Pizza, Anyone?

Chapter Six : The Almost-Date Crashers

After a rather, uh, interesting evening with all five members of The Tyndall Effect, I find myself thinking about various things we did...and then end up smiling - for no reason, people think, but they're so wrong.

If you've played a nail-biting game of UNO, thrashed three boys at FIFA 14, and eaten the best ramen noodles you've ever had, you'd consider it a night to remember. I kissed Nolly on the cheek too...But that's a story for later. 

The next week, on a Saturday, and Leigh's extra shift (but not mine, whoohoo!) I wake up to find a missed call from an unkown number. Then a text from the same number saying :

Called..but no reply. Call back when you see this? xxx Nolly

The first thing I do is appreciate his sense of punctuation, grammar, and spelling. Then I brush my teeth, do my hair,  and call him while making breakfast.

“So, how'd you get my number?" I ask, trying to balance my phone on my shoulder while I make myself some chocolate-chip pancakes. 

"Eh, it wasn't hard. Called Cady's, your friend Hadleigh picked up, and I got your number from her." 

"Smart!" I exclaim, making Noland laugh. 

"Thanks, I have my moments.  So what are you doing right now?"

 I decide the phone isn't balancing on my shoulder and instead put him on speaker, keeping the phone on top of the oven.  Acacia wasn't home, so it was safe to talk. 

"Um, making pancakes, actually."

"At 3 in the afternoon?!”  he asks incredulously, and I smile sheepishly despite the fact that he can’t see me.

 "Well, I woke up just 10 minutes ago..."

"So this is your breakfast?"

"Yep!"

"You're crazy, y'now?"

"That’s actually a compliment, I am crazy!" 

He laughs once more, then abruptly stops, clearing his throat. Suddenly, he sounds nervous. 

"When do I see you again?"

The question makes me nervous, because he’s technically asking me out. And it sounds like a proper date, and not a rendezvous at a beach-less beach house.

I check the clock. 

“You, um, actually want to see me again?”

Oh god, how needy. I smack my head with my free hand, getting batter in my bangs. 

There’s a pause. "Um, yeah, why wouldn’t I?”

“Uh –“ 

“Sorry, don’t answer that. Oh hold on, Lys wants to speak to you." I smile; Lys was like my new best friend, as annoyingly perky as he was. 

"Sure."

 A few seconds later a loud and cheerful voice fills my kitchen. "Hello Mia!"

 I raise my eyebrows. This is new. 

“Mia?"  I echo, wishing he could see me raise my eyebrows.

"Yeah, that's your new nickname! Like it? Of course you do, I made it didn't I?" he laughs, and I roll my eyes. Did I mention Lysander talks like he's on fast forward?

"Narcissist,” I mumble jovially, just loud enough for him to hear. 

I can almost feel him roll his eyes, and it makes me want to laugh more.