Long Night

The sound of the door bell woke me from a dead sleep

What time is it? I think, and the neon green lights on my alarm clock read 4:08 a.m.

Who the hell could this be at this hour? I know that Claire went out tonight, maybe she forgot her key.

The bell continues to ring urgently like the person on the other side of the door was becoming inpatient.

“Keep your pants on,” I mumble as I get out of bed. I slip a bra under my tank top and grab a pair of sweats. One look in the mirror and you can tell I wasn’t expecting visitors.

I head down the stairs and towards the door, the person on the other side now banging on my door. I wonder if I should have grabbed something in case this isn't Claire, like a bat or something heavy. I tiptoe up to the peephole and peer through to see who's there. I let out a sigh of relief and frustration when I see it's my ex Kane.

"What are you doing here? Do you know what time it is," I ask as I crack the door open enough to peek my head through.

"I figured you'd be up writing your history of media paper," he slurred. The smell of whisky and cigarettes on his breath clung in the air. He's been at the bar again. I shake my head.

"No, I finished that paper a few hours ago, I was sleeping. Do you know what time it is? And besides you still haven't answered my question. Why are you here?"

"I miss you Savannah and I wanted to see you," he says.." I was down the street at a party, I saw Claire and it made me think about you."

"So you show up at my house in the middle of the night drunk? Great idea." I can tell that my sarcasm confuses him because he's smiling now like an idiot. The cool October wind sends a chill through me. I rub my shoulders trying to keep warm. "Any other reason why you're banging on my door?" I ask. "Or can I go get some sleep."

"You're not gonna let me inside to talk?"

"Nope. I meant it when I told you it was over. Now good night," as I turned to shut the door his foot stuck in the doorway. “Move your foot or I will slam it in the door,” I warn.

“Savannah, you never gave me a chance to explain what happened. Please just hear me out. I am a mess without you,” his voice begins to crack.

Ugh really a break down at four in the morning. He will sleep on this porch if I don’t do something. “Fine,” I say.

I look down at the porch and I spy a medium size brown box sitting at Kanes feet. “Bring whatever that box is in with you.” He bends down and picks the box up. “I don’t know what this is, it was on the porch when I got here. It’s addressed to you.

“Just set it on the counter, I am going to make us some coffee,” I head into the kitchen and turn the pot on. I switch the pot from delayed brew to brew now the machine beeps and as I turn into the living room his lips are on mine, for a minute the kiss is a reminder of what we once had. But reality kicks in and I push him off of me. “What the hell?” I shout.

“I thought that's why you let me in so we could make up,” he said.

“No you idiot, I let you in so you could sleep off your drunken stupor until morning but now I think you should leave.”

“Savannah please, I never meant to kiss her. It was an accident,” he begs.

“I don’t want to hear it now, just like I didn’t want to hear it at the game when I caught you with her tongue in your mouth. We are done, now get out before I throw you out.”

“Fine, but this isn’t over,” he says as he walks out the door. I lock the door behind him. Watching out the peephole to make sure he leaves. Once he has left the view of the front porch I head back into the kitchen to pour me a cup of coffee. I pull my favorite mug out of the cabinet, the red cup covered in snow flakes while a gold deer head shines up from the bottom of the cup. Coffee fills the air and I add in milk and sugar. I go to sit down on the couch and turn on Netflix. As I plop down on the couch, that box catches my eye again. The box is pristine,like it just came from the box factory or something.

I set my coffee cup down on the end table and get up to grab the box from its resting place on the countertop. I lift it, something inside shifts but the box doesn’t feel heavy. I set it back down on the couch and ran over to the kitchen to grab a knife. I slice through the tape across the top and pop the pieces at the ends open. To my surprise their is a few different things inside. An envelope, a letter and a panther stuffed animal. The letter reads.

Dear Savannah,

I did not know how else to get your attention so I thought I would peak your interest this way. I was at the football game the night you caught Kane with that freshman and I saw the look of hurt in your eyes. I wanted to talk to you then but I knew you would not be interested in anyone. I want to show you that not all guys are the same. You might decide this is all a joke and through everything in the trash and if you do that’s fine. I will know that you are not the one for me but if you do decide to follow me down this rabbit hole, then there will be a date to remember. So this is how this works, if you choose to accept your mission you will go to the location listed in the envelope tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. and you will bring the panther with you. I hope you say yes.

-Nate

I open the envelope and read the location. Shooting Star Cafe.

I run the name through my mind and can only think of a guy from my sociology course that I may have noticed once or twice. I pick up the panther, a musky smell that reminds me of the woods and camp fires, makes me hold it close.

The clock on the wall reads 5:24 a.m. I think about tonight's events and decide to give something new a chance.

I guess I have a date to get ready for and with that I head for the shower.