Chapter Text
Unknown Number: I still love you. I never stopped
[Sent] I cannot IMAGINE a worse time to have to ask this, but, uh. who is this?
Unknown Number: Don’t worry. You haven’t lost my number. Not knowing who it is is sort of the point
Unknown Number: You know what? This was a stupid idea. Forget this message
[Sent] Now hey there wait a minute
[Sent] How do you know you even have the right number?
Unknown Number: I have the right number, Ted
[Sent] Ah
[Sent] So you do
[Sent] Or that’s hell of a coincidence
[Sent] So this is a love *confession?*
Unknown Number: No.
[Sent] Feels like you’re not an ex
Unknown Number: I am not.
[Sent] You know, that doesn’t actually narrow it down
[Sent] Most people in the world are actually not my exes
Unknown Number: It would be an eventful life if they were
[Sent] That it would!
Unknown Number: Why are you still talking to me?
[Sent] Call me Curious George
Unknown Number: Why are you still talking to me, Curious George?
[Sent] Ha ha! Very funny
Unknown Number: You should probably be uneasy
Unknown Number: I’ve no clue why I did this anyway
Unknown Number: I suppose I just miss you
[Sent] Well, I guess we can chat then! And maybe you’ll miss me a little less
Unknown Number: You aren’t answering anyone’s texts.
[Sent] Ah so you ARE from England then
[Sent] Right
Unknown Number: How is it’ll you talk to a random insane stranger who’s confessed their deep and unending love for you but not your friends?
Unknown Number: Sorry. It’s not my business
Unknown Number: I’m not even sure I qualify as a friend.
Unknown Number: I’ve not really texted you like they have
[Sent] No, that’s fair
[Sent] I guess I’ve been having trouble
[Sent] Readjusting back in Kansas
[Sent] It’s lonelier than I thought
[Sent] I miss everyone too
Unknown Number: I’m sorry.
Unknown Number: If it helps, you could text anyone and they’d be thrilled. Hell, I think some of them would be more than willing to acquire a private jet and fly there
[Sent] I see the careful wording and I appreciate your clever dancing around your identity, Mystery Caller
Mystery Caller: I’ve texted you?
[Sent] Well, you’re Mystery Caller in my contacts now. Has more gravitas than Mystery Texter don’t it
Mystery Caller: That it does.
Mystery Caller: I’m in your contacts?
Mystery Caller: You don’t even know who I am! What if I was a stalker?
[Sent] Are you a stalker?
Mystery Caller: No. But that’s what a stalker would say.
[Sent] I don’t think you’re a stalker. :-)
Mystery Caller: And you’re not concerned by the elephant in the room?
[Sent] I think he’s fine just chillin there don’t you?
Mystery Caller: Well, while we’re avoiding that topic, how about the other topic you just dodged?
[Sent] No idea what you mean, Mystery
Mystery Caller: You could text anyone
Mystery Caller: They’d be there in a second. If you asked
[Sent] Which is why I can’t ask
Mystery Caller: I can understand that.
[Sent] What, not gonna call it bullshit?
Mystery Caller: Oh, it is. But I think the same way. Glass houses, I suppose
[Sent] What don’t you ask for?
Mystery Caller: What’s the real reason won’t you text anyone?
[Sent] Touche
[Sent] Answer for an answer?
Mystery Caller: Deal.
Mystery Caller: There’s a lot of things. But I suppose mostly I get insecure. I feel like I don’t belong at Nelson Road. I feel like secretly no one wants me there. I wait for people to invite me to things instead of asking because I don’t want to intrude, and when they forget, I feel like it’s personal even though I know it isn’t
Mystery Caller: I know the illogic of many of these things. But they still bother me. And I don’t tell anyone, because I know if I did, they’d feel obligated to adjust their behavior. Constantly think about it. Walk on eggshells.
Mystery Caller: And I don’t want them to feel like that around me.
[Sent] Wow, I see what you mean about glass houses
[Sent] There’s no way they don’t want you around, Mystery Caller
Mystery Caller: You don’t even know my name.
[Sent] I can’t think of anyone at Nelson Road who’s actually unpleasant
[Sent] Unless you’re Rupert Mannion and you’ve somehow snuck back in
Mystery Caller: CHRIST no
Mystery Caller: Your turn, Ted
Mystery Caller: You’re talking to me. Why not the people you actually know?
Mystery Caller: Ted?
[Sent] I’m sorry
[Sent] I guess it’s cause I don’t know that it is easier
[Sent] It’s less pressure
[Sent] I don’t know
[Sent] Is it bothering you?
Mystery Caller: What, talking to you?
[Sent] Yeah
Mystery Caller: Talking to you could never bother me.
[Sent] Even with the elephant?
Mystery Caller: The elephant’s always been there before. It’s only now you can see it too.
[Sent] Fair enough
[Sent] Sorry my answer wasn’t very good
[Sent] I guess I just over think it
[Sent] I get out my phone and I look at the messages everyone’s sent and I miss them so much my chest hurts
[Sent] But I know I can’t go back
[Sent] And I just
Mystery Caller: Don’t want to face it?
[Sent] Yeah
Mystery Caller: I’m sorry
Mystery Caller: I wish I could somehow fix everything
[Sent] I know
[Sent] Me too