Reflections-C.L

Actions over words

16th February 2022 Lydia's apartment, Athens, Greece

Lydia woke up that day from her phone ringing. Picking it up and putting it on her ear she heard her best friend's voice from the other line. 

"Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Lydia , happy birthday to youuu" Lydia laughed at her best friend's singing. She wasn't the best at it. 

"Thank you" she responded
"Sweet 23 beautiful. So what you up to for today?" her best friend continued.
"I don't know. Not much"
"So you are not going out today"
"No. I think I'll just stay at home tonight. Order food. Maybe watch a movie" "Boring much. Oh come on Lydia. It's your 23rd birthday. "
"I don't know. I'm just not in the mood"
"I wish I was there"
"Yeah me too"
"When I come back we will properly celebrate your birthday. I promise"
"So when are you coming back?"
"I think next week"

Silence. Neither of them talked. Lydia turned to her side staring at the empty space on her bed beside her. Oh how much she wished he was here.

"So, has he texted you yet?" her best friend hesitantly asked.
"No not yet" Lydia responded back not able to hide the disappointment in her voice. "It's too early anyway. It's-" Lydia made a pause to look at the time."Oh my god it's 7:35 a.m. Didn't you checked the time before you called?" she continued saying. There's nothing that can ruin Lydia's sleep.
"Oh my god Lydia I'm so sorry. I forgot about the time difference"
"It's okay"
"Aren't you supposed to wake up around this time anyway?"
"Yeah. I have still 25 minutes of sleep left"
"Sorry sleeping beauty. Go back to sleep. Happy birthday"
"Thank you" Lydia said back before hanging up, putting her phone on her bedside table and going back to sleep. 

About an hour later Lydia had woken up for good this time. She woke up by her alarm at 8:00 a.m. She got up, changing her pajamas and putting gym clothes, getting ready to work out. She put her hair in a messy bun, picked up her keys and got inside her car driving towards her gym where her personal trainer was waiting for her. She checked her phone a few times, hoping to see a notification on her screen with his name.

After working out she returned back home, taking a shower and getting ready for the day. She decided to eat breakfast today. Lydia wasn't a fan of breakfast, maybe a fan of food in general, but she hated eating breakfast, even though her body needed it. She made herself a bowl of cereal and milk and sat at the counter to eat. Her house was rather quiet that morning. She checked her phone one more time, refreshing her messages and her phone calls in case she missed any and her phone didn't showed the notification. Maybe he is busy.

After eating breakfast she picked up her keys getting out of her apartment and into the elevator. As she got in she looked on her reflection in the mirror. She had decided to get ready that day, just because it was her birthday. She had put her hair in loose waves after her shower. Her make up was light as always except this time she had put eyeliner on. She wore a pair of black trousers and a black top with a v-neck. That day she had decided to wear her black ,five-inch, v-shaped boots and her brown coat just to spice things up a little.

She got outside the building walking towards the parking. Arriving there she found her car. Standing outside of it she checked her messages one more time. Nothing. Frustrated she got inside the car, starting the engine on and driving away. 

After 30 minutes of driving, from which the 15 she was stuck in traffic she arrived at her parents' house. Ringing the bell, her mother opened the door pulling her in a loving hug.
"Happy birthday. Oh how much I missed you"
"Thank you mum. I missed you too."
"Come inside" her mother said pulling her into the house, moving towards the living room and sitting at one of the two huge white sofas, Lydia doing the same.
"So lunch will be ready in 15 minutes. I'll just go check it. I made your favourite pasta"
"Oh mother you spoil me. You know I shouldn't eat much"
"Oh come one Lydia. Live a little. It's your birthday after all" her mother said leaving the living room.

Lydia took off her coat leaving it beside her on the couch where she previously had left her bag. She opened her phone, checking her social media and responding on happy birthday wishes. She opened a message from Pierre :"Happy Birthday Lydiaaa. Have fun today".
Everyone from the grid had wished her happy birthday. Well almost everyone. Lydia closed her phone leaving it on the table in front of her. 

A moment later her father entered the house. He left his black coat and his bag on the clothes hanger beside the big, white, glass door. Lydia got up as she saw her father's figure entering the living room. Hugging her and kissing her forehead he wished her happy birthday.

Shortly after her mother joined them, informing them that lunch was ready, mentioning for them to move to the dining room. As she sat down Lydia tried to enjoy the moment she had with the family, but her mind couldn't stop but running back to the green eyed man.

"Let's make a toast" her father said, distracting her from her thoughts, raising his glass up as her mother did the same. "To Lydia and her future Championship" her father said drinking from the glass, she and her mother repeating the same action. 

After eating and staying a little bit with them,Lydia thanked her parents for the lunch. A few moments later getting into her car before driving back to her apartment. Still nothing.

9:38 p.m
Lydia's apartment, Athens, Greece

Lydia was laying on her couch, a blanket covering her body. She was watching a movie on TV while eating a pizza she ordered half an hour ago.  Well, that's how she spent her birthday night. Alone at her appartment, laying on her couch, eating something she would regret later while watching some random movie. 

The whole day he hadn't text her. He hadn't call her. The past few days he started becoming more and more distant. Yes they still talked but not as much as before. Maybe it was something she did or said but looking back she hadn't done anything. She opened her phone opening their chat. "Good night Lydia" was the last think he texted her last night at 11:07 p.m after he said he was going to sleep because he had to wake up early the next morning. 

She closed her phone screen, frustration filling her body. That's enough, she said to herself leaving the phone beside her on the couch concentrating on the movie. But deep inside her she wished that he had texted her earlier, even just to say hello.

Twenty minutes later her phone rang. Picking her phone up and watching his name appear on the screen she couldn't stop but smile.

"Hi Lydia" she heard the familiar voice from the other side of the line.
"Hi Char-"
"Sorry I didn't call you all day." he cut her off. "Thank you so much" she heard him talking to someone. "Yeah what was I saying?" he said back to her.
"You were saying that-"
"Oh yes. Sorry that I wasn't be able to call you earlier."
"It's okay"
"I called you to tell you Ha-" and suddenly she couldn't hear him anymore. "Charles? Charles? Can you hear me"
"I- do- si-" she barely heard his voice from the other line.
"Charles where are you?" she asked him.
"Sorry I didn't have good signal before. I just-"
"Wait. I have to open the door" she told him, as she heard her house bell ringing. She throws her blanket off her, getting up and moving towards the door.

Opening the door she saw the familiar figure of the man she was talking to a second ago. The man both of her body and heart longed for. 

"I just wanted to say happy birthday." he said, a huge smile on his face.