It's What Matters on the Inside | ✓

Lovely team

I woke up early that morning to the sound of a buzzing phone. Rolling to my side where my phone lay on my nightstand, my eyes tried to focus on the vibrating device; the screen lit up, displaying the caller ID.

It was simply a random number.

At first I contemplated on answering the number; after all the drama that had occurred the night before, I was still a bit shaken up. But then I had remembered I had given Nathaniel my number the night before and his was not registered in my phone as a contact.

It could be him calling.

I quickly swiped the device off of my nightstand, swiping the answer button, I brought my phone up to my ear and answered, "Hello?"

There was a pause, "Chloe?" I recognized that voice now. It defiantly was Nathaniel, "Is that you? You sound different."

"Ugh yes it is," I groaned, too exhausted and annoyed that someone had ruined my slumber, "What do you want?"

Then my eyes slightly widened at the realization of my snappy response once again, however, before I could quickly shoot an apology afterwards, Nathaniel spoke up, "Sorry to wake you. Actually, I was just calling to see when and where you wanted to meet for our assignment?"

I immediately pulled my phone from my ear to check the time. My phone screen read nine am sharp and I rubbed my eyes to ease my tiredness away. Bringing the device back to my ear, I yawned, "In another hour? Here?"

"Sure thing," he replied, "I'll see you an hour then."

"Right," I grumbled, trying to get myself to fall back asleep wether I was on the phone or not, "Just one more hour....."

"Yeah, one more hour," he sighed, repeating what I had just uttered, "Sleep tight Chloe."

I wanted to reply and tell him to sleep well too, but the tiredness got to me before I could. And that was the last thing I remember hearing before my world drifted off back into the peaceful darkness.

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My eyes fluttered open to the sound of rustled papers and silent pencil scratchings. Sitting up immediately upon hearing the unfamiliar sounds, my eyes landed on the certain boy that had been stuck on my mind since the alley encounter.

"Nathaniel?!" I questioned upon seeing him seated on my bedroom floor surrounded with many project items.

Papers scattered all around him as he seemed so intensively focused on writing something out on our project board. Upon hearing his name, he turned his head to look at me before smiling, "Good morning sleepy head."

"What time is it?" I groaned, but automatically regretted the question upon realizing my phone was in my palm.

However, he answered me anyway, "It's twelve in the afternoon Chloe. You must've been awfully tired."

I was not about to agree with him, so instead I changed the topic, "How did you get in my room? Who let you in?"

"The nice man outside the hotel door let me," Nathaniel smiled as he continued to work on their project, "I explained that we were working on a project together."

"Well, I was asleep," I cross my arms above my chest because I am mostly unhappy that my butler let a boy into my room while I was sleeping, "You can't just come on in here without my permission."

Nathaniel simply chuckled, as if every word that was leaving my lips sounded like a joke to him, "Relax Chloe, it's not like I was doing anything bad. As a matter of fact, when I saw you soundly asleep, I decided not to even wake you."

My hard gaze softened just slightly, "Why not?"

"You looked too peaceful," his head turned back to look at me and our eyes instantly connected, "You seemed very tired anyway, so I started the project and when you were to wake up, you could help me finish."

My insides wanted to scream at myself, because right now, at this very moment, I should be thanking Nathaniel for his kindness and gratitude; not to mention that he also started our 'pair' assignment by himself. But instead, I keep my sharp glare on him and my arms crossed, "Yeah, whatever, sure."

I cringe at the nastiness in my voice. Why couldn't I just me nice to everyone? Why did I have to be so mean?

Nathaniel turned back around to the project without a reply and at that very moment, I thought he had finally realized my rudeness. However, as I was about to sadly turn away from my room and leave, he spoke up and said, "I'm not going to do this whole project by myself Chloe. I could use some of your sassy-yet-witty help."

I almost made a 'hmph' sound, but I was able to hold it back and simply nod. Nathaniel was just joking around, I didn't have to be so stuck up.

Maybe, I could loosen up just a bit.