Text Message (Camren)

Chapter 2

Lauren's POV

It's about nine o'clock and Normani and I are lying on her bed occupying our phones while Beyoncé plays in the background.

"Look at this vine, Laur'," Normani said, as she began shoving her phone way too close to my face.

"'Mani, I can't watch it with the phone that close. Back up," I told her while pushing her hand away from my face.

Normani rolled her eyes and adjusted her lying position so that the phone would fit between us. "Whatever, just watch it," the older girl demanded.

Just as Normani was about to play the six second video, my phone's ringtone begins to play. I've always been good with numbers so I instantly recognized the number as the stranger I was texting, and answered the phone.

"Hello?" I say, after a few quiet seconds of the other person just breathing.

"Who is it?" Normani whispers, nosily. I reply by shrugging my shoulders a little.

The stranger doesn't say anything, but doesn't disconnect either. I decide I'll try to elicit a response again.

"Hellooo," I draw out the word a little. Seconds later and still no response. Sighing a small sigh, I hang up the phone a little disappointed.

Normani notices my little sigh of disappointment and eyes me curiously. "What happened?" she asks, not understanding why I was disappointed.

"The person didn't respond," I give back.

If the dark-skinned girl was confused before, she's really confused now. After a couple moments, she asks, "Sooo? I don't get the big deal. People answer phones like that all the time. They could've dialed the wrong number."

"Yeah, but it was the same person who texted me earlier," I vaguely explained. Normani still didn't seem to understand so I just sighed and said, "Nevermind. Don't worry about it. It's not important." She just shrugged and nodded.

I decided to text the stranger to figure out why they didn't answer. As I'm starting to pull up the Messages app, I realize how stupid I must seem to be texting a stranger even after I've already established they texted the wrong number. Most people would've ended their conversation with a stranger a while ago, but for some reason, I'm still trying to make sure this unknown person is okay.

To 555-847-1340: Why didn't you say anything when you called? Are you alright?

To say that I felt stupid for being so concerned for someone I don't know would be an understatement. I'm actually feeling happy that I didn't explain to Normani why I was disappointed that the stranger didn't say anything on the phone. She'd think it's weird that I care so much and I'd be embarrassed.

I put my phone face-down beside me on the bed. Propping my chin up with my two balled up fists, I sigh out of boredom.

A good hour and a half passes of me just getting lost in my thoughts and Normani being on her phone and listening to music. "Let's do something, Laur'" Normani's voice appears.

"Something like what, 'Mani?" I sigh before continuing, "It's like eleven o'clock at night. There's nothing to do but stay on social media, which I don't even use that often."

She turns on her side to face me. I look at her and see her smirking. "We can sneak out and go somewhere," Normani says, raising her brow mischievously.

I begin to smirk too. Normani knows exactly how to keep me entertained. She knows how I love adventure and excitement, which is why she even proposed this idea.