Race

Chapter 2

I woke up to my phone buzzing on the nighstand.

I blinked a few times, trying to open my still sleepy eyes but the light was too much for them and I had to squeeze them shut again, instantly, in order to avoid going completely blind. Groaning annoyedly, I roamed the nighstand for my phone, pushing books and an empty water bottle from it before finally grasping it. Without having checked the caller-ID, I accepted the call by pressing the lower corner of my phone where I knew the green button would be and pressed it to my ear.

"Hello?" I murmured but my voice broke in the middle, forcing me to clear my throat rather loudly.

"Oh God, did I wake you?" a male voice asked on the other end, sounding worried. My tired brain needed a few seconds to realize it was the voice of the boy I had met at Starbucks a few days ago. Jake.

I heard a very low voice in the background saying something like "I told you you should've waited another two hours. She's definitely one of the late riser sort. That was obvious." Somehow I recognized the second voice immediately. His raspy voice seemed to have annoyed itself into my long-term memory. After all, annoying people always seemed to be the ones that you remembered best.

I suddenly felt wide awake and the slightest tingle went through my body. I ascribed it to the annoyance I felt towards Harry.

I sat up in my bed, tucking a strand of my hair behind the ear before rubbing my eyes. "No, it's okay," I said. "I mean you did wake me but it doesn't matter," I lied. I desperately wished I could still be asleep, cuddled into my soft duvet and continue the wonderful dream I had just had.

Jake remained silent for a second, making it possible for me to hear the smug "Told you so" that came from Harry.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm sorry," Jake said, almost subdued. "But I wanted to ask you if you still want a tour around the city. Or well the city is huge so let's say we at first show you your neigbourhood?" he then went on, back to his friendly self.

"Oh seriously, is this your way to flirt with a girl? Because that wasn't flirting at all. 'I'll show you around but only in a small part so I can take you out more often'? I thought I had taught you better. It's as if you're walking around with a label 'Friendzone me'. Or no wait your label would be 'Guidezone me'." There was a raspy chuckle to be heard.

"Can you please tell your jerk friend to shut up?" I asked, rolling my eyes. I wasn't a morning person, to say the least. Everyone that had ever been around me right after I had woken up was able to vouch for the hostility that the person that had the audacity to talk to me before my first cup of coffee would have to submit to. And while I was able to bear Jake, the unnecessary comments from Harry in the back annoyed the living hell out of me.

Harry's voice seemed now closer. "I heard that! And I'm not a jerk!" The smugness had gone away and now he sounded kind of angry which made his voice go even raspier.

"SHUSH!" I said, knowing he would hear me loud and clearly. "I'm not talking to you!" I doubted this was going to make him shut up at all but it was worth a try or otherwise I would never be able to have a proper conversation with Jake. Something about Harry's voice just somehow seemed to bother me and I decided that it would be for the best to stop hearing it.

---

Two hours, a shower and a desperate search through my closet later, I was dressed in black skinny jeans, a white tshirt and some Nike sneakers, expecting to have to walk a lot. I then grabbed a small black satchel bag and my keys and left my flat, the keys dangling from my finger, locking the door and letting the key slide into my jeans pocket. I stood in front of the door hesitatingly for a second. Was I gonna be a responsible adult? Sighing, I unlocked my door again and grabbed a cosy grey hoodie from a rack next to the entrance. My only real talent was to never manage to dress adequately for the current weather. I went out in hot summers with turtleneck sweaters and black jeans and went out in cold winters in a thin dress and denim jacket. Seeing that it was currently spring, bringing a hoodie was probably quite a good idea.