Wild Ride

Chapter 15: A Blast From the Past

Carl's pov

There was something about days when nothing went wrong. No urgent calls. No deadlines hanging over my head. Just peace. And honestly, I didn't realize how much I needed a day like that until I finally got one.

I woke up without an alarm screaming beside my head or my phone ringing. For a few seconds, I simply stared at the ceiling, enjoying the quietness of my room.

The curtains were slightly open, allowing the morning sunlight to spill across the floor. Today was going to be a good day. I reached for my phone and checked the time. 9:17 am. I didn't have anywhere important to be at.

I placed the phone back on the bedside table and stretched.

"Finally," I muttered to myself.

I got out of bed and opened the curtains fully. The sunlight immediately filled the room, making me squint. I stood there for a moment, looking outside. People were already moving around. Someone was jogging on the sidewalk, and somewhere nearby, I could hear the faint sound of music playing.

I walked into the bathroom, brushed my teeth, took a long shower, and came back into my room feeling completely refreshed. I dressed casually in a simple T-shirt and shorts before heading into the kitchen.

I wasn't particularly good at cooking elaborate meals, so breakfast was simple. I made myself something to eat, poured a glass of juice, and sat on my chair.

While eating, I checked my phone again. A few messages. Nothing urgent. I replied to the ones that needed replies and ignored the rest.

After breakfast, I decided to clean. My apartment wasn't messy, but there were little things everywhere that I had been promising myself I'd organize. Books that needed to be arranged. Clothes that needed folding. I put on some music and started cleaning.

By the time I finished, my apartment looked much better. I stood in the middle of the room, looking around proudly.

"Not bad," I said with a small laugh.

I grabbed a bottle of water and dropped onto the couch. For the first time in a while, my mind wasn't occupied with school, my master's project, or everything else I had been trying to keep up with.

And, strangely enough, I found myself thinking about her. Xandria. I didn't understand why she had been appearing in my thoughts so often lately. Maybe it was the fact that she wasn't constantly trying to get attention. Or maybe it was because of what happened the other night.

Whatever it was, I couldn't deny that she had caught my attention. I shook my head and laughed quietly.

"You're thinking too much."

I reached for the remote and turned on the television. I spent the next couple of hours doing nothing productive and it felt amazing. Eventually, Damian called.

We talked for a while, laughed about some random incident from a few days ago, and made loose plans to hang out sometime soon. After the call ended, I leaned back against the couch. My day was going perfectly. Until my phone rang again.

I glanced at the screen. Amelia. I frowned. I almost ignored it. Almost. Something made me answer.

"Hello?"

There was a brief silence.

Then I heard her voice. "Carl?"

I immediately sat upright. I knew that voice. It had been a while since I'd heard it, but I knew it instantly.

"Yeah?"

She laughed softly. "It's me."

I leaned back against the couch, suddenly feeling a little surprised.