Again (PUBLISHED!)

Chapter 28.1

It was after eleven in the night I was doing an assignment in Economics when I suddenly felt the urge to have coffee. So I went downstairs to the kitchen and found Gran opening the freezer.

"You haven't slept yet, Gran?" I asked in surprise. Usually she is in bed and snoring by eleven.

"I've come to steal a piece of cake for my midnight snack," she whispered as though it was something top secret.

I giggled. Sometimes Gran was so childlike and so cute.

I left the kitchen and was halfway upstairs when the most unexpected thing happened.

The landline in the hall rang out loud in the dead silence of the night.

A chill ran down my spine. And a deep feeling hit me in the gut.

"Who's calling on the telephone and that too at such an odd time?" said Gran, wondering as she stepped out of the kitchen.

"Luke," I blurted out instinctively. "My cellphone's acting funny so I told him to call me on the land line."

I can't even express the discomfort I felt in the pit of my stomach as I said that.

"Luke??"asked Gran brightly. "Aww! This is so cute! Two love birds talking at midnight! Your Grandpa and I used to do just that before we married! I will go to my room right now to give both of you privacy!"

Gran shuffled into her room and closed the door behind her.

Why the fuck did I have to bring Luke into this? But then, Gran would have surely doubted any other reason except this.

The phone was still ringing. Wondering who could it be calling at this hour, I stretched my hand to pick up the receiver but right then, the phone stopped ringing.

My instincts told me the phone would ring again and sure enough, after a couple of seconds, it did.

I picked up the receiver at once this time. Even before I could utter a 'hello', the impatient voice from the other end spoke first.

"I want to speak to Eleanor."

"Devon??" I blurted out in shock, recognizing his voice immediately.

"Oh good it's you," he said casually.

That irked me. "WHAT DO YOU----?"

A chill ran down my spine realizing I was roaring and so I immediately clamped a sweaty hand over my mouth.

Damn you, Devon!

Still wide eyed, dreading that Gran could appear in the hall hearing my loud voice, I whispered in the phone," What do you fucking mean by 'oh good it's you'?? Who the fucking calls in the middle of the night in the fucking landline??"

"I call," came his drawl from the other end. "It's all about punching the right numbers. Simple."

I rolled my eyes. "How did you even get my landline number?"

"I didn't ring you up to answer these average queries."

My eyes narrowed into slits as I spoke, "And I did not answer the call at thirty minutes to midnight to hear you speak utter nonsense. What do you want?"

"Will you come with me to the hill right now?"

My heart fluttered hearing that. "A-Are you asking me out?"

"Since the day I came."

I could tell my cheeks were red by now. "I-I-I-I---"

"Good. I'm come over in 5."

"Make that 11."

"Why?"

"Just make that 11!" I snapped at him. I don't know what to wear and how to tie my hair for God's sakes!

"Fine," he grunted and hung up.

What do I do now?

I was completely blank in the head. My hands and feet were running cold. My heart was pounding in my chest. I was pacing to and fro in nervousness and anxiety.

Should I go with him or should I not?

I was tempted so bad to go but at the same time I was scared as hell. There was an adrenaline rush within me. It was like being on a dangerous yet thrilling roller coaster ride where you didn't know what was in store the next moment.

I dialed Stef, my personal 911, for help.

"Hey, I hope I'm not disturbing your sleep or anything," I rushed through the words when she picked up.

"Nope. Adam and I were texting," she said from the other end. "What's up with you? Why do you sound so flustered?"

"Devon asked—asked me out to the creek right now...S-Should I go????"

Stef giggled. "Man! I can clearly picture you blushing hard. You've never sounded so lovesick! Ofcourse you wanna go and you should!"

"Are you—Are you sure??"

"Not as sure as you," she teased. " Chill, I will tell you what to wear for your first official date!"

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