A Missing Notebook

Class had ended for the day and only two people were left in the room. Merely a terribly cute girl and a boy, both assigned to clean up. Our classmates are always neat, so our cleaning was very quickly. There was still time before the afternoon shift would come in for their classes, so Fraun and I decided to loiter around a bit longer.

“Hey Kate, have you seen my English notebook?” He searched his bag as he asked me, “I know I put it around here somewhere.”

I thought about it real hard. Well, at the very least, pretended to.

“You sure?” He looked so pitiful.

Nothing special happened on Saturday, not that I was expecting anything. We were just a couple of friends eating out. I had arrived at exactly 10AM sharp, Fraun was already there saying how he’d just arrived. The couple of empty bottles beside him, and the sweat on his forehead said otherwise. He called me cute––totally normal. I mean, I know I’m cute, there’s no need to announce it nonchalantly.

I opened my bag to take out a notebook.

“Oh, I accidentally got it.” I faked a chuckle and handed it over to him. He glared daggers at me.

Fraun would always play tricks with me, and I thought I’d finally return the favor. I was planning on taking it with me so that later tonight when he’s panicking, I’d call him and tell him it was a prank. It was supposed to be my revenge, but I’m such a sweet girl, letting my guilt take over me.

“Kate, I’m feeling a bit hungry.” He smirked deviously, holding out a coin.

“Ready to lose again?!” I returned the smile.

He ended up treating me to some snacks on our way home.

“Why do you keep doing that despite losing every time?”

“Have I been losing?”

“Of course, you have! You’re so unlucky that you’ve been treating me so often. It’s like you’re doing it on purpose––”

“Ride’s here, see you tomorrow!” He said, jumping onto a bus.

I’m supposed to be the one that's quick to escape!

Later that night, I opened my bag to find Fraun’s notebook still in my possession. I turned it inside and out to realize that I had actually given mine instead. I’m actually stupid. Maybe I’m actually the one that’s unlucky. I opened my phone to call Fraun. I scrolled through my contacts.

“What kind of a friend am I to not have your number saved.” I went online to try and contact him. “Why are you always offline?!”

This idiot’s always there and yet when you need him he’s a ghost!

“Oh well, I guess I won’t be studying tonight then.” Relieved, I laid on my bed.

My phone shook and upon opening it a single message lay unread in my barren inbox.

‘K8, u awake?’

Why does he have my number? Who gave him my number? Did he memorize my number when I told it to him once as a joke last Saturday? I fiddled with my pillow as I left his message on read. What should I reply? What would be the best response? Why am I thinking about this so hard? Ah, I got it.

‘New phone, who dis?’ I burst out laughing.

A few seconds later my phone rang.

“Why are you calling me in the middle of the night?!” Wait. Did my plan just backfire on me?

“Hello?”

“Hey, Kate!” His voice was oddly cold. I’ve never heard it so close before, but it felt warm as it held no distance to my ear. “You gave me your notebook by accident.”

He laughed, and I closed my eyes so I could hear him more clearly. I had always liked music. The tunes they had, the melodies they sang, the lullabies they whispered. He sounded just as beautiful.

“Kate? You there?”

I wonder, what was he feeling when he called me? Did he think that I was beside him, too?

“Yeah, I’m here.” I couldn’t hold back my giggling. “I know, I’m such a klutz.”

For some odd reason, neither of us hung up the phone. But as we both wished each other a good night’s sleep, the sound of his voice accompanied a lingering thought of mine as I fully shut my eyes and held my chest.

“Was his heart beating this fast, too?”