Busy Schedule, Neglected Affection

"How are you, darling?"

"Finally found a moment to ask about my well-being, huh?"

"Oh, you know how crazily busy I've been!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm aware."

"Anyway, how are your studies going?" He attempted to shift the conversation. For the past couple of days, I'd been yearning for his presence, repeatedly dialing his number without a response. Yet, today, as I returned home from college, his unexpected call caught me off guard. While seeing his name on my phone screen initially overwhelmed me, it also stirred a cascade of grievances. Why hadn't he called sooner? Didn't he miss me or care about me?

Hadn't Mom and Dad prompted him to check up on me?

You see, a flood of complaints and questions surged within me. It took me a moment to swipe my finger across the screen and answer his call.

"It's progressing well. I've even made some new acquaintances," I informed him.



"Sounds promising."

"Yeah. How's everyone holding up?"

"Are you referring to Mom and Dad?"

I paused for a moment. He always does this. Despite knowing exactly who I'm inquiring about, he insists on specifics.

"Yes, specifically them," I replied, a hint of annoyance creeping into my tone.

"They're doing well. Actually, they were asking about you recently," he mentioned.

"Oh, I see," I responded, a touch of indifference in my voice. After a brief pause, I continued, "Carl, hold on... I have to take another call."

"Sure, sweetie. Call me back when you're available."



"Ok." Despite saying this to him, I forgot to call him back later as another call cleared it from my mind.



As I removed the phone from my ear, a beep interrupted our conversation, displaying an unknown number. 'Whose number could this be?' I wondered. Initially, I contemplated ignoring it, but then I decided to take the call, thinking it might be important from one of my clients.



Putting the phone back to my ear after answering, I waited for the person on the other end to speak first. It seemed like he wanted me to initiate the conversation.



"Hey, Grace!" A deep, masculine voice came through the line. It took me a moment to recognize it. While not unfamiliar, it was the first time I'd heard it through wireless channels. It sounded somewhat different—softer, more rhythmic.



The moment I recognized his voice, I greeted him with a "hey" and then promptly asked where he got my number from. His response seemed to carry a hint of shock, perhaps surprised that my first concern, when speaking to someone as handsome as he was, was about the source of my number. I could sense the disappointment in his voice, but I remained indifferent. I needed to know who had dared to pass my number to random boys.



Yes, he was just a random boy to me. Despite our brief interaction in the corridor earlier today, we hardly knew each other. I had deliberately kept my distance, uninterested in any further interactions.



But I was breaking my own rules, indulging in this conversation. I had felt that familiar unease the other day and had resolved to be stricter with myself. Yet here I was, alone, unable to resist. I had begun to view it as a trap of teenage life—a trap from which once you fell, there was no escape. You struggled in its grasp, and nothing remained the same. Everything would be turned upside down.



"Well, actually, I asked Snow to give me your number. She wasn't keen at first, you know. But it was quite a challenge, and I managed to convince her," he explained, his tone surprisingly efficient.



The pride evident in his voice momentarily grated on my nerves. I felt the impulse to end the call right then and there, but something inexplicable held me back, anchoring my hand to the phone.



"What's it, you ask? Well, I didn't know myself," he continued, his words throwing me into a state of disbelief. How could I fail to recognize my own thoughts and intentions?



"I see. I think I'll need to have a separate conversation with her about this," I replied plainly, attempting to conceal the sudden flutters in my stomach. I tried my best to maintain an air of indifference, refusing to let him see any hint of excitement that his call may have sparked within me.



"Well, you actually don't need to. I kind of pressured her into it. So, you can discuss it directly with me. Spare her, madame," he said playfully.



"You don't get to dictate what I should or shouldn't do!" I retorted sharply.



"Oh, really?"



"Yes," I replied curtly. "Now, can I ask why you called me?"



"Of course, go ahead," he responded.



"Alright, then. I'm waiting to hear from you," I said, allowing a brief silence to settle between us. However, it wasn't long before his silence prompted me to break the quiet and check if he was still on the line.



"Are you still there?" I inquired.



"Yes," he responded promptly.



"Why did you go silent?" I pressed.



"No, I was listening to you," he explained.



"Are you kidding me?" I scoffed.



"No, I'm serious. I was genuinely listening to your breathing, your rhythmic whispers," he insisted.



I silently thanked whatever powers may be that he couldn't see the smile that involuntarily spread across my face. Despite feeling a surge of warmth at his words, I quickly stifled any hint of emotion. I refused to give him the satisfaction of thinking he had succeeded in impressing me or softening my mood with his cheesy lines.



"You're trying to charm me with your words, huh?" I retorted, struggling to contain the laughter threatening to burst forth from my lips.



"Sort of," he replied, a hint of wit lacing his words. I could sense the playful energy in his voice as he spoke to me. If he had denied it, I might have decided not to continue the conversation with him, as honesty was important to me. However, his unexpected response caught me off guard, forcing me to reconsider.



"Okay, so you called me just to share your cheesy joke?" I questioned.



"Not exactly," he replied.



"Then why?" I pressed.



"I simply wanted to have a casual chat with you. So, I thought of giving you a call. I hope you don't mind," he explained.



"Well, I do," I replied, and to my surprise, a hearty laugh erupted from the other end of the line.



"What's so funny?" I asked, perplexed.



"Did I just crack a joke?" he chuckled.



"Sort of."

"Seriously?"

"Yes, indeed," I frowned at myself in the mirror, contemplating. When did I learn to crack jokes? When did I become so unguarded, and when did I develop a knack for wit?



"What's on your mind?" he asked.



"I think you're not being entirely honest with yourself. That, my friend, is the biggest joke of all," I mused.



"I don't recall joking with you," he replied.



"No, you didn't joke with me," I admitted.



"Then why did you laugh?" he inquired.



"It's not about you. You were just kidding with yourself," I explained.



"How so?" he asked, prompting me to turn away from the mirror and make my way to the bed. As I lay down and stared at the blank ceiling, a smile tugged at my lips—an unfamiliar, natural grin that I couldn't remember the last time I had worn.



"Ask yourself if you really minded it, would you have talked to me this much?" he challenged.



Suddenly, I found myself sitting upright in bed, a strange sensation creeping up my spine and tingling through every nerve in my body. Embarrassment washed over me like a wave. He had a point—a valid one. Why was I talking to him? Because... because... because...



I quickly covered my mouth with my hand, halting the words before they could escape.



"Because I'm not someone who hangs up on people without giving them a chance to speak," I finally replied.



He laughed even louder, causing me to pull the phone away from my ear to avoid his thunderous sound.



"Yeah, you're right," he admitted.



"I know. I always am," I replied, on the verge of ending the call when he spoke again.



"Are you coming to college tomorrow?"



What kind of question was that? Of course, I would be going to college tomorrow. Why wouldn't I? And why was he asking about it specifically?



"Obviously. Why do you ask?" I questioned.



"Umm... sure, why not," I replied, my mind racing with conflicting thoughts. Should I accept his invitation without hesitation or should I make excuses and keep him waiting? I didn't know him well, and I was wary of the risks that could come with spending time and forming connections with someone unfamiliar.



As I weighed my options, I couldn't ignore the voice in my head urging me to break free from my self-imposed limits. "Umm... okay," I finally agreed, despite knowing that accepting his invitation would mean stepping outside of my comfort zone.



"Why not?" I reasoned with myself. After all, I was no longer a child. I had faced challenges and grown into a responsible individual who could discern right from wrong. I knew I needed to tread carefully and stick to my principles.



"Be strict on yourself, Grace! Be strict on yourself, Grace!" I repeated to myself after ending the call.



The next morning dawned with a freshness that mirrored my mood. I slipped out of bed eagerly, hurrying to get ready for college. Everything felt new and exciting, filling me with a mix of happiness and trepidation.