Chapter 4

Jason began daydreaming in class again. There was only so much time he could dedicate to paying attention and listening to a lecture about the Carnot Cycle, and he was way beyond that limit. As his professor moved on from motors and into compressors, Jason thought of the number. His mind soon became completely consumed by the Post-It note. He found he was asking himself the same question that he had earlier: Who wrote a number on a Post-It note, put it in an envelope, wrote my name on it, then dropped it off at my house?

And that's when it dawned on him: What if it has something to do with Chris? He did say he was in trouble. What are the chances I'd get this number and it didn't have something to do with him? Jason began envisioning his brother, hands cuffed behind his back, tied to a cold, metal chair. He pictured Chris, bleeding from his nose and mouth after taking a beating from the people looking for him, or rather the people who found him. He finally understood how his mother felt, turning something as small as a Post-It note into a reason to worry about the welfare of his family. Jason shook it off, telling himself that it was absurd. No chance Chris got captured and is being beaten.

No chance.

His worry subsided, but he couldn't help but think something was wrong. Something was nagging at him, something that he couldn't explain. Before he knew it, his classmates had begun to stand up and clear the room. Kyle turned towards Jason as he started packing his textbooks, "Let's get out of here, man. I need to get out of this building."

"Couldn't agree more," said Jason.

"You want to grab a beer at Skippers before we head home? I could use one after today. That pop quiz in Thermo tore me apart."

"Maybe later, I need to run home first. I have to see who's number that is."

"Alright, Then we go to Skippers?"

"Yeah, sure."

"We can see if Paul wants to drink with real people for a change."

"Yeah, good luck with that one."

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Jason walked into his kitchen, anxious to figure out the source of the mysterious number on the post-it note. He couldn't help but notice the cereal bowl, half filled with milk, on the table. Really, Paul?

He made his way over to the refrigerator and peeled the post-it note off of the door. He started towards the back door, heading to the backyard. He wanted to make sure no one would eavesdrop on him during this conversation if his assumption about who would be on the receiving end happened to be correct. Once he got outside, he looked around, making sure no one was walking by. He nervously began dialing the number. Taking a deep breath, he hit send.

It rang.

And rang.

It seemed like ages before someone finally answered. "Hello?" Jason had been expecting a gruff voice, something fitting for a kidnapper or a murderer. What he heard on the other side of the phone, however, was a soft, feminine voice. Thrown off guard by this, he had to make sure he stood his ground and didn't exude an aura of weakness.

"Who is this?" Jason said, revealing the slightest hint of both anger and confusion.

"It's Jenna." Jason was dumbstruck. He thought the number on the phone had belonged to the people who abducted his brother, not to the one girl he found attractive in any of his classes. Taken aback by this, he was unsure what to say next. Cat got your tongue? Come on, say something.

"Jenna! Hey! That was you who left the number on the Post-It note?"

"Yeah, why? Who did you think it was?"

"Well, uh..." I just thought it was my brother's kidnapper, no big deal, "I wasn't really sure. It's not every day I get a phone number in an unaddressed envelope."

"Yeah, I thought I'd try something new for a change. You don't sound to happy about it."

"No, no, no, it's not that. I'm still a little surprised is all. Actually, I'm relieved that it's you. So what's up?”

"Well, I wasn't exactly sure where you lived, so I followed you and your friend yesterday after class."

"I'm not trying to sound rude or anything, but that sounds a bit like a stalker to me." Jason heard a nervous laugh on the other side of the phone.

"Yeah, now that I say it, it does. Let's just call it curiosity, shall we?" Jason really didn't care what she called it. For all he cared, stalker would have sufficed. In truth, he was flattered.

"Curiosity it is. If you don't mind my asking, why'd you leave me your number?" He felt he already knew the answer, but he wanted to hear the words from her mouth, or rather, the phone.

"I was hoping you'd call me, believe it or not." Jason sensed her sarcasm.

"Well, had I known it was you I would have called sooner." Don't lay it on too thick. As far as you know, she could be asking for help on her homework.

"I was actually hoping you could help me with a project of sorts." Great, homework trouble. Is that all I'm ever good for?

"A project? Sure. What's it about?"

"It's for one of my Psych classes. I was hoping you could help me in person, rather than over the phone."

"Well in that case, where do you want to meet? How about the library? It's pretty central."

"I was thinking more along the lines of Paesano's." Paesano's was far from a library, and not just geographically. Paesano's was the fancy Italian restaurant on campus, quite possibly the nicest place to take someone to dinner, not to help with an assignment.

"You don't think the library would be more suitable for that kind of thing?"

"Are you saying you don't want to go to dinner with me?" For the third time this conversation, Jason was caught off guard. Does she actually have a project, or is she seriously asking me out?

"Yeah, well, no, I mean..." Jesus, pull it together, "I'd love to go to dinner. With you. Just for clarification, is this a date?"

"I'll see you at seven." Jason heard a click and looked at his phone. 'Call Ended' was blinking at him, taunting him. So was that a yes? Or a no? He stood there for a few seconds, trying to figure out what had just happened. He finally came to when he heard the back door creak open. He turned and saw Kyle sticking his head out of the door.

"So what did Jenna have to say? Judging by that stupid look on your face, I'd say it went pretty well."

"How did you..."

"I don't know how you didn't see her. She followed us home yesterday after class. A little creepy if you ask me. I mean, why didn't she just..."

"And you didn't tell me, because?" Jason was getting fed up with Kyle's antics.

"Because she did one of these," Kyle proceeded to bring his finger to his mouth, making the loudest "Shhh!" noise he could, sending spit flying everywhere. "I promised her, Jason. I couldn't just go and break that promise."

"Well aren't you just a stand-up guy." They both laughed as Jason made his way towards the door.

"I seem to be getting that a lot lately," Kyle replied as he held the door open for Jason, ushering him in by throwing his open hand across his midsection and bowing down.

"Why, thank you, Alfred." Jason patted him on the head as he walked by.

"Don't get used to it," Kyle said, hitting Jason in the side after he passed, letting the door swing shut behind him.

Reviews

[Jules]

I was laughing everywhere. Great job! You kept my attention.