Annabelle

"Are you ready for this, Anna?" Tyler's excitement is so palpable in his voice that I can't help but get a little bit excited too.

"Well hello to you too, Tyler." I have to laugh. He almost sounds like a child on Christmas and I have to admit, it's a little cute.

"Ha. Sorry. I'm just very excited to play this game with you."

"You don't say. You do know though we're just asking each other questions, right? I mean, we're just talking like we've been doing for the past few days." I am starting to wonder if we might have different things in mind.

He laughs as if he doesn't have a worry in the world. "Oh, sweet Anna. I guess that only depends on how good the questions are that you've chosen."

The way he said my name in combination with what he just said makes me a bit uneasy and nervous.

"Don't be nervous. I'll behave, I promise. I just haven't had the best day, and I've been looking forward to this all day long. Speaking of, I apologize for not texting today. I had something come up and barely had enough time to eat or drink. It's been a very busy week." He sounds more frustrated than exhausted.

"I'm here if you want to talk about it, you know?"

"Thank you, I really appreciate it. I love not having to worry about my daily life though when I'm talking to you. That's what makes every minute of our conversations so special." I can hear the smile in his voice but also a hint of shyness. I'm probably imagining that though. I mean, Tyler and being shy? Yeah, who am I kidding?

"Ok." I mutter quietly. "Just wanted to offer it."

"I really appreciate that, more than you could ever know."

The silence that falls between us then is heavy but not bitter. Weirdly enough it's also comforting, which in turn leaves me confused. How can it be like this with a stranger?

Distraction! My brain is yelling at me.

Alright then.

"So are you going to ask the first question or am I?" I finally ask.

"I'll go first." He eagerly replies, and I'm glad to hear the excitement is back in his voice. "Better brace yourself. Are you ready?"

"Sure." My voice breaks, telling my lie and Tyler chuckles.

"Would you ever get naked in public?"

"W-what? Uh... what kind of question is that? Are you serious right now, Tyler?"

He suddenly starts laughing so loud that I have to hold the phone away from my ear for a moment. "It's just too easy with you, Anna. I wish I could have seen your face though. That would have made the whole situation a lot better. I bet you started blushing, didn't you?"

Dang it, I can feel my face heat up another few degrees. And of course he knows that. "Oh just shut up already, will you?"

He's having a hard time trying to stop laughing, and it takes him a few minutes to calm down completely. "Ok, ok. Sorry, I just had to. Here's my real question now. Something easy to start with. Would you choose traveling the world or a large amount of money that you couldn't use for traveling?"

Another question that I'm taken back by but now in a totally different way. I'm coming to think that Tyler is very unpredictable, not in a bad but more in a fun way.

I open my mouth to answer him when he interrupts me.

"The trip would be with me of course." He quickly adds.

I roll my eyes even though I know he can't see me. "Definitely the trip, even if it meant I'd have to endure you. I love traveling and seeing new places. I even love the chaos of airports. As long as I have my camera with me, some good books and music, I'm ready to go. How about you?"

"Same here. I've been to so many places while touring, but I never really have time to actually see any of the cities we're in because it's just non-stop work." He sounds sad again which surprises me, especially since he was the one asking this question in the first place.

"I'm sorry." The need to comfort him almost overwhelms me. I'm sending silent reminders to my brain that I don't really know this guy. On second thought, I'm starting to wonder if I should send those reminders to my heart instead. I'm screwed.

"Well I can tell you, that everything would be a lot better if you were here with me, Anna."

"Why...how do you know that?" I want to yell at him for saying such a stupid clichéd thing to me, but the words never make it to the surface. They are held back tightly by the realization that I feel the same way. I've been looking forward to my phone ringing every single day since we started talking. Thoughts of Tyler infiltrate my mind more and more every day. I feel ridiculous about it but can't seem to change the fact that it is happening.

"I'm sorry, Anna. I didn't want to make you uncomfortable, but I...I just can't get you out of my mind. I know it's crazy to say something like that after talking to you for less than a week, but it is what it is."

"Uh." I have no idea what to say to that. Nothing.

"It's like the memory of you is branded in my brain front and center."

"Ok." Wait a second. The words he just said are starting to register in my brain. "Tyler, what do you mean the memory of me?"

I can hear a sharp inhale of breath and some muffled cursing from farther away before he seems to come back to the phone.

"Anna, I...I...damn it. Anna, I saw you on the cliffs before the accident." The words rush out of his mouth and he sounds apologetic.

A sudden uncontrollable panic rises up in my throat. Before I know what's happening, I push the end button on my phone and throw it on the cover in front of me, like it just got infected with a contagious disease. After only a few seconds the screen lights up with a text message. I can't seem to help myself and grab my phone. I'm not exactly sure why, but a silent tear makes its way down my cheek when I read what it says.

Please don't be mad, Anna. I know I should have told you earlier, but I was afraid of your reaction. It only slipped out tonight because I can't get your beautiful face out of my mind. Please forgive me.