Spoilers! (Mavi)

Chapter 32: 1-2-3 Block

As much as I hated fighting with Avi, I hated not seeing him more. I couldn't focus on my studying when he wasn't around, like I had been using him as some weird human study tool. Knowing he was sitting at home by himself drove a deep pain through my heart like no other. I had to finish studying. I just had to. Even though I was sleeping, the sleep didn't feel like sleep and I woke up more tired than I would have if I had never even lied down. I couldn't keep going like this. I had three days until my first test. I had to call him.

The hollow dial tones of my phone made me feel nervous, a feeling I hadn't had since our first phone call. Avi had a pattern. If he didn't answer the first time, he was in the bathroom. Wait three minutes and try again. He waited until the third ring before he answered, something about being alluring.

1. 2. 3... He's in the bathroom. I hung up. The wait for him to be out of the bathroom wasn't usually the full four minutes, but he seemed to take extra time to wash his hands twice if he finished early. It was always the same four minutes and I was almost always unlucky enough to call him one minute in. It was like our phone dance ritual. I checked the time and called again.

1. 2. 3...

"Hello?"

"Did you just pee?"

"I... I did... Hi, Mitch."

"Hi..." There was an awkward silence I'd expected, but I was hoping the pee thing would help it along. I was wrong.

"Mitch."

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"No, I was being stupid."

"We were both being stupid. I knew this was important to you. I was being too harsh."

"You weren't! I... I needed it."

"You don't need to be stressed before your test."

"That rhymed."

"Shut up." We shared in a laugh, a real genuine laugh. I wanted to run into his strong arms and let him hold me until I fell asleep, but he was so far away. "I miss you, Mochi."

He hadn't called me Mochi in what felt like forever, it wasn't exactly a strong counter-point in an argument. I stood like an idiot in the middle of my room after pacing subconsciously and waited for the easy answer my body just didn't know how to say.

"M-... Mitch?"

"Yes! Please!"

"Yes please, what?"

"Oh. Wait. Can you come over now?"

There was a pause that made me uncomfortable. He sighed and tapped something on the table next to him. Was he fidgeting?

"I have a show tonight. If I do come over, it'll be late."

"That's fine! I'll still be up."

"Okay!" I heard him slam down the tiny thing he was messing with. "I'll come over right after the show!"

"I'll be waiting. Oh! Chibi?"

"Yeah?"

"I missed you too."