If someone had told Bethany eighteen years ago that she would wind up living in a low-life condo at the age of thirty-five, single and with no friends she would have laughed right in their face. But it was her reality, whether she could accept it or not, and her shitty job was the icing on the cake. Working in a hotline for cellphone plans was by no means exciting nor did it pay that well, but it was this or McDonalds. At least her current job allowed her to work from home, lowering the risks of becoming a laughingstock in case she ran into someone from high school. Bethany poured herself a cup of black coffee and went to her bedroom/office, where her desk and work tools awaited. She sat on her squeaky chair and took out her phone to go on Tinder. No matches today either, uh. She swiped left and right until the clock hit 7 am, meaning it was time to get to work. It took a while for the calls to come in.

An old lady having problems with her Wi-Fi called several times, but Bethany told her as politely as she could that she had the wrong number. Then a guy who had cancelled his plan but then found out he was still being charged the monthly fee; he yelled at her for about an hour before she directed him to administration. Bethany sighed in her chair, is this all her life would amount to? The telephone rang again, and she picked up, introducing herself with her usual line: “Hello, this is Bethany speaking. You have reached DeltaCell. How may I be of help today?”

Bethany was met with hysterical laughter that send chills down her spine.

“You are pathetic, Beths.” A feminine voice said, making Bethany frown.

“Excuse me?”

“Who would have known that the queen of Northern High would end up like this.”

Bethany felt herself blush. Oh no, was this someone from high school? What were the odds of them recognizing her voice?

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Bethany forced herself to say.

“Ah, but you do. You are Bethany Rowell.” The woman laughed again. “Or at least you’re what’s left of her. But you’re my Beths.” A long silence followed before the woman said, “I made sure you were.”

Bethany couldn’t help it, she hung up. Soon the telephone stared ringing again and she yelped, she felt her body start to shake. Just when she thought the phone wouldn’t stop ringing her bedroom suddenly went silent, she could even hear her heart beating. Bethany was starting to calm down when her cellphone started to ring, it was an unknown number. With shaky hands, she picked up.

“Don’t hang up on me again, Beths.” It was the woman, Bethany let out a whimper. “It makes me angry, and you don’t want me to get angrier than I already am.”

“Who are you?”

The woman clicked her tongue.

“Oh, come on. Now you’re really hurting my feelings. Here I thought we were best friends.”

“Please stop this,” Bethany was now crying and shaking uncontrollably. She had never felt a fear so great in her life.

“Aw, you want me to stop? I’m sorry, am I scaring you?” the woman chuckled. “Don’t worry, Beths. I’ll show you the same kindness you showed me.”

“Why are you doing this?!” Bethany cried out.

“You really don’t remember me. I can’t believe you, Beths. You really are such a scum.” The woman sighed. “Well, I’ll give you a hint. You made me lose several years of my life all so you and your friends could have some fun.”

Bethany’s mind was blank. When she didn’t say anything, the woman on the phone grunted.

“Well, you were never the smart type. Let me spell it out for you; you and your stupid friend group put me in a coma for fifteen years.”

That’s when it hit Bethany. The freak who followed Bethany around high school like a puppy, the one who did her homework and gave her money just so she could hang up with her and her friends.

“Emily?”

“Din, din, din! We have a winner!”

Bethany felt her body go numb, but she also felt a fire ignite in her stomach. She almost let her phone slip, but somehow managed not to. If this was Emily, then there was nothing to fear. That freak was nothing but a pushover after all.

“Why the hell are you calling me? You woke up, go on with your life. Don’t you know the best revenge is to live a happy life?”

There was silene for a long minute.

“A happy life?” Emily’s tone was downright hostile. “You think I can be happy when I close my eyes and all I see is your laughing face as I fall? When all I can hear are your constant insults? You think I can be happy when I lost years of my life and I will never be able to get them back?”

“It was not my fault you hit your head. You tripped.” Bethany said, so matter of fact.

“Ah, yes. That was your cover story, wasn’t it? Even the police believed it.”

“Is this all you’re going to talk about? Honestly, it’s getting kind of boring and I’m in the middle of work.”

Bethany hung up. She sat there in silence, anger rushing through her. How dare that freak try to scare her? She got up to go to the bathroom when she heard the front door click. Bethany looked around her living room but saw nothing and decided to leave it. Just as she entered her bathroom, she felt something from behind, but it was too late. Before she turned around, she felt a piercing pain in her ribcage and fell to the floor coughing up blood.

“Oh, Beths.” She heard Emily say. “I told you not to hang up.”