Three Years Later | ✓

30 | I Can Hear His Smile

Just as I was about to tell her that it should be the other way around, I heard Milo's keys jingling through the hall as he got closer while I tried to recompose myself as if I didn't just look like a bright red strawberry seconds ago.

A moment later, the door to Milo's room and the aroma of fresh pizza spilled into the room, causing my stomach to let out a low grumble. "Okay, what kind of embarrassing stories did she tell you while I was gone?" asked Milo with a smile as he observed my facial expression, assuming my face was a bit flush because I was laughing.

"Not many," she chimed in, "just the one about how you ran around the yard naked when you were seven while trying to avoid taking a bath, but then for some reason decided to go skinny dipping in the neighbor's pool." My jaw dropped and I began laughing as his cheeks gained some pink.

"Okay, well we'd love to continue chatting but our pizza just arrived and we have to go. Call you again soon, love you," said Milo quickly, the three of us saying goodbye to each other before Milo ended the call and closed down his laptop.

"It's a good thing Mr. Harrison was a dude," I heard Milo whisper under his breath as we made our way to the kitchen and I smiled and bit my lip, containing my laugh.

∞

AS AVA RUMMAGED through her closet for the past half hour trying to find a "decent outfit" as she put it, Ava pulled out a white crop top with a lace collar and jean shorts. Even though the small phone screen limited what I could see of Ava's old room back home, I could see heaps of clothing scattered on her floor as I continued to tell her about Mrs. Jensen's words from the other day.

"And while he left to get our pizza, she told me that she could hear his smile through the phone whenever he talked about me," I grinned as I pictured Milo smiling while talking to his mom on the phone. Ava turned around from where she was standing in front of her full-length mirror and made a face that read aww.

She placed her outfit on her bed and sat down at her vanity where I was on her phone screen, her expression showing some gravity while she smiled. "You know, I'm happy for you. I can see that he makes you really happy," said Ava calmly as she crossed her arms.

"He does, A. Even though I haven't dated many other guys, Milo's so...different, but in a good way," I admitted shyly as I looked down and mindlessly twiddled my thumbs.

"You're smiling again," Ava sang as I felt my face heating up, to which we both chuckled at. "And by the way, I've always been on Team Madley."

I looked at her amusingly, an eyebrow raised as a soft smile played at my lips. "You know why I called you two Madley?" She paused before continuing, "Because you two are madley in love."

Feeling my warmth spread to my cheeks, I rolled my eyes at Ava's cheesy joke while wearing a giant grin, laughing the joke off.

"So where are you two going this time?" I asked as I tried to change the subject to Ava and Hunter.

Unbeknownst to her, Hunter decided to travel to Oahu with Ava for spring break, surprising her at the airport. Since they arrived, Ava's been showing Hunter all of her favorite local spots and today, they decided to go to the Dole Plantation and attempt to find their way out of the world's largest Pineapple Garden Maze.

"Oh yeah. Good luck with that." Sure, the maze was fun but after walking around in the sun for an hour or two, I began to feel defeated while Ava and a bunch of our classmates at the time continued to search for a way out when we visited the maze in tenth grade. Ava knew what she was getting herself into, but I'm not so sure Hunter did. "Does Hunter know you two are going there?"

She shook her head and smiled, "It's a surprise. I told him to dress comfortably and bring some water though, so that should be some type of hint of where we're going."

"It's hot everywhere in Hawaii. You could be eating shave ice and you'd still feel hot," I replied as I laughed thinking about Hunter's reaction once they'd finish the maze under the scorching sun.

"Sorry, Hads. I'll tell you how everything goes when we're done, but I need to go. I was supposed to pick up Hunter from his hotel ten minutes ago," Ava urgently said as she realized what time it was and gathered her clothes on her bed.

"Oh no, it's fine. Have fun," I wished Ava as we said goodbye to each other. I closed my laptop screen and sent Milo a text.

heyyy
wyd?

Just finished work

wanna come over and watch something together? 
we'll be the only two here

Be over in 5 ;)

bring food with you

Make that 20 then

I smiled down at my phone, reading his text, and plopped onto the bed.

Even after I placed my phone to the side and stared up at the ceiling, I still couldn't wipe off the silly grin lingering across my lips.