in which a boy boredly calls a random number at 11:11pm every night, not expecting to meet a sarcastic girl just a year older than him.
✎ The Rose Awards winner - short story ✎
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Lila laughed as she watched yet another Try Not to Laugh video on YouTube, crashing down her streak of zero wins. She just couldn't help but laugh at the video of the dog screaming like it was possessed.
She scrolled through the recommended videos for another Try Not to Laugh video, and just before she clicked on one, the doorbell rang.
She had heard the UPS truck pass by not too long ago, so she deemed it as being a package. Her parents were at work, so she went downstairs to retrieve the package.
Thankfully, Lila was no longer sick, the only symptoms left behind was the occasional cough. She couldn't have been more glad.
If only she had a certain male friend to tell that she was better due to the stuff he had given her.
She grabbed the box off of the porch and brought it inside, kicking the door shut with her foot.
She was just going to place the package in the kitchen for her parents to open when they got home, but once she looked at the "shipping label" - it was really just a sheet of paper with the familiar beautiful embossing calligraphy on it - she froze and stopped walking.
She finally heard from Cal.
It had been two weeks since they had last talked, and it really impacted Lila's mood when he wouldn't answer the phone or return her texts.
As much as she hated to admit it, she missed Cal.
Her heart beat faster as she pulled the label off of the top of the box, unfolding it to read its contents.
Dear Phone Girl,
I am so sorry for ignoring your calls and texts over the past few weeks. I would tell you why, but I'm not ready to yet.
I feel so bad for leaving you in the dark, so this is me doing my best to make it up to you.
A little birdie told me what your favorite things are, so I did my best to not give them to you ;)
I hope you enjoy. Talk to you tonight, Cal
Lila ripped open the box and gasped at what was inside. She almost cried. Actually, she did cry, but no one needed to know that.
Inside the box was an array of white chocolate candies, some in truffle form, some in candy bar form, and others in bark form. Each was wrapped in a neat clear bag with a blue bow. Clearly, Cal found out her favorite color.
Below the bags of chocolate were jumbo Milky Way bars with blue bows wrapped around them. Another smaller note sat in the bottom of the box.
White Chocolate Blondies
Ingredients: + 1 cup butter + 4 eggs + 2 cups white sugar + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract + 2 cups all-purpose flour + 1 teaspoon salt + 1½ cup white chocolate chips
Procedure: 1) Melt butter and ½ cup of the white chocolate chips in a microwave, checking every 15 seconds. Let cool
2) Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Mix in the cooled butter and chocolate mixture along with the flour and salt. Stir until combined. Pour the batter into a 9x13 greased baking pan; sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup white chocolate chips.
3)Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for at least 10 minutes before cutting.
Once again, I'm sorry! - Cal
Cal was so unbelievably sweet.
But that wasn't all. Underneath everything was a week's supply of fuzzy, multicolored socks that Lila loved dearly. Each of them had the day of the week on the bottom of the foot and at the top of the sock, along with gel bits on the bottom to prevent slipping.
Lila didn't want to think about how much Cal spent on all of this.
Lila called Cal, but he didn't answer. She settled for texting him.
Thank you so much for all of this. I'm going to get diabetes now 😂
It's no problem, phone girl. And again, I am extremely sorry for ignoring you these past two weeks
It's alright, Cal. It was probably for good reason.
Yeah, not really. But I promise I'll tell you soon. I'm at work, so I'll call you tonight, okay? Boss is looking at me weird.
Lol, okay. TTYLXOX
Harnessing your Disney channel vibes?
Yes, my inner Belela Thorné Now get back to work before you get fired
