The Perks of Being Belle

before: don't check on me

Hello! Is anyone still here? It's almost 5 years since I last updated... I wonder if there is anyone left anymore after all my broken promises. J But if you guys are still interested in reading this story, please read on. I'm trying my best to upload more these days. I realized how much I have missed writing stories online, but my skills have dulled over the years... Hopefully it's still okay...? :p Give it a go, and if you are reading this, let me know how it is!

Chapter 5—before: don't check on me

(Song: Don't Check On Me)

"Are you sure we're going the right way?" he finally questioned. Thirty minutes has passed since he told me to search up my house on Google Maps. As we drove on, I started to recognize the local shops near home that I would occasionally visit when I needed a snack. Although I thought we were making progress, Liam claimed we have circled the same area twice.

"Hello?" he exclaimed sarcastically. "Why aren't you answering me?"

I released a nervous laugh as I continued to fiddle with his phone. While I was sure that we were close, the blue arrow on the application kept spinning around, refusing to give us a definite direction. Or maybe it was the medicine from the hospital.

Was I hallucinating? Is the blue arrow actually not spinning around?

I shook my head. At least the medicine worked. The pain has lessened by far now.

When Liam noticed that I was not making progress, he sighed, spun the steering wheel abruptly, and parked his convertible on the side of the road. Once the car was idle, he snatched his phone away from my hands and glared at me. "The next time you're in my car, please do remind me that you are technology illiterate, so we won't be stuck circling the same area over and over again," he said.

I clenched my teeth in annoyance. "Hey! Remember, look at my shoulder. I'm broken! Please be considerate. Don't bully the disabled. And plus, I have used Google Maps so many times, and this has never happened to me. The problem is your phone. I bet you it's broken."

"You don't look disabled to me," he murmured. Rolling his eyes at my comment, he refreshed the application and reentered my address. To his dismay, the blue arrow kept spinning in its place. Unsatisfied, he zoomed in to our location and continuously tapped on the arrow.

"Why is it not working!" His eyes widened with frustration.

For a moment, he was furiously tapping on his phone, but in another second, he stopped as a realization cross his mind. Annoyed at himself, he cursed something unintelligible under his breath before slipping the phone into one of the cup holders in his car. His hand rummaged through his back pockets, and like magic, another slick black iPhone appeared into view.

Two phones, I mentally noted. Interesting.

He smiled sheepishly while scratching his head, trying to transform his list of excuses into words. "R—Right, I didn't give you the right phone. That other phone was acting a bit weird for days. I forgot I got a new one to replace it," he explained. He opened Google Maps on his phone and typed up my address.

"Then, someone owes me an apology." I narrowed my eyes at him. "And if your other phone is broken, why do you still carry it around?"

He shrugged and grinned. "I'm dropping you home, meaning you owe me a thank you. Since you owe me thanks and I owe you an apology, that cancels everything out! Now no one owes anyone anything. Isn't life great," he said, pleased with himself for coming up with this ridiculous formula. He ignored the question about his two phones.

I gaped at him. "That's not how it works! I rather say thank you and hear you apologize—"

I stopped as I saw a familiar black car passed by. My heart stopped as my eyes shifted to its car plate number. Beside me, I felt Liam studying me before turning his head to see what I was staring intensely at.