Living in Sin (On Hold)

Thirty Seven _ Something Stupid

Nik

“To all the contestants, absence ‘with or without leave’ will cost you your chance to be auditioned, and thus to participate in the coming concert.” Clay recited then looked up from the phone. “That’s you?”

Kevin’s reply was just a bored shrug.

“You were pretty worked up about this. Why’d you quit?”

I slouched further back in the seat and let the conversation drown into the other noises.

Not like I’m a creep or anything but something in Chloe’s voice, which I didn’t have time to notice in a rush to get here in time, was now creating an itch in me to see what’s inside that’s so important to her.

I fished out the iPod to try the password again.

Then my arm got treated to a smack, making me turn to a peeved Jeremy handing me his phone. Before I could shrug a what, he started rather noisily, “Put that phone of yours to use sometimes, Nik. Nine girls out of ten that call my cell ask for you.”

I rolled my eyes and took it from him. “Don’t fuss, Jer. It’s only second time this’s happened.”

“Third.” My frown first went to Adam before I took the call.

“Why is your phone off? … … I’m here. Where are you?” there’s that huge angst in her voice again. I leaned forward and looked over down at the floor.

Yeah, there by the door.

“Sorry but you just have to find that out yourself.”

“Nik, do you even have it? Don’t fool around. This is serious.”

Is that so?

I decided to give this password-breaking one more try before she finds me, which won’t be very long considering the ‘seriousness’ in that tone. My fingers sought for the power button to shut the player off.

“How serious? I mean, what could some iPod possibly …”

The words came to an abrupt halt. Not because she showed up in front of me. No, certainly not because that dreaded meteor finally hit planet earth. Only because of something I hadn’t noticed many times I’ve been shutting off this device till this moment: something on the outro picture.

A face with a shy smile. And that mesmerizing set of emerald green eyes.

“You … … might’ve mentioned it.”

She didn’t reply. Couldn’t reply. Though, the harsh breath she drew out and that ‘I can’t believe this’ face she pulled spoke volumes. “TWICE! … Twice, I said this is serious. That this is important to me. And you try to make a fool out of me?”

Okay, I admit. This was my fault. I should’ve noticed the picture. But I’ve said sorry for it, which makes us even. And hell, this doesn’t even belong to her in the first place!

And the guys’ cackles from behind us which obviously were directed at me getting owned in front of them set me off.

“What do you want me to do?” I shot back, finally standing up to face her. “Yes, I made a mistake. That’s because I didn’t know it’s not yours.”

“Then why won’t you show it to me? Clearly, you never found nothing.”

“Because I don’t have it with me now!”

“IT meaning the one you were playing with three minutes ago?”

“Adam. Just don’t.” I warned without turning around and tried her again, this time with a different approach. I wouldn’t have cared if this was any other girl but I didn’t want to fall out with one: at least, not just yet. “Christ, Chloe! I said I’m sorry. I didn’t know it wasn’t yours. Just … come by tonight. We’ll comb the house.”