Chapter Five
I shut my laptop and stretched my arms. The digital cartoon drawing I'd just been working on was finally completed and soon I'll be uploading it to my Instagram account. But that would be later, for now I needed a huge dose of cold orange juice.
Drawing was a hobby I'd indulged in since I was a kid. An escape, like reading was to others. But now it was also a way to have some income. I made commissions, art prints and people seemed to love it as much as I did.
I went down from my bed and opened up the fridge that me and Jennifer shared, taking out a carton of orange juice and pouring it into a glass.
I gulped down the first glass before pouring another and moving back to my bed.
School today had been hectic. Even more hectic than usual because I had to endure about fifteen minutes of conversation with Lucas. The good side was that Daniel had been there and he'd smiled at me and my heart had melted. So that made my day.
I picked up my phone, unlocked it and turned on my data connection. Messages and notifications came in instantly. I opened my WhatsApp and groaned when I saw I'd gotten a message from Lucas again.
I was about to reply to it when I noticed a message from a strange number that I hadn't saved.
I clicked it open and read it.
Hi Kimberly.
That's all it said. I couldn't view the profile picture of whoever it was so I decided to reply. Luckily it showed this person was online.
Um hi, who is this?
Daniel Morales. Lucas's friend. You remember me, right?
I choked on my orange juice.
What THE ACTUAL HELL! No way! No fudging way! It can't be Daniel! It can't be the Daniel that I secretly not so secretly crush on! It just can't!
Okay, breathe Kim. Breathe...
I took deep breaths and finally calmed down.
Is it just me or are my eyes finally deceiving me? Or am I hallucinating?
Because that message clearly states that Daniel is the one texting me! Daniel of all people?! The cause of my CILS.
Impossible.
I composed myself enough to type a message.
Daniel oh hi Daniel. What's up Daniel kayayg.
I cringed and mentally slapped myself. What was this? I just typed Daniel three freaking times! And I managed to tag on something utterly incoherent due to my excitement.
I have a feeling at the end of the day due to my forte in embarrassing myself Daniel will block me.
I hope messaging you doesn't bother you. I just wanted to say hello.
I wheezed. This isn't happening!
That's alright. So what's up?
I've been having quite a slow day. What about you?
I just finished drawing. It's something I like to do :D
I smiled to myself. Daniel does look like the artsy type. I'd flip if he told me he could draw too. I mean we have to have something in common.
That's cool. I have no talents whatsoever. I'm envious.
lol don't say that.
Reading isn't a talent is it? Because that's what I mostly do.
Now that was something we didn't have in common. I didn't like reading. Definitely nothing wrong with the hobby, it just isn't my thing but good for Daniel.
It's a wonder how I made it to university with my anti reading habits.
And who'd have thought that Daniel of all people read novels.
That's actually cool. What genres do you fancy?
I'm a sucker for fantasy.
Nice. Very nice.
Do you read?
Of course I do but not all the time
Okay, that wasn't a total lie. I mean, I had to read my medical laboratory science notes for my exams. That counted too.
Maybe you'll show me some of your art sometime.
Of course.
Daniel wants to see my art, OMG! What is going on!
Daniel's WhatsApp profile picture appeared the moment I saved his number and boy, was it a sight for sore eyes.
It was a beautiful picture of Daniel. Someone had captured him in a moment when he was smiling, his eyes trained someplace else, his hair falling towards his face.
I immediately took a screenshot of the picture. I decided to give a compliment, just to be nice. Not because I was enamoured by him. Certainly not that.
Cute profile pic.
Thank you Kimberly. I like yours too
I went to check mine. A picture of me at the beach, the ocean and sky a backdrop behind me. Aurora had taken that picture. She was an excellent photographer.
Thanks.
Do you like the beach?
Yes. I love watching the sunset at the beach and finding cute shells.
That's cute. I love to surf. Do you go often?
Not as much. Because of school.
Maybe we'll go sometime? If that's okay with you.
Sure. I'd love that.
My heart halted. Daniel wanted us to hang out at the beach together? I tried to stop myself from smiling too much.
And then he sent me a picture of him at the beach. And then another. And another.
There was one I really liked amongst them. In the picture, he was lying on a white and black blanket, his shirtless brown toned body in full view, sand across his chest.
A huge wave of CILS hit me hard and I stared at the picture with an open mouth. Zooming in. Zooming out. Drooling over the cheeky smile on his face.
Another message came in and I was forced to peel my eyes away from the glorious picture.
Just some pictures of my time there last week.
Alone?
With Lucas. He adores me way too much.
Lol lucky you. They're lovely pictures.
You mean, I'm lovely. ;)
If that's what you wish to hear, then sure.
You're lovely, too.
I'm dying, I'm dying, I'm dying.
Ah Daniel, cease this flattery.
It's not flattery. I'm serious.
I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead.
Well, thank you.
You're welcome Kimberly,
I have to go. Thank you for talking to me.
You're welcome Danny.
And then he went offline, leaving me smiling like a sheep at how amazing things have turned out.
My life is officially the best.
• • •