Hypnotized

Chapter Eighteen

c-h-a-s-t-i-t-y

I've been replaying this morning's events in my head over and over all afternoon, trying to make sense of what happened. The only reasonable conclusion is that I'm still asleep; that it's still Saturday night and my mind is weaving the most realistic, intricate dream ever. How else would I have been able to carry on a conversation with Lowell and receive his phone number without spontaneously throwing up all over him?

The first thing I did upon arriving home, before I even thought about changing out of my wine-stained dress, was text Liz:

LIZ 12:07 pm

OML 12:07 pm

Why the hell haven't u told me that Lowell GOES TO UR CHURCH?! 12:07 pm

nvm but I have so much to tell u, reply when u can 12:13 pm

It's been nearly three hours since I sent them. I'm starting to get worried. Liz always has her phone and undertakes every opportunity she can to gossip or hear the latest news. I'm considering walking over to her house to ensure her well being by the time she finally responds.

I was asleep lol 3:02 pm

jeez, till 3pm? 3:03 pm

was up till 4am watching orange is the new black srry 3:04 pm

I'm calling u so u can fill me in! 3:05 pm

I quickly type: you know I h8 phone calls, please don't. But before I can press send, my phone starts vibrating and "Lizard" appears on my screen above the red "decline" and green "accept" buttons. If I don't answer, she will call me repeatedly until I do, I know from experience. I take a deep breath and press the bright green icon.

"Hiya! Sounds like you had an eventful morning, you never use all caps in texts. Tell me everything!" I can still hear the traces of sleep in her voice, yet she still manages to sound upbeat and enthusiastic.

I start my report with a question, "So did I tell you I went to your church for the first time last week?"

"Maybe, but I neglected to remember if you did..."

"Well I went back today. There were so many more people than last week, including Lowell and his family. How come you've never mentioned that he goes to your church?" I ask.

"I dunno." I can picture her shrugging. "I guess I didn't think it was all that important. Besides, when I do go to church I hardly pay attention to anything that's going on. Now stop asking me questions and start telling me what happened!"

"Okay, so when I realized you weren't there, I was about to just go back home because I wouldn't have anyone to sit with. That's when Lowell saw me and recognized me-"

"I told you he knows who you are!" Liz interrupts.

"Yeah I guess," I admit. "Anyways, when he saw I was there he walked up to me and started talking to me. He hung up my coat for me, which I so gracefully caught on my wrist as I was taking it off..." I trail off, realizing that explaining this out loud makes the situation sound tremendously awkward on my part.

Liz urges impatiently, "Then what?!"

"Then he invited me to sit with him if I wasn't meeting anyone."

"Please tell me you were smart and said yes," she says.

"Well I didn't, at first. I didn't want to be in his way or anything. Then his mom walked up and she was pretty insistent upon welcoming me, so how could I refuse?"

"Good girl," Liz approves.

"For most of the service, things were uneventful. I won't bore you with those details. I couldn't very well concentrate on what was going on anyway, with Lowell inches away from me. When communion rolled around, things got... interesting."

"Ooh tell me!" I love how Liz gets so into conversations, how she doesn't get distracted by other things. When I talk to her I know I have her full attention and it feels so nice. Now I'm almost glad she called as opposed to me explaining this over text.

"Well the wine was getting passed down the row, and Lowell's hand bumped the tray as he was passing it over me, and some of the wine spilled onto my dress."

"How did you react? What did he do?!"

"I kind of froze for a second, but then we got up and went to the kitchen to find something to get the stain out. We didn't find anything but we stayed back there so we wouldn't disrupt the service anymore," I tell her.

"Ooh, two teenagers alone in a church's kitchen, sounds like the perfect setting for a little romance." Liz's dirty mind presents itself.

I sigh, "Don't think like that, we just talked. We have some control over our hormones, you know. This isn't some erotic romance novel."

"Okay, then tell me what you talked about."

"School, mostly. But he told me he thought I've been avoiding him since he moved here," I say.

"That's because you have been. You sort of go out of your way not to talk to him," she points out.

"True," I agree, "but he seemed to be under the impression that I was ignoring him because I don't like him."

"That's typically why people ignore other people."

"Duly noted. But then he started this bullshit about enjoying talking to me and wanting to get to know me better. He even gave me his number to make it more convincing," I continue.

She asks, "Have you considered the possibility that it might not be bullshit, that he truly wants to know you?"

A choked laugh bubbles out of my throat. "Considered it? Several times over. Confirmed it? Not a chance. He was just trying to be nice to me, being a decent human being."

"What makes you think that?"

"Because he could possibly be interested in a girl like me, not even as friends! He's so damn perfect and I'm nothing," At this point I'm starting to get worked up for no reason at all.

"Aw Chas, calm down please," concern floods Liz's voice. "You're an amazing, beautiful person. The only reasons other people don't see that is A) you are shutting them out or B) they're assholes. Lowell's definitely not an asshole, so don't shut him out, that will ruin your chances for sure. Just start with a text, it doesn't have to be elaborate. If you don't I might just have to steal your phone and send something for you."

I manage a laugh through the frivolous tears that blur my vision. "Thanks Eliza, will do."

I hang up before she can say more, suddenly emotionally exhausted.

I seriously think about sending Lowell a message, but I don't know what to say. I'm too emotional to carry on a logical conversation at the moment anyway. Maybe I'll just wait and see if Lowell will send me something first, then I'll know he wants to talk to me...except he doesn't have my number. I'm going to have to initiate the conversation if I want it to exist. I should have given him my number in exchange for his.

Problem is, my hand would've shaken too much to write it down.

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sorry this chapter is a bit redundant but i'm sneaking it in right before midnight. i'll be back on monday with another update :))) stay peculiar everybody