To String Together ( Huaze Lei )

Making Plans

Faye Calinao

"Lei," Ximen said through the phone. I could see him and part of Meizuo on the phone. It looks like they are having a great time. I felt guilty for interrupting their night. Lei looked towards me before looking back at the screen. I leaned back against the headrest to continue to take steady breaths. "You know Meizuo and I are out tonight." In the background I could hear music.

"I know. I'm with Faye...." I heard Lei spoke nervously.

"You're with Faye? She was in a deep sleep when I left with Meizuo earlier. I wouldn't think she'd be awake right now. What's... wrong?" I could hear the worry in Ximen tone. Lei explained he came to the house to talk to me and I had a panic attack. He told him he thought I was doing alright and he found my inhaler.

"Why would she be having one right now?!" Ximen exclaimed towards Lei. I took in a sharp breath and Lei turned towards me to make sure I'm alright. He walks over to me and takes a seat at the edge of the bed. "The only time Faye has one is when something is wrong. What have you done?!"

"I had no idea she was going to panic. Ximen, I did not mean to cause this much trouble for her. She's seems alright now." I heard a sigh from Ximen.

"I'm on my way. Stay with her until I get there." Lei nods and ends the face call. Lei looked towards me and he apologized for causing me trouble. He apologized earlier. His cold harsh tone completely absent as he tried to explain to me he shouldn't have acted the way he did earlier. What if he never found out I was close with Ximen? Would he continue to act the way he did earlier?

"I'm sorry," I say lightly after what seemed like awhile of silence and Lei looked towards me confusingly.

"Why are you apologizing? You just had a panic attack Faye. You don't have a reason to apologize. How... are you feeling now?"

"My chest aches." I wanted Ximen to be here.

"I'm sorry Faye."

"Ximen is my childhood friend," I say, feeling the need to explain to him. Lei nods and smiles slightly.

"I know. I found out earlier. Who would have known you and Ximen are really close. You're both... quite the opposite." I shrugged still feeling a bit overwhelmed. "I'm sorry for the way I acted towards you."

"You had no idea."

"I should have acted professionally. It was wrong of me to be disrespectful to you. Especially if you mean something to Ximen, I respect you."

"You were only stating the obvious." Lei smiles for a split moment before his expression becomes unreadable. I wasn't sure what he was thinking as he sat in front of me. Am I really confessing to him the first day we meet?

"I'd like for us to start over. Can we?" Lei asks. It takes me a moment to comprehend. I wasn't sure if he was trying to change the subject that I knew he knew I have a crush on him or if he genuinely wanted to start over from earlier.

"I'm not sure. Can we?" I questioned unsure.

"We can if you allow us to start over. I know we did not start off the way I had wanted. I really was not in the best mood this morning."

"Only if you take me out for breakfast tomorrow." Lei raised a brow.

"No wonder Ximen is your best friend," Lei laughed lightly. My shoulders relaxed slightly. "You're cute when you're pushy." After everything we've just gone through, Lei calling me cute makes my heart flutter.

"I'm only pushy with people I'm comfortable with."

"You're comfortable with me already?" He questioned my words.