✧𝓓𝓪𝓻𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰✧

Chapter-17

Lia's POV

Squirming and rubbing my eyes I woke up to my phone ringing on my stomach,the vibration sending weird sensations through my body.

If this was how evey morning would go, how lovely it would be as I saw the caller ID.The call was from Leona. The first person that I would speak to would be my darling.But it was way too early in the morning as the time on my phone read six a.m.

Swiping the green option, I pressed it to my ear, instantly sitting upright. Too overwhelmed by the giddiness of finally talking to her after waiting all day and night.

"Hey! Good morning!" I chirped, although my voice came out more groggly due to the sleep.

"Hey Lia." I let out a huge breath of relief hearing her gentle voice. It had been too long since we had spoken on call, it was all just texts and very rarely few voice notes were exchanged in the last month.

"How are you darling? Calling me so early in the morning. Making up for yesterday huh?" I spoke teasingly as I could not contain how happy and excited I was to talk to her.

"Sorry for not calling yesterday. Am doing good. How are you?" With those sentences I came back from the fog of blinding happiness of getting to talk to her.

Her voice sounded distant, it was like she was just talking to me for the sake of talking and not because she wanted to. Her words were clipped and came in short stances.

"That's great you are doing good baby! And I am good. Now." I let out satisfyingly, as I clearly intended on how I am feeling happy only after I spoke to her but even that was acknowledged with just an indifferent hum.

Then there was silence. It was not that comfortable and everything is okay when we are together sort of silence. It was that awkward, uncomfortable, incomplete kind of silence. That suffocated me as I felt my hands getting sweaty.

No. I took a deep breath in as I rubbed my palms on the night pant.

"And it is fine, do not ask sorry darling. It must have been difficult to smuggle the phone, isn't it?" At that I finally was blessed with a tiny chuckle.

"Yeah... That was it." For some reason I felt that was not the reason but something else and suddenly I was worried if something was wrong at her place.

"Is everything okay? Are you fine baby?"

"Yes. Everything is fine. And I am completely fine. It's just that... " She sighed loudly, sounding contemplated if she wanted to say whatever it was, next or not.

I kept quite letting her take her own time but only if I had known her words would break my heart like that.

God! I would have atleast been prepared, hell! Even with all the details and a manual, I would still not be prepared for a heartbreak of any sort from her.

"I willingly did not call you or text you. I am sorry. It is just that those few days kind of drifted you away from me. I am not in the headspace to talk with you or call you. I know, I should have atleast let you know that I would not be calling. I am sorry for that but please do understand. Do not look forward for my texts or calls. I just need some space for myself and before you overthink yourself about my well-being, I am completely fine. It's just that I have sort of lost touch with you in my mind and I do not know when will I feel that way again or if I ever will." She said it all in such a calm tone without even a pause making it seem like it was all on her mind for awhile now.

She did it willingly? She feels drifted away? Because of that one week ? Because of not being in touch for just few days? Well something can impact everyone in their own different ways. I cannot judge or belittle their reactions. But this was a lot to take in right now.