OKᗩY, ᔕO....
I'm going to switch the story over to third person. It seems easier for me to write this way and sorry if it causes any confusion. I just want to be able to relay the story the best way possible 🖤
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"Christian! CHRISTIAN GET UP."
"I'm up, I'm up. Why are you yelling?" His voice was low and full of sleep as Ni'Kya's worries made her voice elevate to practically screaming at him.
"Oh thank God you're okay." She felt like she had finally let go of a breath she'd been holding in for ages, letting out a sigh of relief.
He yawned, trying to speak through it, "Of course I'm okay. Why wouldn't I be?" He stretched himself out over his bed, rubbing his eyes as he tried to wake up.
She was silent, reluctantly telling him, "Well....I had...this dream..."
That got his attention.
"...and in my dream...you were.."
"Don't. It... it's just a dream." Unbeknownst to the both of them, the other believed all to well in the power of dreams, especially since the ones they've had seemed to be coming true ever since they found each other.
"It felt real.." she tired to shake it, but the feeling of dread that showered her as she sprang from her sleep was too much. She just kept picturing him falling in her head over and over again.
"Ky....you okay?" His voice was soft, him still trying to fully wake. Her silence felt heavy after her words drifted off.
"Yeah, I'll be fine."
He sighed, wishing he could be there to hold her and help ease her back into sleep, let her feel his warmth and hear his heartbeat, "...alright. Well, I recon you should try and lay back down. It's a lil past 2am."
"...yeah." She didn't want to close her eyes, afraid the same dream or a worse one would arise, but she knew he had to get back to working and keeping him on the phone would be a bother for his concentration.
"You sure you're okay? I can stay on longer if-"
"It's fine, baby. Thank you." She smiled a bit, trying to sound more confident and reassuring.
He was silent for a second, questioning if she was just trying to put on a brave face for him, either way, there wasn't much he could do from over 7,000 miles away, "Okay, well... I'm gonna go get started up again. You call me back if you need me, alright?"
"Okay, Roo."
"...I love you."
"Love you too." The beeping sound of the phone hanging up drifted as she tossed her phone to the side.
She was wide awake, and although her body felt heavy, she knew she wouldn't be able to fall back asleep, "I guess I'll just go draw something." She grabbed her mini sketchbook from her nightstand and began sketching, letting the pencil strokes try and ease her nerves.
-🌻-
"So, we finally get to meet this boy your sister has been telling us about." Ni'Kya's dad sat at the end of the dining room table watching her setup her laptop in different spots all over its surface.
Not that was really going to do anything, it was just her nerves making her antsy and she couldn't be still, "Daddy, please be nice."
"I am nice! When am I ever not nice?!"
"You can be a bit brash, Draymond." Ky's mom chimed in from the kitchen, "Whenever you try and crack jokes, the elevation in your voice can be a bit..."
"A bit what?"
"Loud and overbearing." Ky said bluntly.
"Devone, I have no idea what either of you are talkin about. I am thee nice parent."
"Oh-Kay." Both ladies said simultaneously, causing Ky's dad to be fake hurt. They still had an hour before the FaceTime call and Ky made sure to test it 3 days in a row to be sure things were good with both of their Macs and phones as a backup just Incase.
Christian was still a good ways out as he kept eyeing his watch. They had just wrapped up filming for the day and he was still slightly out of range for good reception as he made his way back to his hotel.
He was nervous.
REALLY nervous.
"I've got to pick up the pace." He still needed to get back in time enough to make himself presentable and right now, a ripped dirty white tee, dust covered face and his hair sticking to his forehead from sweat was less than appealing.
Another 15 minutes and he was back in the hotel room, shower going and him scrubbing away like his life depend on it.
30 minutes left.
He threw on a halfway decent shirt after towel drying his hair and some jeans.
10 minutes.
He had already setup his computer before he left, just as eager as Ky.
5 minutes.
"Okay. " he sighed, trying to give himself a mental pep talk as he raised the screen. He went to type in his password, unlocking to the home screen. He went to open his FaceTime app and their was Ky's number, right at the top.
1 minute.
He hovers the arrow over her name, ready to click and "What?"
His screen went black.
"Oi!" He clicked his mouse, rapidly til the lock screen popped back up, making him re-enter his password, "Incorrect?! Whaddaya mean incorrect?!" He tried two more times, worried he'd get locked out. He glanced down at his watch and somehow, 10 minutes had breezed by...10 minutes past their call time. A sigh of relief came over him as it came to the home screen "Ah ya fuckin—"
He was cut off by Ky's picture popping up on his screen with the familiar FaceTime chime. He clicked the answer icon, "H-Hey baby."
"Hey baby?" She was clearly a bit irritated.
"Ky, I promise I had everything setup and ready, my computer jus—"
"It's fine... I expected you to be a bit late anyway, but what were you gonna say about your computer?"
"It's acting uh—Damnit!!!" His screen went black just as he was about to respond, "Come onnnnn." He groaned as he was met with the lock screen once again after rapidly clicking his mouse. He frantically typed in his password, the screen shaking signaling it was wrong, "The FUCK?!"
He tried once more, a bit slower, just to have it buzz again. "No no no no no no no, this can't be happening!" He ran his hands down his face before staring st his computer. He had to try again. Pressing each key one by one, he hesitated on pressing Return. It was his last chance, "Please....."
His heart sank as he watched his computer completely lock up, "What the entire FUCK is going on?!" He had never changed his password, it was literally just working.
His phone started to buzz, "That's right!" He hurried to grab his phone as it lay plugged up, propping it up to answer a very confused and disgruntled Ky.
"What just happened?"
"I-I don't know. It just...locked up." he searched for better words, but that's in fact..what happened.
"Well, hopefully things continue on smoother." She plastered a smile across her face as she turned her screen, her parents popping up onto view, "Mom, dad... this is Ian."
They waved as he shyly half bowed out of habit, remembering to put his hand up, "Hi, I'm Ian or Christian. Either one's fine." His voice cracked a bit and his heart was beating through his chest. Fidgety and couldn't sit still; he felt uncomfortable, nervous and excited all in one.
"Nice to meet you, Ian. I'm Devone" her smile was warm and it calmed him down a bit.
Ky's dad however, "Nice to meet you, Christopher. Draymomd."
"Christian." Ky shot her dad a look, knowing he was trying to make a stale joke, "His name is Christian, daddy."
"I heard the boy, Ky. I was just kidding around." She was not amused as he cracked a smile.
"It's okay. It happens more than you think." Christian nervously laughed
"See? He's good. Calm yourself. So, speaking of names, Christian, am I still the only one she calls dad-"
"OH MY GOD, DAD!!!"
"You want me to dispose of him?" Ky's mom was giving her husband an evil glare seeing how he had just embarrassed their daughter. Christian's face was stark red and Ni'Kya's rested in her hands.
"We are all adults here.... I'm just trying to see if I'm going to be a granddad for a third time. You are almost 30, BG (baby girl)."
"Oh my, God. Mom." Ky tilted one hand in her father's direction as she hid her face with the other.
"On it." Mrs. Devone has snatched her husband up by his ear and out of the camera view.
"Your dad seems nice...."
"Don't encourage his behavior. It'd be worse if you were actually he—"
"Ky? KY? Not again!" He was met with his phone's lock screen. He tried using the finger print unlock, but it wasn't scanning it for some reason, "Damnit!" He enter his code and made it to his home screen just as Ky's call came through once more.
"...Christian."
"I swear I didn- DAMNIT!" Their call ended, neither of them pressing the button. He quickly pressed her name again, just to have it end before the first ring fully went through and went to the lock screen, "What the fuckin hell!" He tried his code, afraid the same thing that transpired with his computer was now happening with his phone.
And as such, "I can't fuckin believe this..." his voice was low as he read iPhone disabled. Please try again in 30 minutes it has completely skipped over 5-10 minutes as if he had tried multiple times. His computer was giving the same message.
Why?
Why was this happening today of all days? He remembered that the hotel had an office space and made a mad dash for the door. He used his room key to unlock the entrance just to see all of them in use. He mumbled multiple curse words under his breath as to not disturb the other patrons as he turn back into the hall.
He needed to find another computer or even a phone. Fast. He glanced down at his.
Still locked.
He darted over to the concierge to inquire about any Internet cafes or libraries and all the closest ones were at least 3-5 miles away. If he walked, it would take hours and traffic here wasn't the greatest.
He was S. O. L.
He darted around, even resorting to asking for a minute from strangers with their phones or computers, seeming like a complete creep with the desperate look plastered across his face.
"She's gonna kill me." Christian spotted a young couple in the bar area and prayed that they could understand his situation as he made his way over to them. The young man broke his conversation with the young lady in front of him as her eyes landed above his head on Christian, causing him to turn around with a rather disgruntled look on his face, "Um hi, I'm so sorry to bother you, but-"
Christian's voice drifted into hopelessness as he watched the young man's face change from bothered to confused.
He didn't speak English.
Fuck.
He could feel his body draining of all hope as the young man turned back to the girl and spoke pointing at him.
"You..need help?"
Christian's head popped up as he made eye contact with the young lady.
Oh thank God!
"Yes! I mean, yes. Sorry." He calmed himself before continuing, not wanting to possibly ruin his last chance to call Ky, "Um.... my name is Christian and I need to make a very important FaceTime call to my girlfriend in America. My phone is locked and so is my computer and I'm.." he sighed trying to slow his speech, "I would really appreciate it—if you had an iPhone—if I could borrow it."
Her eyes shifted to the young man in front of her as they spoke in their native language. The guy turned to look at him with a blank stare before reaching into his pocket, unlocking his phone and handing it to Christian.
"He says don't run. He catch you."
"I won't ru—I'll just be a second." He quickly entered Ky's email registered to her phone and pressed the call button, hoping she'd answer the unknown number.
After what seemed like the longest time...she finally answered.
"Who is th—Christian?"
"Hey! Hey, Ky um—"
"What the fuck? Who's phone is this?"
"Some kind strangers let me use their phone after all of my shit seemed to—"
"We had it worked out, how?"
"I.....I don't know. Nothings been working. Everything locked up on me. I've been running around for the past—"
"50 minutes."
"No, it can'tve been fif—" he glanced down at his watch to see it had indeed been almost an hour. He must've been so frantic that he didn't know how much time had actually passed. He sighed out of frustration, dragging his hand down his face, "Baby, I'm so sorry. I couldn't-"
"Just..... let it go. They had somewhere to be anyway. I'm already back home."
"Ky, I couldn't help it. I tried."
"Yeah..I know...."
"....you're mad."
Ky was quiet for a second before responding, once again, letting her temper get the best of her, "...I'm not mad. I'm.... upset? Frustrated maybe, I dunno." Christian sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck, letting her vent, "I mean, we planned this out, did MULTIPLE test runs and-"
"Shit happens, Ky. I really tried." He had spoke bluntly, cutting her off.
She bit her lips in, tilting her head to the side as she restrained from immediately jumping down his throat, "When we have dropped calls or you gotta hang up for whatever reason it's fine. Or when you miss a time or I can't get a hold of you, it's fine because it's just me. But this was with my parents, Christian. MY PARENTS. The one time I need you to..."
"I didn't do it on purpose. I'm in another country for God's sake."
"You've been in another country this whole time. It's just not the one you live in! I really thought we had this shit worked out..."
The tone in her voice made him anxious and the look on her face made his chest tighten, "This isn't just about today....is it?..."
"...no....It's not."