Claws digging in

Ding!

Vi’s eyes open in annoyance, she looks across the floor at her phone. Erik was off at the gym or something, Ari and Sai are off being a couple, Vi found herself with a rare opportunity to be alone. So she threw herself back on the ground and put on some music, and was enjoying just lying down on the ground and basking in the sound waves. She grabs her phone and holds it above her face, praying her fingers don’t slip.

“What the fuck?”

She stares at the screen, does she reply? Might it just be Erik messing with her? But, what a weird way to go about it?

She decides to reply, if only because this mystery number has referred to her by name.

BONK

Vi rolls onto her side, clutching her nose in pain, of course, she dropped her phone on her face.

Johan?? How the hell? Vi scratches at her head after picking up her phone, how did he possibly get her number? They haven’t spoken in genuine years!

She reminisces before replying; Johan used to be a good friend from her childhood. Friend of the family, they saw each other often, naturally. She developed a small childhood crush on him that lasted through junior high before they drifted apart when he got sent to an overseas boarding school. They never dated.

What the fuck is he talking about? She wonders to herself, staring at his last message. The ol chewing gum? What the hell does that mean?

…

She nibbles on the skin next to her thumbnail, racking her brain, that would be a crazy typo…

Vi lights up as she suddenly remembers.

Her dad used to check her phone.

“Ol chewing gum was shit today”

“The chewie was such a dickhead, loud as fuck and mean as fuck!”

It’s something her dad would ignore, saying that she was being stupid, saying nonsense.

But that was a code that they came up with, a completely nonsensical one, so they could shit talk each other's parents without being worried about getting whooped.

Johan is with her dad. That has to be it.

“Hey Vi, can you hear me okay?”

Vi puts the phone to her ear after it rings, she can’t help but smile at the crackly sound of her old best friend’s voice, “I’m so good, I can’t believe I’m hearing from you again! How’s it going?”

“….”

Vi waits, the sound of rustling, muffled voices and movement, until finally, Johan speaks again. “Fuck, hey. Sorry about that. He was watching me text you, his chin was basically on my fucking shoulder.”

“My dad?” Vi enquires, already feeling her heart drop with fear.

“Who fucking else?” Johan groans through the phone. “But, I managed to get into my room, so he can’t overhear us.”

“Sorry… He hasn’t changed much.”

“Eh. Don’t be. I know him. You know my dad. Cut from the same god-forsaken cloth.”

“Is he at your parents’ place?”

“Yeah. My parents mentioned me being back for a visit, I think, and he basically ambushed me at my own damn house.”

“Wait, why?” Vi asks, subconsciously digging her fingernails into her thigh, having sat up and moved onto her bed, she leans against the wall, phone on the bed in front of her, on speaker.

“Fuck knows. I get home and there he is, he hugged me, dude.”

“My father hugged someone?” Vi asks, chuckling with shock.

“Yep. He kept complimenting me, about my job, about finishing uni, about my body? He squeezed my arm and laughed. I didn’t see that man laugh once in 15 years!”

Vi feels a thrill go through her, a sense of dread starting to blanket over her. “Yeah?…”

“You already know what I’m about to say, right?”

“No…” She pauses, feeling her throat tighten, “But I have a feeling… It’s about my friends and boyfriend?”

“Boyfriend? You’re dating someone?”

“Yeah?…”

“Fuck.” Vi can hear Johan hesitate.

“What did he say?”

“I’m sorry…” Johan pauses from the other side of the phone.

“Please tell me.” Vi replies, her eyes already watering, oh, how she hates her father.

“Look, I know he was lying; I didn’t realise the extent of it.” Johan preambles. “But he told me that you’ve been single since high school, and that you were looking to talk to me to reconnect and get married, that you had enough of being alone.”

Vi shuts her eyes, the tears much too powerful for her eyelids, her eyelashes get wet as the tears fall down her face, she does her best to control her voice, but to no avail. “ hick - Sorry, Johan… He’s gotten so much fucking worse since we were kids. he hates my boyfriend because he’s…”

“Doesn’t have generational wealth?” Johan says softly, no doubt trying to lift her spirits.

“Yeah… Basically. He thinks he’s below me. Well, hick no. He thinks Erik is below HIM. He doesn’t care about me.”

“Sorry, Vi. I knew it was a lie, I just assumed he was lying about you wanting to marry me… Which I guess technically, he was.”

A moment of silence passes, Vi wipes at her tears, even hundreds of miles away, she doesn’t want to give her father the satisfaction of shedding too many tears because of his influence.

“So… What’s your plan?” Johan asks. “I’ve got your back, I can say that hasn’t changed on my end.”

Vi laughs through a sob. “I don’t know… I need to visit soon, he demands it.”

“You bringing your boyfriend?” He asks.

“Yeah… I have to. Show him it’s serious. That he can’t break us up.”

“Hell yeah.” Johan’s voice comes through encouragingly. “I’ll back you. I got you.”

Vi laughs again, feeling good about having someone back home in her corner. “Thanks, Johan… It’s good to hear from you again, I missed you.”

“I missed you too. I am glad we get to reconnect again. What’s your socials? Let’s be proper friends again.” He says cheerily.