Falling For Thy Enemy

26 : My Place, Midnight, You In?

* * *

"It's been a month already, C. When are Mama and Papa James coming back home?" Keith questions as he, Hannah and I lay sprawled on the green grass of the football field near the bleachers during the lunch hour.

It was a thing at our school, the freshmen and sophomores occupied the cafeteria while the seniors and juniors had their lunch at out the bleachers. It somehow had also become a reason for freshmen and sophomores desperately trying to win a date with the upperclass because dating them was equal to being invited out at the bleachers during lunch and apparently, it was a huge deal.

I scrunch my nose when Keith's question registers in my mind and realize it really has been a little over a month. "I don't know."

Hannah frowns. "What kind of child are you?"

I glare at my best friend who was lying on her stomach reading To All The Boys I've Loved Before, again. "I'm a good kid." I sigh and use Keith's stomach as a pillow when my forearm ached due to the pressure of holding my too big of a head. "Mum had called when they had landed in Cambodia. She said that their team was assigned a rural area and most possibly, there'd be no signal or network. She said she'd call if they ever got a chance to visit the town."

"So you mean Mama and Papa James have been living in the middle of nowhere during a flood season in that place and have not contacted you guys in a month?" Keith questions making my stomach churn in distaste.

I wince and realize how bad that sounded. "Yeah. Shit, Keith. You have me worried here." I mutter as I sit up straight and chew on my nails unconsciously.

Hannah slaps my hand away from my mouth and scowls before sighing and side hugging me, discarding her favorite book. "Don't worry, babe. They'll probably be on their way back now that their month long trip is over. You can give them or the hospital a call to check up on them. I'm sure the staff at the hospital would somehow be connected to the team of doctors they have sent over to another country."

Hannah's words brought me at a little ease but they still didn't help my sudden anxiousness. "Yeah." I chuckle nervously. "I'd call them once I'm back at Josie's. It'd probably be midnight in Cambodia right now, I'll let mum and dad rest." I say but the worry wouldn't leave my chest.

Damn you, Keith, for dropping the worry bomb over me.

But then again, I should be thankful to him too, with everything going on with school and Stefan, especially Stefan, I had kind of forgotten about my parents though every time I missed them and wanted to call, the 'no-signal' location of theirs came floating to mind.

Behind me, Hannah hits Keith's head upside down. "Look what you did, Monkey!"

"I didn't do anything! I just asked a simple question." Keith whines and gives me a hug from behind. "Don't worry, C Bear. I'm sure everything is fine."

I could only nod.

"Anyway, how's life for grandpa James?" Hannah asks , half attention back on her novel.

I immediately grin. "I think he met someone." I whisper conspiratorially.

"WHAT?!" Both my best friend shout and discard whatever was taking their attention, TATBILB in Hannah's case and Keith's phone in his.

My grin widens seeing their shocked expression that's half amused half surprised. "Yeah. When I talked to him last night, I heard someone calling for him in the background and when I asked who it was, he fumbled something gibberish and cut the call."