Gravitating : Book 1 (The Defying Series)

Chapter Twenty Two

It was probably around midnight when Mia's phone rang, she got up reluctantly and searched for her phone among the thick covers of her bed. Fortunately she managed to find it before the call dropped.

Her heart thudded as her eyes fell on Xavier's name on the screen, she didn't however had the time to think before she picked up the call.

"Xavier" She muttered.

"I am extremely sorry for waking you up at this time of the night beautiful"

"It's alright. I can manage missing some sleep for one day"

"Are you upset with me?"

Mia picked up the blanket she had thrown out of the bed in order to find her phone and covered herself. "Am I supposed to be?" She said with the faintest hint of ice in her voice.

"You have all the right to be" He answered with the warmth enough to melt the ice. "The network reception in the area I'm in is not very good. You have to go high up for it, the reason behind me calling you at this time. I had forgotten about the time difference, it's morning here now"

"It's good to not have network sometimes, helps a person to see clearly"

"Is that so?" There was a hint of laughter in his voice.

"I guess" She replied nonchalantly.

"Well then maybe thinking clearer makes me more aware of the fact that you're so far from me and it's not a happy thought."

"Then you should come back to Silver Lake soon"

"As soon as I can" Xavier promised. "I hope you have not changed your mind about our date"

"Not yet" She laughed. "But I did think that you might have vanished" She added.

The husky sound of Xavier's laugh reached Mia's ears before she heard him speak. "Even though I am very good at hiding, I do not intend to hide from you."

"Hiding from what?" Mia did not know why she had asked such a question, it came out even before she could think almost like a reflex action and she felt incredibly stupid for that.

"A few things" Xavier answered a hint of laughter still there in his voice.

Mia felt relieved that he had taken it as a joke, however if any outsider would have heard Xavier's voice at that point of time they wouldn't have felt a single speck of relief.

"I had something to ask you Mia" Xavier added in succession.

"Ask away" Mia replied resting her back against the bed and relaxing her shoulders.

"Well there is this hike near my house, you might already know it since you live in Silver Lake. It's the Wolf Creek trail."

"Oh yes" She said. "I have been on it a lot of times. Since both Nick and I love going on the trails. What about it?"

"I was wondering would you like to go there on our date? I have been on it a few times and I I've found a beautiful untouched spot that I'd like to share with you"

"I am not surprised. That trail is not much exploited, few spots look like it's untouched I'm sure-"

"I can assure you Mia-" Xavier drew out. "It's untouched but we can skip the trail and watch a movie instead if you want to"

Mia had been on the Wolf's Creek ever since she was a teenager. It wasn't the most beautiful trail and she doubted if Xavier had found anything that she hadn't seen before. However she didn't want to break his heart by turning him down. "I'd choose the trail over a movie any day" She said, which was nothing less than the truth.

"I'm glad." Xavier replied. "I'll be back sooner than the next three days. I'll let you know if there's a delay."

"Alright. If this doesn't sound too interfering to you the may you answer, where are you?"

"M'Lady-" Xavier said chuckling to how much formal Mia's question was. "I am in Norway. I'm visiting a few-" He paused again as if to make the right choice of words. "-acquaintances"

"Okay-" Mia paused as a yawn took over her words. "I'm sorry. I woke up really early today"

"Then you must rest Mia, I'll see you in a few days"

"No it's okay I can stay awake a little longer" She replied, sitting up straighter.

"I have a feeling-" Xavier muttered. "That someone is missing their time with me"

"Aren't you?" Mia asked, a smile stuck to her lips.

"I already told you, being away from you isn't pleasant"

By the time Xavier completed his sentence Mia yawned again and this time she had to end the call and give in to her body's  call for rest. The next morning arrived faster than she had expected. Her eye were still heavy with sleep when she went downstairs for breakfast. To her surprise no one but Sebastian was there on the dining table.

"Good morning" Mia smiled as a server walked in and fixed her plate with some avocado toasts.

"Good morning Starr" Sebastian greeted back with a smile. "The boys are in the backyard playing baseball if you're wondering"

"I was also wondering about Mrs Knight and aunt Susanne, and why you never show your face when there's a paper around" She added.

Sebastian put down the newspaper and grinned. "Just an old habit. The ladies went for shopping and Johnathan is in the library in case you're wondering that too"

"That was my next question" She laughed. "Actually I wanted to ask you something but I rarely find you alone nowadays"

"I can say the same for you kid, you spend most of your day outside. Specially in that library, you know we have a library here too"

Only if you knew. Mia thought. "Nick stays busy with Xander you know. I mean I don't want to be a buzzkill by being with them. I most certainly can't play baseball" she said. "What I wanted to ask was-" She paused, taking a look at Sebastian's face for any abnormality before continuing. "I might have a date in the coming week"

Sebastian raised his eyebrows as Mia took the biggest bite from her toast. "Not that look please" She mumbled with a mouthful. She took a second to gulp down the contents with her apple juice before speaking again. "I swear I'll bring him home as soon as I am sure enough about him."

"You do not know how happy I am that you felt confident enough to share this with me but at least can I have his name so that I can get him if he tried to kidnap you?"

Mia didn't knew if she wanted to let out a deep breath or roll her eyes. However she did end up laughing. "He is not going to kidnap me, and he's Mrs Goodwill's grandson. The new librarian."

"I see now" Sebastian said deeply, stroking his chin.

"Please do not tell Nick, he'll do his best to sabotage my date if get's to know" Mia whispered.

"My lips are sealed. Do you need to go shopping?" He asked. "That's what you girls do before a date don't you?"

"I have enough clothes Uncle" Mia laughed, now that somewhat of the weight of lies had been lifted off her chest she felt better. "Thank you so much" She added. "If you weren't there. Nick would probably be having bodyguards around me all the time"

Sebastian laughed. Even though he could feel the danger that lurked in front of him he was powerless. He didn't want to break her heart, not did he want to break her trust on him.

"Alright then" He finally spoke, his mind still in disarray. "Come with me so that I can teach you how to beat them boys at baseball" He added as his mind worked on the fact that the librarian had no family and most certainly no grandson.