Unknown Number Read online

  (17:35) How do you ‘sort of’ get your phone taken off you?

  (17:36) It got taken out of my bag when I went to the bathroom. Had to hunt Jean down and ... well … shit happened.

  (17:42) Like?

  (17:46) I got into a fight. Got dragged into the headteachers office. Got lectured. My dad was NOT happy when he came to pick me up.

  (17:53) Were you suspended?

  (17:56) No.

  (17:57) He did read my texts to you out in the middle of class. It was like a trigger went off in my head.

  (17:59) Did you see red?

  (18:03) I may have thrown a chair at his face. His stupid horse face.

  (18:04) Wait, Jean’s a guy?

  (18:06) Here I was thinking you were some equal rights fighter. Who the FUCK calls their son JEAN?

  (18:08) It’s pronounced ‘John’. French or some shit.

  (18:11) Hey kid. Don’t knock the French. Without them, you wouldn’t have me.

  (18:15) You’re French?!

  (18:18) Part-French. My mum came over from France when she was young.

  (18:23) That’s so cute! Do you have a little twiddly moustache too?

  (18:28) Nope. Tried to grow one once and it looked like a paedo stash.

  (18:30) Fletcher and Eleanor pinned me down and shaved it off.

  (18:32) That sounds amazing!

  (18:35) Shut up brat! Can you even GROW facial hair?

  (18:39) Well I sort of tried once but I just get a few whiskers.

  (18:42) How cute.

  (18:45) Ew. For some reason you don’t seem like the sort of person who says ‘cute’.

  (18:47) I’m not. Forget that. It was a sick mistake.

  (18:51) Awww are you embarrassed?

  (18:57) BRB. Dinner!

  (18:59) You really are a kid.

  ~

  (20:21) What’s wrong with BRB?

  (20:24) It’s so childish.

  (20:29) Bloody hell, how old ARE you that text-talk bugs you?

  (20:34) Are you even young enough to OWN a mobile?

  (20:42) I’m going to pretend to not be offended.

  (20:44) How old ARE you? I’m going through our messages and I’m thinking you’re in College.

  (20:46) Ha! Wrong! I’m in Uni.

  (20:47) How about you?

  (20:49) I’m … Older.

  (20:53) How much older?

  (20:59) ???

  (21:16) Older.

  Tuesday AM

  (10:12) So how much older are you?

  (10:15) Guy or Girl?

  (10:17) Guy. So how much older?

  (10:19) Why do you care so much?

  (10:22) Why are you so ashamed of your age?

  (10:25) I’m not ashamed.

  (10:26) So tell me :D

  (10:31) Nope. Just for that emoticon, I am refusing to disclose personal information about myself.

  (10:33) Wow. You’re literally ageing yourself as we speak.

  (10:34) Just because I appreciate the English language doesn’t mean that I am old.

  (10:37) It also doesn’t mean you’re young.

  (10:40) I’m older than you. That’s all you need to know.

  (10:43) OMG YOU’RE ACTUALLY AN OLD MAN AREN’T YOU?

  (10:46) I UNWITTINGLY TEXT A PENT-UP OLD PERV!

  (11:05) I’m so glad I ignored that. If I’d seen that instantly, I’d have chucked my phone at my students’ heads.

  (11:09) So … you’re a teacher?

  (11:12) Yes. I’m a teacher.

  (11:17) I’m all nervous now. I feel like maybe I’m texting my math’s tutor.

  (11:20) Wrong. I don’t teach maths.

  (11:22) So you’re texting whilst in class?

  (11:26) Yes. Apparently so. It’s a quiz-day.

  (11:29) Oh, you’re one of THOSE teachers.

  (11:32) One of ‘what’ teachers?

  (11:34) The one’s that always give surprise quizzes.

  (11:38) So what? I’m allowed to extort my power over these simple-minded brats.

  (11:43) You’re evil.

  (11:46) You enjoy my evilness. Why else would you keep texting me?

  (11:55) I … literally don’t know how to respond to that.

  (11:58) I do. You’re a masochist. You love pain and the excitement brought on by texting a potential OAP murderer.

  (12:02) OMG NO! I nearly got a cramp from laughing so hard!

  ~

  (12:48) You probably deserved that public humiliation.

  Tuesday PM

  (14:06) I really REALLY hate you.

  (14:09) No you don’t.

  (14:15) Honestly, I do.

  (14:17) Quiet brat. I’m shaping young minds into obedient members of society.

  (14:46) More like brainwashing them to be your manservants when the apocalypse occurs.

  (14:56) There’s that too.

  ~

  (20:23) Since you’re a teacher, you can help me with all my homework! :D

  (20:34) What did we discuss about emoticons?

  (20:36) That they’re … bad?

  (20:39) Good boy.

  (20:41) Besides, I am not about to let you cheat to get good grades.

  (20:45) It’s not cheating! It’s helping!

  (20:47) Do you or do you not have a test sometime tomorrow?

  (20:56) … I might.

  (21:02) Then no. I will not help you.

  (21:04) You’re the worst. Why do I talk to you?

  (21:07) I’m wondering the same thing.

  ~

  (23:09) So really, how old are you?

  (23:16) Go to sleep, brat.

  Wednesday PM

  (13:02) It feels weird that I haven’t messaged you this morning.

  (13:10) My sister and friends keep asking who I’m talking to.

  (13:15) Oh shit. I just realised how that sounded.

  (13:19) I’m sorry.

  ~

  (14:28) I mean, I’m not sorry. I like talking to you. God I’m really bad at this!

  (14:35) Have I freaked you out?

  (14:56) I guess you’re busy. I’ll leave you be.

  ~

  (16:23) Hey kid, sorry I forgot my phone at home and only just got back.

  (16:25) To answer your earlier question, no, you didn’t freak me out. I … actually enjoy talking to you too.

  (16:51) Wow … that’s a nice message to randomly look down and see. I honestly got a little freaked that I wouldn’t get another message from you again. As creepy as that might seem to some people.

  (16:55) In what way?

  (16:58) I have you saved in my phone as ‘GRUMPY TEACHER’.

  (17:03) Actually, a rather good description of me.

  (17:05) So what am I saved as on your phone?

  (17:08) You so set that up. Fine. You’re saved as ‘SHITTY BRAT’.

  (17:11) WHAT?! THAT’S SO RUDE!

  (17:23) I’m sorry, did you expect something endearing?

  (17:26) Well, clearly I was wrong to assume.

  (17:29) Everyone is wrong to assume anything at any given time.

  (17:31) Besides, from me, ‘shitty’ is basically endearment in my dictionary.

  (17:35) Awww, look at you getting all soft on me.

  (17:37) Where’s my mean, evil, murdering old man, eh?

  (17:45) Washing the blood off my kitchen floors.

  (17:52) I thought you said you were like DEXTER and were clean as fuck?

  (17:54) I am. That’s why I’m cleaning the blood off my floor. Twerp.

  (18:04) Okay how did that make me smile?

  (18:09) Cause you’re weird?

  (18:16) Oh yeah!

  (18:23) Shitty brat.

  (18:28) Grumpy teacher :P

  Friday AM

  (9:03) So how many ‘friends’ do you have in this little group of yours? I need to know what I’m up against.

  (9:06) Are you serious? I am literally just starting my lesson.

  (9:08) You’re also texting me :P
<
br />   (9:19) You’re annoying. Now shut up and pay attention to your OWN teacher.

  (9:24) I am ;)

  (9:34) Fuck off with your emoticons!

  (9:41) Oh shit. I just had a horrible thought. What if you ARE one of my teachers?

  (9:53) Is that bad?

  (9:59) YES! All my teachers are awful!

  (10:12) Okay so what lesson are you in now?

  (10:17) History.

  (10:23) Okay, describe your teacher to me.

  (10:31) Short, dark hair, pot-belly, and rubbery looking ears and nose.

  (10:34) Haha. I can confirm that it is not me. Not to mention, I teach secondary school, not Uni.

  (10:38) I can’t lie. I’m so relieved right now!

  (10:42) I’d have needed therapy if you were Mr. Stevens.

  (10:46) So … History huh?

  (10:59) Yes.

  (11:24) Do you enjoy it?

  (11:27) I do. Wasn’t my initial plan but I’ve been doing it for a while now.

  (11:30) What was your plan? Originally, I mean.

  (11:33) I didn’t really have much of an option.

  (11:38) What do you mean? Did your parents push you into a career? That sucks.

  (11:47) Nope. They pushed me into joining the army after my ‘stunts’ in school. I got discharged after I took three bullets in my chest, back and leg. Then, after extensive therapy, I went into teaching.

  (11:58) Oh my God … I am so sorry.

  (12:03) It’s fine. It was a long time ago.

  (12:06) No, seriously. I talk without thinking. I shouldn’t have pushed, I’m sorry!

  (12:09) Kid, I told you, it’s fine.

  (12:15) Okay. If you’re sure.

  ~

  (12:34) So, I’ve been doing some thinking.

  (12:39) I thought I heard of a national disaster somewhere.

  (12:43) Wow. I was trying to be heartfelt. Don’t think I’ll bother now.

  (12:57) Kid, I’m joking. What were you going to say?

  (13:09) I was going to … trade some personal information.

  (13:13) Tit for tat, and all that.

  (13:17) Okay.

  (13:21) My name … is Cavan.

  (13:27) Nicer than ‘brat’ or ‘kid’ huh?

  (13:33) I quite like the ring of ‘brat’ or ‘kid’. It makes me feel powerful.

  (13:45) You’re a teacher. How much more power do you want?

  (13:48) All of it.

  (13:59) Are you seriously going to leave me hanging?

  (14:11) Depends over what? A vat of acid? Sharks? Volcano?

  (14:34) …?

  (14:38) Fine. If you like, you can change my contact name to ‘Lucas’.

  (14:41) Really? But that’s such a nice name! It doesn’t suit you at all ;)

  (14:53) I’m sort of wishing you were in my class just so I could throw my phone at your head!

  (14:57) I can’t believe my grumpy teacher finally has a name!

  (15:08) Cavan.

  (15:11) I’ve never seen my name look so intimidating over text. I’ve given you too much power!

  (15:15) Cavan.

  (15:18) …Yes?

  (15:23) I like your name too.

  Chapter 3

  Lucas did his best to stop looking down at his phone whenever he urged his students to ‘read a passage’ from their open textbooks. He had been telling himself to be good and to set a proper example for his students. There was no real rhyme or reason as to why it felt so easy to talk to Cavan the way they had been over the last few weeks. Even if what they spoke about was completely random, it helped Lucas feel as though he had more of a purpose. There was no real reason for having a phone if no one talked to him.

  [1 NEW MESSAGE]

  Well … Almost no one. He felt a little flushed as he slyly swiped his phone screen and opened the message. He had to suppress a groan. It wasn’t from Cavan. It was Eleanor.

  ~0~

  Wednesday AM

  (11:34) Hello kind stranger, have you perchance seen my friend Lucas anywhere?

  (11:37) The Hell do you want Frizz-face?

  (11:41) LUCAAAAAAS! YOU’RE ALIVE!

  (11:45) What do you want? You realise I’m teaching right now?

  (11:47) Not well, if you have time to text.

  (11:53) What do you want four-eyes?

  (11:56) A little birdy tells me you’ve BEEN TEXTING SOMEONE!

  (11:59) Looks like my sling-shot needs to come out of retirement.

  (12:04) Sooo? Who is it?

  (12:06) Your coroner.

  (12:11) D: RUDE! Luuucas who have you been texting?! You only have like 4 contacts!

  (12:15) Can there be SOME mystery left between us?

  (12:17) Nope. You’re stuck with me!