Unknown Number Read online

  (12:47) Probably read it while they do essay questions.

  (12:50) You know … that’s not a bad idea.

  (12:56) … Oh God what have I DONE?! I’ve created a monster!

  (13:06) You know what all this is, Cavan?

  (13:08) What?

  (13:15) This is giving me so many ideas of how to get away with your murder.

  (13:16) I’m just gonna lock myself in a secure location and throw away the key. Good luck finding me!

  (13:17) Easy. I’ll just track your phone.

  (13:18) … Fuck.

  ~

  (22:10) I feel like I’m crashing so hard … but this is so good … can’t keep eyes open …

  (22:15) Yet he can still text me with almost perfect English.

  (22:20) Shut up. This is all your fault. Dumb brat.

  (22:24) You’re welcome, Lucas ;)

  Chapter 5

  From Eleanor:

  (9:00) So how did you survive the weekend after drunk-texting your lover-boy?

  (9:03) That reminds me, I need to kill you now.

  (9:06) Eh?! What did I do?

  (9:13) Thanks to you, Cavan had a panic attack thinking I’d judge him for being gay! Then he got me addicted to those bloody JACK REACHER books, so I’ve barely slept since crashing on Friday!

  (9:18) Cavan, eh? Cute name ;)

  (9:21) You’re … impossible.

  (9:23) I can’t be impossible. I exist!

  (9:25) For now.

  (9:30) So what else do you know about him? Is he single?

  (9:31) Yes.

  (9:34) You should meet up. Ask him out!

  (9:40) Eleanor just drop it.

  (9:43) You can’t stay single all your life Lucas! You have his number! Call him up and ask him out!

  (9:48) I’m teaching and he’s resting from the incident with hob. Just … leave it.

  (9:53) Call him tonight.

  (9:56) If I say ‘yes’ will you leave me alone?

  (9:58) Only if you mean it!

  (10:02) Fine, yes. I’ll call him.

  (10:06) Good boy.

  (10:10) You’re going to call Bonnie and Fletcher and tell them to spy on me, aren’t you?

  (10:15) Well it takes all the fun out of it if you can guess what I’m gonna do!!!

  (10:18) That just means you’re predictable.

  (10:20) So rude!

  (10:25) Eleanor, stop harassing me and get back to your job.

  (10:27) Fine. But I’m texting Fletcher and Bonnie right NOW!

  (10:30) Whatever.

  ~

  From Cavan:

  (12:05) Soph just told me she’s going on an exchange program. She’ll be gone for six months.

  (12:08) Isn’t that a good thing? She’ll be back for the summer holidays.

  (12:14) I just … I guess having some space from this Jordan crap is good but …

  (12:17) You’ll get lonely.

  (12:24) You must think I’m pathetic.

  (12:27) No, I don’t.

  (12:31) What if I told you I was holed up in the men’s room cubicle texting you this because I got so angry, I yelled at her and stormed off?

  (12:38) … I feel as though my hands are tied.

  (12:42) Would you like something to look forward to later on?

  (12:46) Um … sure? What did you have in mind?

  (12:50) You’ll see. Just let me know when you’re free.

  (12:52) O-Okay.

  (12:55) Gotta run, kid. Teaching Year 8’s now.

  (12:58) Fun times. Don’t terrorise them!

  (13:01) Stop spoiling my fun.

  ~

  (21:55) Hey … is it too late for that ‘surprise’?

  (21:58) Give me 2 secs, I’m just leaving Fletcher’s.

  (21:59) Ok.

  (22:03) I thought Friday night was take-away night?

  (22:06) It is but this was to plan Bonnie’s birthday.

  (22:08) Oh right.

  (22:16) Okay I’m in and settled. Ready?

  (22:18) I guess so.

  [CALLING CAVAN]

  “Hello?”

  “Um … hi.”

  “… I didn’t think this far.”

  “Heh … I think I’ve forgotten how to use words.”

  “You and me both.”

  “You don’t sound how I imagined.”

  “Is … that bad?”

  “No! No I just –I meant that I didn’t expect your voice to sound so … deep.”

  “Do I want to know why you thought I’d sound as though I hadn’t hit puberty?”

  “No, I mean –shit!”

  “Relax, Cavan, I’m teasing you.”

  “Mmmm.”

  “What was that?”

  “Um … nothing.”

  “You know I didn’t expect an accent.”

  “Well it doesn’t tend to come through via texts.”

  “So where’s it from?”

  “Germany. My family are from Germany.”

  “Were you born there or here?”

  “Here. Grandparents live in Germany though. We travel back there whenever we get a chance to.”

  “That’s pretty cool. I’ve never been.”

  “You should go. It’s … really nice there.”

  “So you speak German?”

  “Yeah pretty well actually.”

  “That’s amazing for someone your age. A lot of people drop the whole second-languages thing as soon as they pass GCSE’s.”

  “I literally couldn’t, even if I wanted to. I wouldn’t, though. I like being able to speak to my grandparents in German.”

  “That’s rather sweet.”

  “Family’s important to me.”

  “I’d say the same for myself, but my friends are the only family I have left anymore.”

  “Oh … um … Lucas I’m sorry.”

  “It’s fine. It was a long time ago.”

  “You keep saying that.”

  “It’s because it’s true.”

  “Lucas … How old are you?”

  “… Well when you ask like that it makes me feel like I’m doing something bad.”

  “Are you?”

  “Not as far as I’m aware.”

  “Then why won’t you tell me?”

  “Well –it’s difficult. You remember when you said you didn’t want to tell me you were gay because of how you thought I’d judge you and treat you diffCavantly or abuse you?”

  “Yeees.”

  “I’m keenly aware there’s an age-gap between us. I just don’t want it to freak you out.”

  “How do you know how I’d feel about it if you don’t tell me?”

  “Damn. Why can’t all my students be like you?”

  “I’m one of a kind.”

  “Hmmm. Okay, I just … don’t want to pile things onto you –”

  “Just tell me … How old are you?”

  “… Thirty-four.”

  “…”

  “Cavan?”

  “Are you kidding me?”

  “Cavan –”

  “THAT’S what you were freaking out about?”

  “… So, it doesn’t bother you?”

  “Haha no. Oh, God you really had me worried there! I thought you were going to tell me you were in your sixties or something!”

  “Not quite.”

  “Oh my God … I won’t lie, I am so relieved.”

  “Relieved?”

  “I had mini panic-attacks whenever Arthur or Soph grilled me about you. Wanting to know who you were, where you lived, if Lucas was even your real name. Your age, your job, all that rubbish.”

  “Sorry to disappoint them. Average guy, average job.”

  “Lucas … you’re anything but average.”

  “Kid, you’ve only just heard my voice.”

  “And it’s amazing! If any of my teachers had a voice like yours, I’d never want to leave their class!”

  “Careful Cavan. You may just pay me a compliment.”

  “Heh yeah
I should watch myself, eh?”

  “Hmm. So what’re you doing right now?”

  “I’m just lying on my bed staring up at the sky.”

  “Through … the ceiling?”

  “Haha no. I have a skylight above my bed. I can see the stars on a clear night.”

  “That’s rather endearing.”

  “Hey Lucas?”

  “Yes, brat?”

  “I … I really like hearing your voice.”

  “I like hearing yours too. Accent and all. Somehow, it really suits you.”

  “Heh I’m glad. Would it … erm … would it be okay if I called you, again, sometime?”

  “I look forward to it.”

  “Thanks. I … er … think I should head to bed. I can hear my parents hovering about.”

  “I’ll let you rest. Sleep tight kid.”

  “Goodnight Lucas.”

  [CALL DISCONNECTED. DURATION: 2 hours, 34 minutes and 29 seconds.]

  ~

  Wednesday PM

  (16:00) Are you home from work yet?

  (16:02) Just walking in the door. You okay?

  (16:06) Home alone. Parents have taken Sophie shopping for travelling stuff then going to drop her off at karate.

  (16:10) So you’re bored.

  (16:11) A little.

  (16:15) Let me get comfortable and I shall try to entertain okay?

  (16:28) Right, so I can only assume your head’s been reeling since our phone call?

  (16:32) A little. A lot actually.

  (16:35) Is it bad that I really like your voice?

  (16:36) You do?

  (16:39) YES! It’s so deep and rich. It’s so soothing. I’ve … I’ve had to stop myself from calling and going through to voicemail just to see if you have a personalised recording.

  (16:42) Haha you liked it that much?

  (16:46) …Maybe.

  (16:50) I’m sorry. You have a really hot voice and it’s had my head spinning a bit.

  (16:53) That’s rather adorable.

  (16:58) Although I can put your mind at ease right now. I am not a ‘hot’ teacher.

  (17:01) How can you not be? You already have that sexy voice!

  (17:06) You’re setting yourself up for disappointment, kid. I’m the shortest member of staff, I wear glasses for reading and I have a bad temper. My voice seems to be my only saving grace.

  (17:09) … You wear glasses?

  (17:11) Yes.

  (17:22) Cavan?

  (17:27) Wait … Cavan do you have a thing for GLASSES now TOO?!

  (17:31) Wow … you really do have a teacher-kink don’t you?

  (17:34) Do you want me to give you homework and punish you if you don’t finish it?

  (17:48) GGGGGGGGGGGGDLKGLHKFMKCXKMFDM

  (17:50) DON’T BE SUCH A TEASE!

  (17:55) I was kidding.

  (17:56) Although …

  (18:00) No! No, you were kidding! It’s fine heh.

  (18:03) You’re giving me too much ammunition right now.

  (18:07) Balls.

  (18:11) I’m kidding, kid. Mostly.

  (18:14) So did you have something on your mind before I tormented you?

  (18:17) Huh? Oh um … yes, I did actually.

  (18:29) … Well?

  (18:32) Oh right. I just wanted to ask you something … but I feel like it’s too personal.

  (18:35) Ask me and we’ll find out.

  (18:39) I was just thinking that we’ve been talking for over a month now and we still only know the basics about each other.

  (18:43) How about we do it this way. You ask a question, then I’ll answer and ask my own question. Then you answer and ask a question. Sound good?

  (18:48) Pretty perfect actually :)

  (18:50) I suddenly don’t know what to ask.

  (18:54) That’s okay. It can be a small question.

  (18:59) Okay … Do you have any brothers or sisters?

  (19:03) No. I am an only child.

  (19:06) Ahh that’s a shame. I couldn’t imagine life without Sophie. Not really.

  (19:10) When’s your birthday?

  (19:13) March 30th.

  (19:15) Oh it’s getting close.

  (19:15) Yours?

  (19:16) December 25th.

  (19:23) Wait … so that day I first, accidentally text you … was YOUR BIRTHDAY?!

  (19:25) Yes.

  (19:28) Why didn’t you say something? I’m so sorry I interrupted your birthday!

  (19:32) I don’t celebrate my birthday. I was grading papers for the first week of school when you messaged me.

  (19:35) Lucas you can’t NOT celebrate your birthday!

  (19:39) Cavan.