Wrong Number

Chapter 26

I wake to the annoying sound of my phone going off somewhere in the room. My hearts racing with the startle it gives me and it takes a minute to register my surroundings. The snoring boy next to me is a quick reminder of the events of last night.

I didn't make it back to my room after Luke whined for a solid 10 minutes asking me to stay and watch another episode of some foreign show on the television even though we both knew we were just going to fall asleep anyway.

He's diabolical really. Him and that damn pout of his.

Luke sleeping with his obnoxiously loud snores filling the quiet has grown to be one of my favorite ways to wake up. He always manages to look so peacefully at ease. I could reach out and trace the light freckles on his cheeks if I wanted to we were so close on this insanely large bed.

Though I guess it wasn't so much whether I wanted to but rather if it was appropriate to.....and if he'd wake up.

Also my phone. My annoying, loud phone. I rush out of bed with a huff. Throwing things around, I attempt to find the damn thing before it wakes sleeping beauty.

I find it with a silent triumphant cheer. Of course that doesn't last long when I read the caller ID.

It's not that I forgot about my boyfriend. That was crazy. How could I forget my boyfriend? No. No. I was just...preoccupied with other things.

Not that the other things were more important than him. He just happened to be separate to these things. It didn't mean anything that I hadn't thought to text or call him since leaving. We were on different timezones anyway.

I glance at the sleeping giant in bed before tiptoeing to the bathroom and shutting the door behind me.

"Hello?" I answer quietly, getting into the shower and shutting the glass door to muffle my voice some more. "Penelope?" Nick's voice comes confused. "Hey babe, whats up?" I try for nonchalant and hope for the best. "Were you sleeping?" He asks immediately.

Well it was 4 in the morning.

"No, I think I'm coming down with something." Another lie. "Oh, I'm sorry baby, if you come home I could make you some soup and be at your service," he sing-songs.

I chuckle. "That's very sweet but I think I just need to sleep it off." "Well if you're still sick when you get back you have my word," Nick hums. "I'll keep that in mind," I nod. "When are you coming back?" He asks coolly. "Um. I'm not sure actually, a week tops," I reply. "A whole week?" He pouts. "You'll survive," I smile softly. "Doubtful," he grumbles.

The restroom door opens then. A very sleepy looking Luke appears in the doorway, rubbing his eye and frowning at me. My heart doesn't know what to do. The image of Luke like this is so endearing and heart warming but the reality of getting caught speaking to my boyfriend is heart stopping and worrying.

I wasn't doing anything wrong yet I felt like I had just been caught stealing from the cookie jar.

"Your friends were looking for you," Nick says on the phone.

"What are you doing?" Luke croaks in a tired tone. Everything in me pulls toward the sleepy boy in front of me. I put my finger over my lips to shush him. He gives me a look of confusion in return.

"Were they? I left them a note," I answer Nick. Luke's still watching me with furrowed brows his tired brain probably trying to piece together what was happening and who I was speaking to. "Yeah, how do they know my number?" Nick chuckles.

"I've learned not to question them," I say lightly. I want to hang up now. Hang up and drag Luke back to bed and engulf myself in everything that is this cuddly looking blonde in front of me.