Ego's Trap | ✔

58 | Late Night Call

☆☆☆ Chapter 58 ☆☆☆

Late Night Call

RIIIIING! RIIIIING! RIIIIING!

Loud. Constant. Annoying. Those are the best three words I can think of to describe what startled me awake.

My eyes opened to face nothing but darkness. Everything everywhere was pitch black. For all I know it was the middle of the night or just some short time after I fell asleep. Maybe nine, ten o'clock in the night? Who knows. It doesn't matter. The storm died off by then, no more rain or thunder. At times lazy drops would fall down from the corners of the roof, I heard them. But they didn't matter either. Only one thing did.

RIIIIING! RIIIIING! RIIIIING!

Daniel's mobile phone's screeching was sharp, it drilled its presence into my skull, from somewhere by his dresser. Though somewhat groggy, I managed to shake Daniel's shoulders enough for him to peek his head out of the blanket.

"Nightmare?" he yawned softly, reaching for me. "It's okay, you're not alone... come, come here."

His words tugged at my heart. He's too good. "No, not this time," I said, turning the lamp on. Too good, too good, that's right. "Wake up, it's your flashy brick thing. Go answer it."

Daniel face-palmed himself and groaned his way to the phone.

RIIIIING! RIIIIING! RIIIIIN—

"Hello?" Daniel was midway into rubbing his eyes when his eyebrows suddenly sprung to life. "Roger? What in the world... is this really you? It's really you!" As he let out a bubbly laugh I hadn't heard in days, I sat myself straight against the headboard and pulled down my sleeves. "Hey, hey, dude, I know you're busy with your summer finals and all, but can you do me a favor and give me a call every now and then? I was starting to think you were dead. And, uh, preferably not in the middle of the night?" Daniel laughed again and pulled the curtains to the side. Moonlight immediately breezed through the window's barrier. It bounced right off Daniel's skin and made it look like it was glowing.

"What? You're already finished with them?" Daniel's back faced me now. "Oh okay, good! Almost there, then. You can do it! ...Oh! Hey, hey, I'll bring three bottles over when you're finished. I'll even sneak one of the estate-bottled── er, haha I know, I know, Father's here, but so long as he doesn't notice it doesn't matter── so how does that sound? Mhmm, I had the cellar restocked last week. Father── oh, haha, yeah, do whatever you want with them. Knock yourself out. Just let me know when and we'll make it a party, why not? Invite your friends over. Yeah, come on man, it'll be fun. ...Hmm? Fine, fine. Have it your way, then. Just the two of us." Silence. "What? Need a little beating? Haha, sure sure. I got you amigo. Battleship it is." Another brief silence. "Hmm?"

When I saw Daniel press his hand against the window, I realized just how normal this conversation was. Actually, it was so normal it almost went right past my ears. So why did it have to happen so late? Why did it have to wake us up? Why did it matter, and how long was it gonna last?

"Wait, hold on, slow down. What do you mean it's time? Time for what?"

Then my boyfriend jerked back in my direction, with a jaw so stretched it threatened to fall off.

"Study abroa... n-now?" He slapped a hand on his forehead and scoffed. "Where to now? Italy? Portugal? Brazil? Where in the world haven't you gone!?" By the end of it Daniel's voice raised so much that my heart started to race. What exactly's going on here?

"Bullshit! A whole load of it! 'Abroad' my ass, I'm not stupid! That's what you said last time. Every time! Weren't you done? Wasn't the last time enough? Aren't you free?"