"One Missed Call 1/1" - NC-17

November 30th

It was a few weeks since she last saw him. Certainly more than enough. However, Paula looked forward to spending Christmas with Simon. This Christmas would be very special – now that they were officially a dating.
“Just a month to go” she said to herself as she removed a couple of dresses from her wardrobe to decide on what to wear.
Paula and Kara were going Christmas shopping this evening; Kara thought it was still far too early for that, but Paula always knew the sooner she was done with it, the less she’ll have to worry closer to Christmas.
An hour later, Paula heard the door bell ring. As she was about to leave her bedroom she heard her cell phone ring as well. Paula wanted to take the call, but Kara’s impatience took over the door bell. So instead, Paula just glanced at the phone reading: ‘Incoming Call: Simey’
“He’ll call back” she thought and rushed down the stairs to open the door for Kara.
“Wow, you are slow girl!” Kara joked.
“And good evening to you too Kara” Paula said sarcastically. “Let me just get my purse. Why don’t you wait for me in the car?” Paula told Kara, who did as she was told.
Paula grabbed her purse and noticed ‘One Missed Call: Simey – 7:10pm’ on her cell phone. She casually put her phone in her purse and left.
Paula and Kara were browsing through clothes, when suddenly Kara asked: “So how is it going with you and Simon, eh? Is it getting serious?”
“You know what Kara...I don’t even know myself” Paula said, sighing. “But, I’m pretty sure that ‘commitment’ is still his biggest enemy”
After a while Kara broke the silence: “Are you...willing to carry on this way?”
“I...I don’t know” Paula replied, for the first time doubting her seemingly perfect relationship with Simon.
After the endless evening of shopping with Kara, Paula went straight to bed, feeling exhausted than ever. She questioned Simon’s love for her once more, until falling asleep.


December 1st

Paula woke up to a bright sun ray irritating her eyes. She got up quicker than usual, assuming it must’ve been pretty late. In the living room, Paula switched the TV on and went to the kitchen to make her some coffee. Paula returned to the living room, and suddenly the cup of coffee felt out of her hand and spilt all over her satin gown. She heard the words of a nightmare – slaying the empty silence: “Music tycoon, Simon Cowell, dies in car wreck after last evening’s 7:10pm fatal collision. Cowell was, reportedly using his cell phone at the time of the crash...” The reporter’s speech haunted her and ripped her heart into thousands. Hysterically, Paula collapsed on the floor and, cried and screamed erratically. The heavy tears rolled down her face like aggressive rain.
Paula grabbed her cell phone to check her ‘recent contacts’, fearing the worst already. She read out loud: ‘one missed call: Simon –7:10pm’. All that Paula was able to do at this moment was sit motionlessly. She couldn’t move at all. She was shocked. Incapable of breathing even.
The love of her life was trying to reach her...but she ignored the call...the call that took him away from her. This seemed so unrealistic, yet it was far from fake. She couldn’t think. It was as if all her thoughts left her mind...exactly as he did. Paula never felt so empty in her life. Minutes later, crying the tears of her love for Simon, Paula carelessly got up, leaving everything as it was, and ran to her car. She needed to be back with Simon. She sped down the freeway at 100kph...
Shortly, she reached her destination, but certainly not her final destination. Paula entered the enormous house, which Simon bought recently. Without closing the front door, she ran upstairs to Simon’s bedroom. She couldn’t control her cries – nor did she want to. She opened Simon’s wardrobe, and begun to take out piles of clothes at once. Paula collapsed, tightly holding onto one of Simon’s shirts. “Why?!” she screamed. “Why did you have to leave me, Simon? I love you, I love you so much!” She wanted to release all her emotions at the moment. “Was my love not enough for you? I hate you!” Paula said significantly raising her voice.
By now, Paula’s emptied almost Simon’s entire closet, but she drastically stopped when she noticed a small black box on the bottom shelf. She half-expected what to find inside the little box, but once Paula did open it, a gasp escaped her lips.
It was, indeed, an engagement ring, but wasn’t just another ring that she could add to her endless collection. Oh no. This one was exceedingly special and sacred. This time, there were no more tears left to get rid of.
Paula slowly took out the ring, and gazed at it closely. Paula noticed the ring was not smooth on the inside. There was inscription carved onto the thin loop. It read: “Let Our Love Lead the Way”. Paula found more tears escape her red eyes. But stayed silent. Her hand was drawn to a little note that fell out of the box. As she held the tiny piece of paper, her hand trembled, and she struggled to breathe steadily.
“Paula, My Love. I guess, by now I have proposed to you. And I hope you’re reading this, whilst smiling” evidently, the current situation was far from Simon’s presumption. “This isn’t all I have for you. That’s because my love for you never ends. The next chapter of this journey is about to begin and I only want to share it with you. So now, I’d like to ask you if you would move in with me, here into this house. I can’t keep this house to myself. It’s indeed for us. For our life, and our adventure. I hope you feel the way I do, and stay here in this house, for eternity with me”.
Paula let the note fall on the ground. Now, her face was emotionless. She made her way towards the bathroom, and as she did so, she carefully placed the ring on her finger and whispered: “Let our love lead the way”.
Making a complete mess all over the floor, Paula started searching through shelves. She sought after something that would take her back to Simon. Easily, she found the object. A sharp, clear and lustrous blade. Paula backed herself up against the wall, and slid down to a sitting position, while staring at the edges of the blade. Almost hypnotizing her. Repeatedly, Paula spoke softly the name of her, now, husband. She couldn’t be more convinced that this was the right action to take. She didn’t want to live a life that did not involve Simon. That wouldn’t be a life. That would be a diabolic misery.
The blade found itself to be closer to Paula’s wrist every second. It felt like a magnet. Paula’s uncontainable cries became frantic as the blade touched her skin. Paula closed her eyes and pressed her lips firmly together. Forcefully, she forced the blade deep into her flesh and ran it across the back of her wrist. The deed was pain-free to Paula, because the pain of losing Simon overtook the present ache.
Seconds flew passed, and Paula was trapped in the corner of the bathroom, surrounded by her own blood. Slowly, Paula moved into a laying position, but bent her knees. All she waited for now is the release. From the overlaying whimpers, all that was clear enough to make out was “I love you” and “Simon, I’m so sorry”.
Finally, Paula felt an intense pain in her head and felt so weak that she dropped the blade next to her helpless body. The last words breaking out of her mouth were “This is for you Simon, let love lead the way...let us be together again”