Stumbling Over Love | ✓

Chapter 37

_Chapter 37~ Fireworks_

          "A festival?"

          I accepted the flyer Mom had outstretched towards me, my eyes flickering over the information.

          "Instead of staying coped up inside like you have been, why not go?" Mom suggested. "You haven't been to one in a while have you?"

           I mutely bobbed my head, picking up my finished plate and heading towards the sink to wash it. "I don't think I have," I admitted.

          "You should ask Erika to come with you," she went on, following after me. "She's still fairly new here so I'm sure she'd love to."

"That's true." I flashed Mom a small smile. "I'll ask her."

Just as I turned away to exit the kitchen, the words she called after me definitely startled me. "You should also invite that boy from next door. From the Iwasaki's."

I halted in my tracks, facing Mom in surprise. "H-huh? Why?"

She continued to scrub the remaining dirty dishes. "What's wrong with inviting your next door neighbour and fellow classmate?"

"Everything!" I replied.

"I'm sure he'd appreciate it," she prodded.

My cheeks warmed at the notion. "Whatever you say, Mom, but no thank you. I'd rather save myself the embarrassment. I will invite Erika though."

She heaved a defeated sigh, waving me off. I took the opportunity to hasten up the stairs and enter my bedroom. I dug into my pocket and pulled out my cell. Searching through my contacts, I easily found my cousin's name and with a deep breath, I dialed her number. I collapsed onto my mattress as the phone rang.

It wasn't until the second ring that she answered.

"Hello?" I said, my voice a higher octave than I thought it'd be. "Erika?"

"I apologize." I blinked rapidly at the voice—it certainly didn't sound like my cousin's. "I believe I am unfamiliar with this number. Who is this?" she continued.

My eyelids fluttered rapidly as I retreated the phone from my ear, eyeing the ID I had dialed. The name 'Erika' stared back at me, piquing immense confusion inside of me. Were my ears playing tricks on me?

"Hello?" I spoke again.

I guess that idea wasn't the case, though, because the same voice echoed over the receiver. "Is this a prank call?"

"I should be asking you the same thing!" I said, incredulity slipping into my tone. "Who is this?"

"I am Amaya's manager," she replied. "I am not sure who she has befriended at her new school but she will be unavailable until the end of July. Please leave personal inquiries until then. Thank you. Now—"

"Wait," I cut her off, gripping my cell tighter. "What are you talking about? Why does—"

"Goodbye." The line went dead. A deafening beep! resounded in the air, leaving me with mixed feelings.

"—Erika have a manager?" I murmured under my breath as I pried my phone away and once again stared at the screen and at my cousin's name I'd written with capital letters. Was... that a prank from her? She always was surprising, but a manager? Well, there went my plan of inviting her.

"You should also invite that boy from next door. From the Iwasaki's."

The memory of Mom's words flustered me. Yeah, right! Besides, I hadn't even seen the guy since the start of the break two weeks ago. After passing my exam (and embarrassing myself in front of the entire class) I doubted the same guy wanted to be around me. I slapped my cheeks. Jeez, me! Why did I always act without thinking? It was such a bad habit! And it always led me to rather mortifying predicaments...