Bad Habit

Chapter Four

❝Yeah... a lot of people tell me I'm a bit... dreamy. But I like the idea of that. Of being somewhere else. ❞
– Alex Turner

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04. Arabella

SOMETHING ABOUT phone calls makes me nervous. I think it's the fact that, lately, people have been texting so much that no one actually remembers what phones were originally made for. Therefore, whenever someone rings me, it is an urgency–or, in Savannah's case, gossip she considers urgent; hence the confusion when, in the middle of my quiet studying during a Saturday afternoon, my phone blared its obnoxious ringtone.

Hesitantly, I grabbed the device and answered the call. "Hello?"

"My dear Bella! It's so good to hear your voice again!"

"Grandma, hi," I said, slightly surprised. "It's great to hear from you, too. How's it going?"

She chuckled. "All's good, darling. We miss you, though. Your brother won't ever admit, but the house feels a lot emptier without your presence. How is university?"

"Evan knows he'd be nothing without me," I joked. "It's amazing, actually. I still share a dorm with Savannah, but she's not here right now, and I decided to study."

"Oh, I miss that girl. Bring her along next time you come to visit, will you?"

Changing positions so now I was lying on my stomach rather than sitting, I answered. "Of course I will. By the way, is there a reason why you called?"

"There is, actually," my grandmother paused before continuing. "Your mother's birthday is next month, as you know, and she'll be here to celebrate, along with your dad. She's not expecting anything, just dinner with us, but Evan said we should call everyone–your aunts, uncles, cousins and her friends from work–and make a surprise."

"Evan came up with that? Like, I-don't-care-about-life-I-just-want-to-play-videogames-in-peace Evan?"

Laughing, she confirmed. "That Evan, our Evan. I think it's brilliant. I called your father last night and he agreed, said things are a bit stressful because of work and that this little reunion would take her mind off things."

"I agree. Mom needs it. Besides, I won't have any classes on her birthday. I'm still perplexed Evan had such a nice idea."

"Wonderful, Bella. I'll contact you again when the time gets closer. Right now, I'll let you go back to your studies."

Grinning, I playfully replied: "I actually have no hurry to go back to my studies. I'm kidding. Thanks for calling, grandma; I'll try to call dad next week and sort this. I'm really excited to visit you guys."

"I want to see you too, dear," she sighed. "Okay, well, have a lovely day. We'll talk soon."

"Bye! Oh, and don't forget to include mom's friends from Pilates."

+++

Moods are funny. Growing up, I went through a lot of existential crises, and there were times I'd wonder if I was bipolar–it was nothing as serious as that, just an overdramatic teenager who PMS'ed even when she wasn't menstruating.

My life, in general, had never been too harsh. I had a healthy family; my parents had been married for twenty three years and counting, and I used to stay with my grandparents a lot. Mom and dad worked with business stuff and had to be constantly travelling. Ever since I was a kid, they'd take bunches of trips, usually together, and my grandma, Teresa, would take care of me and, eventually, Evan.