California Café

“-This is Raymond Brooks. Sorry I missed your call. Please leave your information and I’ll do my best to reach you back.” My heart dropped and while I spent the time to pick it back up, the voicemail tone sounded.

“Uh, yes. Hi Raymond. My name is Harry and I am looking to return this phone to the owner. Someone left it at a table at a café in Los Angeles. Call me back and I would be more than happy to uh, return it,” I cleared my throat. “Right, uh thanks bye.”


What the hell was wrong with me? I was jittery and anxious for him to “reach me back.” Raymond Brooks sounded like a posh asshole; that was what I thought of him. I decided I needed to work out to get my mind out of this deplorable state.

I left my spot in the living room, one of the couple rooms I really felt comfortable in, and walked to my bedroom at the back end of the house. I tossed both phones to the center of my bed on the white comforter before retrieving my gym attire. I changed into a pair of white shorts and black running shoes while keeping a bare torso. I figured I could multitask: go for a long run and attain a little tan. That’s what I did. I ran for miles, stopping ever so often for a walk to catch my breath under the abnormally heated winter weather. It just felt right to clear my mind. It felt right without the cameras and the people. I felt alright.

I jumped into the shower after my hour cardio. The water washed the sweat off my skin while the steam cleaned out the tension in my muscles. It had been a couple days since I had last washed my hair, a couple days I had covered my head in hats; therefore, I gave my mane a deep clean and made sure to ease my overcrowded brain by massaging my scalp

Coming out of the shower and back into the bare house felt the same as before: empty. However, I had a calmness about me. I was alone, but my thoughts were no longer bothering me. I rested face first on the soft fabrics of my bed as I let all the weight of my aching muscles fall into gravity’s blessings. It was only a short time later that I fell asleep to the sounds of the serenity of the birds making music beside the mellow pond in the backyard. I knew there was a reason I chose this place.


Technology’s disruptions pulled me out of a deep sleep, a nap of six hours. I searched for the source of the sound I knew so well and found it under my ruffled covers.

“Hello?” My voice was gruff and I was still trying to wake myself up.

“Harry, I didn’t get your last name sorry. This I Raymond Brooks. You called me on this phone earlier,” the surprise from the man’s voice woke me up. I hadn’t realized I had answered the other phone instead of mine.

“Oh yes. I found this phone in the café and no one came back to get it…” I trailed off and sat up fully against my headboard.

“This is my sister’s phone. Irresponsible,” I heard faint amusement in his voice under his murmured expression. “Thank you, by the way. I’ll have her call this phone and hopefully it won’t be too much trouble for you when she retrieves it.”

“No, no problem at all, Raymond. I just know I would be stressing if I lost mine,” I tried to get a chuckle.

“Yes well, it’s not the first time. Thank you again, Mr…”

“Styles. Harry Styles,” I finished for him. I waited through the moment’s silence and hoped he wouldn’t think this was some scam.

“Mr. Styles. Thank you. I’ll let my sister know you have her phone.”

“Of course. Have a great evening.” I hung up and anxiety rushed back through my mind. I was excited. It was her phone without a doubt. I rushed into her messages and sent one to my phone before deleting it as well. I waited for her number to show up on my screen so I could keep her contact. I still had no name for her, other than Res.


I walked out of my room with a smile on my face, desire in my heart, and angst in my head. Seeing as it was already seven and I hadn’t eaten eight hours, I headed for the kitchen. I ambled through the hallways and the dark entrance room before entering through the kitchen opening. Feeble acoustics echoed through the entire floor in the slightest bit at the time I turned on the stereo from the room over from the kitchen.

Both phones taunted me while they sat on the counter and waited dimly for me as I cooked dinner. The motions were without heed, considering I couldn’t get past my anxious mind. She wasn’t even here this time and I was still staring. I laughed at the fact I was staring at an inanimate object because I was waiting for a reply. Bloody hell, I was still waiting for her name. Pathetic, I thought again.

I decided it would be a necessity to go out with a few friends that night. Sitting in my briefs and eating chicken and rice at a table designed for eight but only seating one lonely and miserable soul would not do. I was also sure that six hour nap would prevent me from sleeping tonight. I didn’t want to admit to myself that waiting for her call would do the same as well.

After texting a few friends, I busied myself getting ready by dressing in casual ripped black skinnies and a gray button up that was rolled up around my biceps. My hair was easily brushed back, searching for its own place to sit for the night. Walking through the dimly lit house proved a struggle as I looked for a specific pair of boots. After running around the house mindlessly, the boots appeared in the one spot I should have looked, by the door leading out to the garage in the kitchen. The roll of my eyes was aimed at no one but myself; I had been wanting to put a shoe rack by the door so I could set all my shoes there but I realized I was too unorganized and messily mannered for that plan to follow through.

I checked my watch from my spot on the floor before sliding my boots on. I had about ten minutes before a car would come pick me up; therefore I worked my way around the kitchen to clean up the lousy dinner made for one. Cleaning up the kitchen consisted of me throwing everything in the sink and wiping the counters. Again, the white device teased me as it lay on the black granite countertop. Continuing to wipe the pure stone, I glared at phone and cursed myself for picking it up in this morning in the first place.

The tri-tone went off from my own phone in my pocket, which signaled my driver was here. A battle between my conscience and my desires was fought in my head before I continued on my spiral of stupid decisions by shoving the phone in my pocket once again.


The drive was short to the small spot in West Hollywood. I was just happy to get out of the house and meet up with a few friends and have my mind preoccupied from the call I was awaiting.

I watched the streets outside. It was dark out but beautiful lights and faces crept around to produce gleeful noise and chatter I could hear from the backseat of the halted car. The public was still filled with so much enthusiasm and life on a Sunday night. I knew there was a reason I loved Los Angeles so much.

Leaving the car came the same as always as I noticed the same look on people’s faces that were lighted up with recognition. It wasn’t until I almost got to the door that I felt the unusual buzzing in my pants. I stopped and my eyes grew big while my mind tried to put my heart at ease. The phone that had only proved to be a burden had been buzzing in my pocket and I had been waiting for her call all night. Oh god, could it be? I wondered. I took the phone out my pocket and gazed at the screen with a message both satisfying and saddening.

Missed Call: Home

Before I could overthink the possibility of it being her, the ringtone sounded again.

I took a deep breath before swiping and opening the call.

“Hello?” I covered my other ear and walked to a place less affected by the booming nightlife.

“Hi, this is Ressie. My brother told me you found my phone. I can’t thank you enough. I have been freaking out.” A smooth voice spoke into the phone. It floated into my ear and tantalized me with its velvet smooth flow.

“Of course. As I would be freaking out too, Ressie.” I smiled as I tasted her name on my tongue and it escaped through my teeth with so much pleasure.

“So I can come pick it up, but it’ll have to be after work. If it isn’t too much trouble at all, I can get it around eight tomorrow evening.”

My heart thundered through my chest. Damn my excitement over this girl and I had barely spoken two sentences to her. “That is no problem at all. I’ll send you my address and I’ll be waiting.”

I heard her softly breathing through the phone; it took her a while before she answered.

“Sorry Harry,” my veins surged with anticipation when she called my name. “But can we meet somewhere public. Or at least where there are some people around?”

“Oh,” I was blown away by her reaction. I could truly understand her precautions but it didn’t make it any easier to accept her requests. I pondered how well my night could go though the following evening. Maybe I could woo her at dinner and she wouldn’t want to be in my private home the rest of the night.

“Yeah,” I continued. “How about we meet up at eight for dinner at Laurel’s Hardware?”

“Sounds good to me. Thank you so much. I’ll see you tomorrow night. Bye,” she finished before ending the call. I frowned at her quick ending but my smile returned when I realized the plans we just agreed on. I strolled back to the entrance for a calm night of entertainment and a few under the table drinks.

Notes