I blush a little over the heart that Jenna wrote after her name on the sticky note. I can feel her eyes on me, and I hope she’s just watching my hands, not my face. I feel a bit uncomfortable knowing that she’s watching me, when I am usually ignored by everyone, but I know she's just curious. I flip my phone over with a slight exaggeration, to try and emphasize to Miss Ackley that I am putting something in my phone case and am not actually using my phone. Jenna’s expression changes when she realises what I’m doing. Putting her number in my phone case is a big deal for me, because I only ever put things that are special to me in my phone case. Suddenly, the voice in my head that is like another person says something.
“Oooh, putting her number in your phone case, are you?”
“Yes, I am. Now shut up.” I think back. I really don’t want it speaking to me right now.
“But you only ever put special things in your phone case.” It continues.
“I know. Now be quiet!” I yell back in my thoughts. I push my teeth together, even though the whole conversation is only in my head. I hope no one else notices, because how do I explain it?
It is quiet for a minute, before I quietly hear ‘And I saw you blushing over the heart!’
I pop my phone back into my phone case with a bit more force than necessary. I put it back in my blazer pocket, and then look up. Any anger I have building from The Voice melts away as I look at Jenna. Her chocolate brown hair is shining in the sunlight and her green eyes seem more vibrant. We lock eyes, and don’t look away for the whole lesson. I can’t hear anything, and I can’t see anything but her, like those really nice photographs that my mum has around the house where the subject is in focus but nothing else is. When the bell sounds, we break away from each other’s gaze, and we both blush.
“Anyway, Saturday?”
“Yeah.” She paused. “Wait, isn’t that tomorrow?” She laughs, and it sounds so happy.
“It is! I hadn’t realised. Well, see you tomorrow! And I’ll message you tonight!”
We pack away our school things and say goodbye. I have to run ahead as my bus is always early. As I get on the bus, I find a seat and then pull out my phone. I start to type in her number, smiling. I want to call her, to make sure I type in the right number, but I don’t like people who have phone calls on the bus, and I’m sure I’m not the only one. I’ll wait till tonight. For some reason though, I feel like I can’t wait till then.
This counts as tonight I type out. I take a breath before sending, then bite the bullet and click send. A few minutes later, I get a new message.
Tonight is as soon as school finishes? Love it lol I chuckle before sending another message.
In my world it does anyway lol I send that and then type out another. Where are you?
On the 53 bus, u? In my head, when someone uses abbreviations in messages, they feel comfortable around you and talking to you. I don’t know if that’s the same for everyone, but that’s what it is for me and it makes me smile that she used one.
On the 19, it’s so busy!!
Omg, I saw it leaving the bus stop! It was packed! I hope it’s not too stressful x she replies. I blush at the kiss she sent. It was probably just a normal thing, right? I don’t know.
It’s alright, just glad I have you to talk to as well x I type out. I wonder about the kiss, but then send it before I can procrastinate over it too much. I don’t know why I am anyway. I used to send kisses in my messages to my ex-friends. Why does this bother me so much? I look up and realise that we are going past my stop and that it’s too late to stop the bus. Shit.
Shit just missed my stop lol I say as I press the button. She is concerned and makes sure I get home ok. We message non-stop on the way home, and sometimes she makes me laugh out loud. About half-way through the journey, she leaves me on delivered for a few minutes, which feels like forever. I worry that I’ve said something that offends her, but a few minutes later, she messages me again, saying she just got home and had to speak to her mum about her day. I wonder if she mentioned me. As I get to my front door, I tell her that I have to go for a few minutes because I have my cousins staying over and that my house is a bit chaotic.
OK but message me later if you can! She says.
I’ll try! I turn my phone off, take a deep breath and unlock the door. My younger cousin, Jamie comes running up down the hallway and jumps at me.
“Asha!” He yells. I quickly drop my bag on the floor and hold out my arms to catch him. “You were gone for so long!”
“I had to go to school!” I laugh and spin him around, being careful not to hit his feet against the walls. He squeals and giggles and starts to fail his arms and legs around. I decide to put him down before he takes someone out.
“Hi, Ash! How was school?” my mum calls from the kitchen.
“It was good, thanks!” I call back whilst Jamie drags me towards the kitchen and living room. “How was your day?” I speak now, as I have been towed to her.
“Yeah, alright, thank you.” She smiles at me, then takes another sip of her tea. I suddenly remember my conversation with Jenna, and really want to talk to her again. I excuse myself by saying I have history homework. It’s not completely a lie, but its already done. I run upstairs and jump on my bed with my phone and bring up our chat.
I’m back I say. Within a few seconds, she comes back to me.
Yay! I was bored lol. She makes me laugh again. She makes me laugh a lot.
Do you want to do a video call? I say, hoping she says yes. I really want to see her again.
Sure! I’ll call you x
A few seconds later I get a notification with incoming call from Jenna pop up, and I accept really quickly. As it’s connecting, I glance in my mirror and realise my hair’s a mess and try and fix it before she can see me. The image is a bit blurry to begin with, but then it becomes clearer, and I can see her again. It’s really weird but I feel desperate to see her again. It’s almost a relief when the video connects.
“Hi! Can you see me?” She asks with a smile, and she looks really pretty.
“Yes!” She has no idea how happy that makes me.
From then, we talk all night. Hours go by, but we don’t realise it. It’s only as I accidently click off the video that I realise that it’s been four hours and it’s 10pm. I don’t say anything though, just in-case she has to go. We stay on video call for another hour or two before we end the call, but then we keep messaging each other until 2.30 in the morning. She says about how she wants to be asleep before 3am. I wonder if it’s superstition, not that it matters.
“Goodnight!” I smile and turn off my phone, turn over and fall asleep with a smile on my face.
“Goodnight! See you later!”
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