The Art Class (BL)

18. Happy Photos

Alex:

"Ring, Ring, Ring!"

I groggily blink my eyes open, the sound of my phone ringing pulling me from a half-formed dream. Shifting uncomfortably in bed, I fumble around, reaching for my phone on the nightstand. My hand finally finds it, and I squint at the screen to see Evie's name flashing. With a sigh, I swipe to answer.

"Hello?" I mumble, my voice thick with sleep.

"Hey, Axyyy!" Evie's voice chirps on the other end, her usual morning energy pouring through the line. "You ready for class? It's Wednesday!"

I rub my eyes, trying to shake off the sleepiness. "Honestly, Evie? I really don't feel like coming in today. I think I'd just rather stay buried under my blankets. Just one of those days, you know?"

Evie lets out a little chuckle. "Oh, come on, it won't be that bad! Plus, we have bowling later. Aren't you excited?"

I groan, a hint of guilt creeping in, but my bed feels too warm and comforting to leave right now. "Can you do me a Favor and send me the homework for this week when you get there this afternoon? I just... I just can't be bothered today."

Evie laughs again, that light-hearted tone of hers always managing to lift my spirits a little. "Of course, I can. But remember, we have bowling tonight! And since you're not coming to class, that means it's your job to call and make the booking for us."

"Ugh," I mutter, trying not to sound too exasperated, but she continues cheerfully, "Just make sure it's not too late, okay? We want enough time to play a few rounds!"

I glance at the clock, realizing it's later than I thought. "Sure, sure. Do you have a specific time in mind, or are we just winging it?"

"Anytime after five should be good," she replies, still chipper. "But don't leave it too late, okay? And get some rest – I want you wide awake for bowling!"

I chuckle, feeling a bit more awake now. "Alright, alright. I'll handle it. Thanks, Evie."

"No problem, Axy! Get some more sleep if you can, and see you later!"

She hangs up, and I sink back into my pillow, staring at the ceiling as I mentally go through the day ahead.

I figure I might as well make the bowling reservation now before I forget. As I start dialing the number, my phone suddenly lights up with an incoming call from Ethan. My heart skips a beat – I can't believe he's actually calling me! It's been ages since I last heard from him.

Without wasting a second, I swipe to answer. "Hiiii!" I say, trying to keep the excitement out of my voice but failing miserably. "Hey, Alex," Ethan replies, his tone warm and familiar. "Long time, huh?"

"Yeah, where have you been?" I try to sound casual, but I know there's a hint of hurt there. He's been completely out of touch, and I had almost given up on hearing from him again.

Ethan sighs apologetically. "Yeah, sorry about that. I forgot to tell you, I ended up taking an spontaneous trip to Thailand. Didn't get a SIM card while I was over there, so I couldn't contact you. I meant to let you know, but it all happened so fast."

"Oh!" I say, my frustration melting away a little. "That makes sense. I was starting to think you'd vanished off the face of the earth or something."

He chuckles, a warm sound that makes me feel a bit better. "Nah, I'm still here. And, actually, I have some exciting news for you. I got your message, and I wanted to offer you some shifts if you're still interested."

"Really?" I can't help the pure excitement that slips into my voice. "Yes, please! I'd love some shifts."

"Great! So, here's the deal," he continues, his voice sounding pleased. "Our main library service manager quit unexpectedly, which means we have a few permanent shifts available that need filling. I thought of you right away."