the bonus book | ✓

midnight

I am sitting at my desk, doing my homework, but my eyes seem to drift towards my phone every five seconds. I sigh and close my books. Unlocking my phone, I stare at it.

I don't know what I am waiting for. Why am I even waiting?

When I am about to put it down, it rings in my hand and I jump. I almost threw my phone.

I look at the caller ID. It's an unknown number. My heartbeats escalate. I receive the call, anticipating her voice.

"Heyo!" Gwen says cheerfully, "Whatcha doing, Oliver?"

Waiting for you to call me?

No, I was obviously not doing that.

"Where'd you get my number?" I ask to change the subject, although I know the answer to that.

"Hehe," Gwen replies, "A magician never reveals their secret."

Yeah, right. I roll my eyes. Gwen asked Jason for my number, and he told me about that right after.

"Go to sleep," I say to her, ready to hang up.

"Really, Oliver. It's only 12. Who sleeps at 12? Talk to me," Gwen says.

Why do you want me to? I am trying to figure that out.

"Look, I don't have time for this, alright? Find someone else for your midnight adventure." I hang up.

I sigh. I don't know why I always do that. I don't know why I always pull back when all I want to do is get closer.

Maybe I shouldn't have hung up on her like that. She wanted to talk. Maybe I should call back.

I hesitate before I call. I don't know if that is the right thing to do. I groan in frustration and pull my hair.

As I mull over what to do, my phone rings again.

"What did I tell you?" I say in a hurry.

"You told me to go on a midnight adventure. So here I am, in front of your house. Come down," Gwen says with a lace of excitement in her voice.

What does she mean she is in front of my house?

I cuss and say, "No. I didn't."

"Yes, you did. All thanks to you. Now, will you come down or not? Or I'll have my midnight adventure alone," Gwen goes on.

I look at the clock. It is almost midnight. What is she even thinking?

I get out of my computer room and put on whatever I find in front of me in a hurry. Then I get out through my closet door. She is still talking.

"...and who knows what will happen to me in the dark of the night..."

I look in the mirror. I look terrible. I run a hand through my hair and pull up the hoodie, hiding how messy it is.

Then I turn around as I hear Gwen say. " Then you'll be all guilty because-"

"Shut up, I am on my way," I say as I hurriedly skip over the stairs.

The next thing I know, I step over something. The world turns around, or maybe I turn around. Either way, my body meets the floor.

I am about to yell, but thankfully I hang up. Then I let out the cuss. That is what happens when you get too excited.

"Why, why, why now?" I press on my foot as I try to control the ache.

Standing up, I shake it as I stumble over to the door.

I can see a faint outline of a girl behind the gate. She really is here.

I walk towards her. The pain runs through my foot, but I suppress it anyway. I shouldn't have run like that when she called.