Flavors of Love | COMPLETE

Chapter 8

I feel better in the morning. I really do. Things don't seem so terrible, and I'm glad to be alive. My phone has a couple texts from Owen, and it makes my heart flutter.

Had so much fun last night. Thanks for coming over :)
Can't stop reading ahead in the novel... so good!!!

I tap out a reply as I head to the bathroom and brush my teeth.

All morning-- and then all week-- he's just so incredibly nice. He's funny and clever and he keeps me on my toes, and that's my kind of guy.

Before, when he was a flat image in my head, I would've never thought there was so much complexity to him. Now, though, he seems to have everything I want.

I'm thinking about him a lot, more than ever before. Time flies by. I can't wait for next Wednesday, when I can see him again.

It's Saturday night when he sends me the text that completely revolutionizes our whole relationship.

It's only four words long. It's nothing special. But after he sends it, everything changes.

Can I call you?

Of course, I reply.

I wait a couple rings to pick it up so I don't seem too eager; we've been texting on and off all day, and we've been having a steady conversation for the last hour or so, but I don't want to come on too strong.

"Hello?" I whisper. I slip out of bed and creep into the hallway, leaving the door open a crack so I can watch Andrew's sleeping face in case he stirs... I don't want to wake him, but I also don't want to be snuck up on.

"Hi," he whispers back.

"What's up?"

"I'm at my dad's, and he just left for work. Raymond is out with his friends and the house is so quiet. What's up with you?"

"I'm in bed," I say. "And I have to be quiet so I don't wake up my brother."

"What are you wearing?" he teases. I know he doesn't mean it; he'll playfully flirt with me sometimes, like when he took his shirt off in front of me, and by now I don't mind it.

"A parka," I say. "A parka and snow pants."

He laughs. "You must be sweating."

"Oh, I am," I assure him. "I can feel myself losing water weight as we speak."

He laughs again, and I can hear shuffling that I assume means he's moving around. "So... how was your day?"

"It was good," I say. "I mostly did homework and read."

"What're you reading?"

"I dunno, some dumb romance thing. It's not very good."

"I watched a lot of TV today," he says. "I hate homework. Especially math."

"Lucky," I say. "We don't have cable."

"For real?" He sounds shocked.

"Yeah. It's not so bad."

"I can't even imagine that," he says wonderingly. "You guys must have some crazy willpower."

"Nah," I say. "You get used to it."

"Weird," he mutters.

"It's okay," I assure him. "We're doing okay."

"Good." I hear him sigh.

"What was that for?"

"I'm just... kind of lonely, I guess. It's weird, being alone this late and knowing no one is coming all night."