Page 33 of The Price of a Promise

The phone rang and rang while my brothers continued bickering about the virtues of fuck buddies.Arguing in our family was just another way to show love.The call clicked over to voicemail.I hung up and shot off another text to Cora.

AXEL: Babe, is everything okay?You’ve been distant and it’s making me worried.

I got my brothers back on track then and we ordered our Chinese food, forking over miniscule amounts of crypto in exchange for the hot and greasy delivery.Just as the food arrived forty minutes later, I got a call from an unknown number in Los Angeles.

“Hello?”I answered, half of me expecting it to be a telemarketer, the other half expecting it to be a bill collector.

“Axel, thank god you picked up.”It was Cora.Relief flooded me, fast and hot.I nearly toppled from the sensation.

“Babe, where have you been?What’s wrong?What number is this?”

“I’m using my friend’s phone.I’m sorry I haven’t texted.My phone’s been acting weird.”

I snapped my fingers.It was just the phone.Everything was fine.At least, I wanted to believe that.“You had me worried you were dead.”

She laughed, but it sounded sad, like I’d told a joke and wasn’t aware of it.“No, everything is fine.”

Silence blossomed between us.I had so many questions for her I didn’t know where to start.

“How was your day?”I finally asked.

“It was fine.Long.Stressful.”From the background, I heard someone say “Eli, what’s up!”The hairs of my forearms stood at attention.

“And what are you up to now?”

“At a meeting with some classmates,” she said.There were some cheers in the background.

It was so noisy, wherever she was, that I could hardly even think of what I wanted to talk to her about.It wasn’t the place for us to connect or catch up like we needed to.“Can you call me when you get home?”

“If my phone works,” she said.

“Do you need me to send you a new one?”

“I’m getting it figured out.”

I worked my jaw back and forth as I mulled over her words.Something was wrong.Just a little off, like chatting with someone who was posing as Cora.

“Hey, I better get going,” she said.“I love you, Axel.Talk soon.”

The line was dead before I could even return the words.I frowned as I pocketed the phone and reached for my takeout container.Chicken teriyaki awaited me, and my grumbling stomach was ready.

“So, she called you,” Trace said as he slurped some beef lo mein past his lips.“That’s good.”

“Yeah.Except she didn’t use her phone and she was with Eli.”

“Eli?”Damian asked, hunched over his orange chicken.

“The rich douchebag her parents want her to marry.”I stabbed at my food, the aromas not exciting me like they normally did.I shoved a forkful of chicken into my mouth.After chewing thoughtfully, I added, “I think I need to go out there.”

“To LA?”Damian asked.

“No, to Shanghai.”I kicked his leg in the armchair next to me.“Yes, LA.”

“They sell plane tickets with crypto yet?”Trace cracked.

“No.”I stabbed my chopsticks into my food again and then caught Trace’s eye.“Was thinking maybe you could sell off a share or two for me.”

Trace let out an exaggerated groan.“You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

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