close to my dialling heart

53🌹Y2K night

🎶I said, Oh girl, Shock me like an electric feel, baby girl, turn me on with your electric feel🎶
                          ~MGMT~
DOVE 🕊

I headed to the art class to return a few things I’d borrowed from Sylvia—the girl I met when I first wandered into the art room. “Why don’t you just join this class?” she asked as I handed her the supplies. She’d seen my painting—the one Xavier threatened to steal. Turns out, he wasn’t joking.

“I wish I could,” I said, smiling faintly. “But I think it’s a little too late for that.”

She laughed, a light sound that mirrored my reluctance. “Maybe,” she said, “but listen... there’s an art gallery event coming up. Artists from different colleges will showcase their work for auction. You should be part of it. You’re really good.”

Her words hung in the air as I pressed my lips together, the weight of her suggestion sinking in. “I’ll think about it,” I replied, feeling the pull of something bigger. She nodded, her smile warm, hopeful.

I had just turned to leave when Tristan walked in. "Ah, there he is... I've been looking everywhere for you," Sylvia called from behind me, her voice directed at him. But Tristan’s eyes were locked on me, making it impossible to avoid him. I managed a small wave, my pulse quickening as I tried to hurry out, but his voice stopped me in my tracks.

"Hey, Dove?"

I froze, slowly turning back. "Yes?" I forced calm into my voice, though my heart hammered in my chest. After what Xavier had told me, being around Tristan suddenly felt… off.

"Are you in a rush?" he asked, his gaze too focused, too intent.

"Yeah, Ela and Mal are waiting for me," I replied, hoping it sounded casual.

"Is it urgent?"

I nodded, the tension in my body building with each passing second. "Do you need something?" I asked, hoping to wrap this up quickly.

He shook his head, but his eyes never left mine. "No, I’ll talk to you later then."

"Is it something important?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

Tristan hesitated for a moment, then shook his head. "No, not really," he said, but I caught the slight hesitation in his tone.

"Alright, but I won’t be free until tomorrow if that works for you."

He pressed his lips together, nodding. "Tomorrow, then."

I gave him a brief smile before rushing out, finally exhaling the breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. The second I stepped outside, my phone buzzed in my hand. Harry's name flashed across the screen, and my heart skipped a beat, excitement instantly replacing the tension.

Without hesitation, I swiped to answer. "Hello," I said, my voice lighter now.

"Hi, Dove."

I froze, glancing at the screen to double-check if it was really Harry. His voice sounded different—deeper, more… deliberate. He’d never called me Dove before either.

"Has your voice gotten deeper?" I teased, even though it was true. It was like I was talking to someone else.

He laughed softly, and I couldn’t help but smile. "What do you mean?"

I chuckled, but my mind wandered. "I miss you," he said suddenly, his voice warm.

My laughter died down, and I pressed my lips together, unsure how to respond. It wasn’t that I didn’t miss him, but my mind had been elsewhere lately. Too much going on. "Don’t you miss me?" he asked, his tone playful, but there was something underneath it.