit to take care of. A business to run. Hot mouths to grind up on. So. Yeah. I’m not mad. I’m not sad. I’m chill as fuck.”

Celie mindlessly types away on her phone, her laughter fading.

“Not textin’ him don’t prove nothin’ except you’re in your feelings.” She stops and glances at me. “You wanna act like he ain’t shit? Text him ‘Appreciate the stuffin.’ Real monotone.” She lifts her shoulder. “That’s peak I don’t give a fuck.”

“Alright.” I reach for my cell. “Yeah, I can do that. No biggie.” I smirk. “Not a dang thang goin’ on in this brain,” I sing, tapping out the sentence. “Appreciate the stuffing. Capital A. Fully spell-checked. Correct punctuation and pure indifference.”

I hit the little blue circle.

“Monotone murder, bitch.

“Cold-blooded, left no prints.

“Real serial killer shit.”

I show her.

Today 3:16 PM

973-555-0194

Appreciate the stuffing.

“You poor girl.”

She clicks her tongue with pity.

“Deleted his contact and all.”

I go to drop my phone on the table,

ready to bite back

when it fucking rings,

vibrating in my hand.

I flinch,

and the phone fumbles in my hand.

My eyes jump to Celie,

wide and surprised.

“That’s him,” I whisper, as if he can hear. “The fuck do I do?”

“Please don’t make me slap you,” she mutters. “Answer the phone.”

It rings again.