Chapter 40

I can't sleep. 

I am on my bed with my eyes wide open and my arms and legs spread.

 I'm bored. Is it obvious?

I wanted to eat my gummy worms, but I left them downstairs. Sigh...

I can't go out because if I do, Norvyn will see that I'm still awake and he will scold me. 

'Why are you still awake young master? You should go to your bed.' At least that's what I imagined him to say. 

I look at my phone. Riri stopped messaging me after I didn't reply. She sent me Cal's phone number and said goodnight. 

What am I going to do with it? 

Papa shouldn't have said that he would come home early if he couldn't keep his promise. I looked forward to nothing.

I closed my eyes. One... Two... Three... Still can't sleep. What time is it anyway? 

It's 9:25 p.m.. Now what? 

I look at Cal's phone number. Should I message him? What if I bother him? He's at work, right? I mean, he said that he's working until ten... 

I pursed my lips. My thumbs hovered above my phone. I can say hi. It doesn't matter if he ignores it because he's busy. 

.

.

.

I'm nervous. If I really text him, what will be the content of my message?

~

Cooper: Hi Cal! It's me, Cooper! 

~

I frowned. Erase, erase, erase. 

I rolled to the left side of my bed. I bit my bottom lip and started typing on my phone.

~

Cooper: Good evening Cal! This is Cooper. Riri sent me your phone number. I'm sorry for texting you at this hour. I just want you to know that if you're bored, you can text me! (p＾ｪ＾q)

~

I read the message thrice for good measure. Should I send this? I hope it isn't that obvious that I want to receive a reply because, you know, he always looks bored. Maybe he will ignore it if it comes from an unknown number.

Uuuu... Aish! I'll just send it before I regret it! 

I hit the send button. The message was delivered but not seen. 

Welp, I'll wait for him to reply or just go to sleep. Whichever of these two happens first. 

I glanced at the clock. 9:37 p.m..

Why is it that I can't fall asleep tonight? I didn't eat nor drink something energizing. Is it because of the gummy worms? I think it's because of the gummy worms.

My phone suddenly rings. It's a message from Cal! I hurriedly clicked on it. 

~

Cal: Ok. 

~

. . .

Really? One word? Even through text he's not a talkative guy. 

Do I reply to it? What do I even respond to an 'ok'? 

~

Cooper: Where are you? Are you still at the store? 

~

There, I sent it! 

He texted back after a minute. 

~

Cal: Yes. 

~

. . .

. . .

. . .

Cal is the opposite of Riri. Riri sent me a long message as her reply but for Cal, one word is enough. 

I think he doesn't want to talk to me... I should say goodnight to him and not text him anymore. 

~

Cooper: So, umm, good night Cal.

Cal: You're sleeping?

~

 Oh! I didn't expect him to send two words. 

~

Cooper: Not really. I just thought that maybe you didn't want to be disturbed, so... yeah. 

Cal: There are no customers right now and my shift will end soon. Keep me company. 

~

Does that mean he's bored?

~

Cooper: You want me to keep texting you?

Cal: Yes. 

Cooper: Oh ok! 

~

He should have said that sooner. He really wants me to doubt whether he likes me or not. 

I smiled. 

~

Cooper: So what do you want to talk about?

Cal: Anything.

~

I frowned. Well that's a hard topic. I don't know where to start. Correction: he didn't give me any topic to start. 

~

Cooper: How is work? Is it tiring? 

Cal: it's ok and yes. 

~

I waited for a few minutes, waiting for him to ask me a question. I didn't receive any. 

How is this a conversation if I am the only one who is talking?! 

This conversation is dead! 

~

Cooper: Are you not asking about my day? 

~

Of course I didn't send it. It felt fake. 

Geez, Cal is not a brilliant talker, but he said to keep him company and I really like to chat with him.

~

Cooper: Soooo

               What's your favorite genre of music?  You always have your earphones in your ear and I figured that it's because you're listening to good music. 

Cal: Classic. 

Cooper: Classic? 

Cal: I enjoy listening to piano pieces. It makes me feel calm and sleepy. 

Cooper: Ohhhh

                I enjoy listening to anything I find good. Oh! Do you know about the song X? It's fantastic!

Cal: I know that song. It's good. 

        There's a customer. Brb. 

Cooper: Brb? What's that?

Cooper: Hello? 

~

He didn't reply. Is he asleep? I need to know what brb means. Mr. Evighle, I need your help. 

I pressed home and clicked on an app that looks like a rainbow colored globe.

After typing what I want to know, which is brb, it gets the result in less than a second.

'Brb means be right back'. Oh, so that's what it means. Then that means that I just need to wait for Cal. I can do that.

I watched some funny cat videos while waiting for Cal. It only took half of the video before Cal messaged me.

~

Cal: Sorry to keep you waiting.

Cooper: No, it's okay. I have nothing to do but watch cat videos anyway. Besides, cat videos are always there to accompany me.

Cal: Oh. 

        Why are you still awake?

Cooper: Because I'm not asleep.

Cal: ...

Cooper: hahaha!

Cal: ...

Cooper: Ok, it's because I can't sleep. I think it's because I ate too much gummy worms.

Cal: Then stop eating.

Cooper: I can't do that. I will die from starvation.

Cal: ... You know, that's not what I meant.

Cooper: I know, I just love annoying you.

              It's also my revenge for all the teasing that you've done. Eye for an Eye, as they say.

Cal: Ok.

Cooper: ... 

              You're not gonna tease me for a payback?

Cal: I am not that petty.

Cooper: QAQ... Meany!