The ringing ended and within minutes, began anew.
The sigh that had escaped the four was inhaled back up.
Cautiously looking at the cameraman, Averie picked up the call and put the phone to his ear.
The stern voice that he was expecting was not delivered.
"Hey," came the reply in a salacious female voice. "Do you remember me?"
Averie’s sweaty back turned awfully vigorous as he leaned his elbow on the windowsill.
He whistled. "How could I forget you, beautiful?"
The crew, who could not hear the conversation, looked at him with an expression that bore many questions but no will to seek the answers.
"I was wondering how you were doing," the woman said. "Donny looked pissed at you when you left. He had that look in his eyes. He didn’t do anything funny, did he?"
"Don’t be so mean to him. I have known him since we were kids. He is not that bad."
"Yeah? He tried to flip my car."
"Yes. I—He has never done anything like that before."
Averie sneered. "I don’t doubt it. There’s no one as good as me at getting people heated."
There was a moan from the other side. "You sure are."
"Don’t ask a lady that."
Averie smiled. "You are a charming one."
The sirens were sounding to him like a signal from the devil.
There was a short moan again. "In what sense?"
"Never met anyone who reminded me so much of myself."
"Well, thank you for the compliment."
"I am liking you more every second."
The baffling things Averie was saying, the only side of the conversation they were privy to, raised some eyebrows in the Supra.
They put their heads together over the handbrake.
"Why is he talking to the police like that?" the second cameraman whispered.
The sound guy looked disgusted. "The fella’s lost it."
"No, no, let him cook." The first cameraman puckered his lips. "He is converting the police to our side."
"Ridiculous," the sound guy spat out. "Absolute madness."
"Think about it. If we have a mole inside, we could get away. It’s genius."
"Are you mad? You think that’s what he’s doing?"
The second cameraman held up his hand. "Now, wait, hold up. There’s some weight to it. He couldn’t possibly be saying that nonsense for no reason, right?"
He turned to the first cameraman.
"Who do you think it is? The same guy from before?"
"It’s gotta be, innit?"
"What?" The sound guy studied Averie’s face. "He’s not gay, though?"
There was a brief silence in which the trio exchanged stares.
The sound guy looked stunned. "Is he?"
"I mean," — the first cameraman held up his hands — "he looks kinda gay."
"Yeah, he knows how to dress; only gay fellas know how to dress."
In front of such sound logic, the sound guy couldn’t help but be convinced.
"What if" — He looked around — "What if he isn’t, though?"
"Then, he is a soldier, a true hero."
"He is taking one in the arse for the farce."
They nodded and saluted their comrade.
And yet, Averie had only the hot girl on his mind.
He whistled after exchanging some truly degenerate compliments with each other.
"Where did you get my number from?"
"Your friend gave it to me. Told me to keep you for the rest of your life. She didn’t sound happy."
He smiled. "Yeah, she is a prude."
"Is she? Then maybe, we should teach her some things."
"Ooh, you know exactly what to say. Didn’t think you would be open to it."
As he said that, he spotted a police vehicle on the left of him.
"Anyway, listen." He changed his tone to a serious one. "I need to go soon, so can I ask you a couple of questions?"
"Sure," the sultry voice replied.
"Where are you calling from?"
"From the parking lot."
The moans from before replayed in Averie’s mind.
’You are a wonderful gift to humanity, lady.’
"Why did you call exactly?" he asked.
"Oh, God," she sighed. "I had a feeling Donny would cause you trouble, and I was wondering if you were free tonight."
Averie licked his dried lips. On the cornea of his eyes, only the flashing lights were reflected.
"Well," he said with some effort, "it’s a little late to make any plans, isn’t it?"
"Don’t worry, baby." She laughed. "We can skip the dinner. It’s not too late for that, is it?"
"Oh, God." The actor’s fingers quivered. "I love you so much."
"You’ll love me even more when..."
After she was done relaying what she would do to and for him, Averie was left with his mouth open.
He wondered if the words that had entered his ear should even belong together. It sounded too attractive for him to question her.
He inhaled a deep breath. "Just one more question. Don’t get mad, okay?"
"Don’t say anything that’ll get me mad."
He really wished he could do that. He prayed to the Devil and God.
’Please, please, I have never asked for anything before. This baddie is basically me in a female body. Don’t ruin it, please.’
"Who" — He swallowed the pooling saliva — "are you?"
No reply came as the trio stared at him with wonder in their eyes.
Averie looked into the side-view mirror. The cars had multiplied twofold.
He faked a cough. "Look, I—"
"You felt my lips today."
"My lips touched you before the race began."
’Goddamnit, there were two girls like that!’
He licked his lips nervously. "So, I am guessing Donny likes you, huh?"
"Yeah, he has always liked me. We had some good times. He was my first crush, my first kiss. We popped each other’s cherries."
’That doesn’t give me a single clue.’
"Uh-huh, lovely. Going back to that previous clue, can you be more specific?"
Alas, that was the last straw.
The girl cut the call aggressively.
And a frustrated Averie punched the horn.
He put down his phone and turned to the camera.
"See, kids? This is why you shouldn’t try to be a playboy."
He spitefully bit down on his lower lip.
"Because when the perfect woman of your life walks in, you fumble it."