High School Diaries (A Throne of Glass Fanfiction)

Chapter 20

Elide rolled over on her bed, the persistent ringing coming from her bedside seeming a lot louder. Her head felt as heavy as her eyes. She flayed her hands over her duvet, trying hard to snooze the alarm. The morning had come way too early. 

She attempted to untangle the blanket but her foot got caught. An involuntary gasp left her mouth, the pain enough to wake her up. 

She squinted at her window. It was still dark outside. She turned to the digital clock. 

00: 52.

So much for going to sleep early. 

She reached over and picked the gods-damned device that was supposed to make their lives easier. 

Her phone had been going off for a while and it was only a matter of time before - 

"Someone pick up that damn phone!"

"If it is your phone, Aedion, I swear to God-"

"Stop shouting, Evangeline is sleeping." Elide could clearly imagine Lysandra covering the girl's ears before yelling at the cousins. 

She rubbed her eyes, wincing at the too bright screen of the phone, as the blurred figures took shape of a number without a contact name. 

She picked it up, ready to teach the person on the line, appropriate hours to call someone. 

"Hello?" 

There was no reply from the other end, just an exhale of breath. 

With shaky hands, she looked at the number again. 

Unknown number. The screen read. 

Yet it was the number her heart knew the best. 

Elide bought the phone to her ear again. There was no response from the other side, but she could hear rapid breathing. 

"Lorcan?" 

She heard a shudder of breath, the hairs on her arms rising when the voice replied. 

"Elide."

It always affected her, how his gravelly voice changed while talking to her and the way he said her name. In a whisper. Like a sacred prayer which he was afraid, would lose meaning if said out too loudly. 

Her heart was beating rapidly against her chest, threatening to tear out and pour all secrets it harbored, memories locked in for far too long . But her ribs caged in the wild thing her heart was and it was time for her to cage herself before she got hurt again. She cleared her throat. 

"What do you want?" She felt shivers at the coldness of her voice. But it was necessary. For her. And also for him. 

"I…" He trailed off once before starting again. 

"How are you?"

She didn't reply. 

"I would've left you alone if you were happy and safe. But you are not. Your wannabe blond boyfriend is cheating on you."

She blinked once. No sugarcoating. It was never his thing. But so was the case with her. At least when she wanted to keep it real.

"His hair is naturally blond." 

She heard an aborted scoff. She knew he was getting annoyed. 

"That is what you got from all this?" 

"As far as I know, it's my business and I'll look into it. Thank you for your concern." 

He was silent for a moment and she thought the conversation was over.