The Calls

Mason City was quite busy these days. Here prostitutes lined up for famous clients. More and more corrupted cops took over the department. Officials baffled over unknown dead bodies. Drugs and weapons flooded the market. Yet, it wasn't these news that made the front cover of every newspaper in the city. It was the foursome. These newcomers had stirred up the usual dark, mysterious atmosphere that lingered over this infamous city. Many things had happened yet none so great and vital as the twist of fate awaiting ahead of them.

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Bang Kieu pushed Minh Tuyet's wheelchair outside of the hospital, and headed toward the van. He reminded her again, "Remember to take the painkillers and drink lots of water!"

Minh Tuyet: Ow! Kieu, You wheeled me over a rock!

LTQ: Stop whining! You're still alive! Luckily the bullets only hit you in the [coughs] BUTT!

Minh Tuyet glared at him, with that same I'm-going-to-bite-your-head-off look on her face, and snapped, "I'm on painkillers! Don't mess with me!"

Nhu Loan: Quang, will you leave her alone! She just got out of the hospital!

Nonetheless, they continued to argued. These two are like cats and dogs. It was impossible to have any peace with them. Just as they reached the van and was about to help Minh Tuyet get in, someone's cell phone went off. Each quickly took out his or her phone to check. Coincidently, they all had incoming calls, except for Minh Tuyet. She watched as her friends walked away to take the call, leaving her behind in her wheelchair. She felt lonely and looked at her friends chatting on their phone in envy. Why had no one called to ask if she was okay? The only calls she received was from her parents and that was weeks ago!

"Fine! Be that way! Just leave me like that!" She screamed at the tops of her lungs. No one heard it except for the few people that happened to pass by, who eyed her strangely then took several cautious steps away from the woman they thought were mental.

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(Nhu Loan)

"Hello"

"Jimmy! Where have you been? I've been trying to call you!" Nhu Loan exclaimed in joy.

"Just doing the usual stuff. Can we go somewhere and talk?" Nhu Loan was shocked that her boyfriend didn't even ask to see if she was okay or anything. He must have seen all those news on TV about her. He always had.

"Um....why? I have a concert tonight and right now I'm with my friends. We're having a celebration-"

"Yea, um, let me make this quick so that I won't waste any of your precious time." He sounded so cold and there was a hint of mockery in his voice. "Loan, this is not working. I'm sorry."

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(Luong Tung Quang)

LTQ held his phone as far away from his ear as possible. His mom's voice, even though had became very inaudible, was still way far from pleasant to hear.

"Mom, it's-"

"I've been trying to call you ever since you moved but you never replied! What is this on the newspaper, eh? EXPLAIN!"

"That-"

"And there it goes! You're on TV again! DID YOU WENT TO JAIL?"

"No-"

"Don't you lie to me now! Don't you DARE lie to me! It says right here-- LTQ was invo...involved...in...well I don't care, but there's the word JAIL! I know what that means! I know what you're thinking...that I'm old and know no English! But remember that I'm still smart for my age and you can BET that I DO know what it means!"

LTQ rolled his eyes and kept his mouth shut as his mom continued lecturing. It was useless trying to talk himself out of this.

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Bang Kieu was the first one to come back. "Where's the others?" He asked.

"They all left me...just like you did." Minh Tuyet said, looking away.

"Don't be a kid now! I had to take the call."

"It's not me! It's the painkillers!"

Bang Kieu ignored her and changed the topic as he saw LTQ and Nhu Loan came back.

"Hey, guess what, Marie called. We're going to Korea."