"How's your day going?"
My heart did a little flip as I read the message. The contact was familiar—too familiar. I quickly slipped my phone into my pencil case, barely glancing up at the teacher, who droned on about something that felt light-years away.
Without missing a beat, I typed back, "Honestly? It's a total train wreck! I could really use some sympathy right now—care to join the chaos?"
An hour ticked by. With every passing minute, anticipation bubbled up inside me. Each glance at my phone was like a mini rollercoaster—up, down, and still no response. The waiting gnawed at me, making the lecture feel even more unbearable, just background noise to my racing thoughts.
"Elara!"
My head snapped up at the sharp call of my name. The teacher's gaze locked onto mine. "I want you to explain the concept I covered yesterday."
Panic surged through me. I stood up, mind blank, still stuck in the loop of waiting for a reply. Come on, brain. Work!
But nothing came.
The teacher's expression softened, concern creeping into her voice. "Are you okay? You've been a bit distracted lately."
Distracted? That was putting it lightly. I used to be the sharp, engaged student who always had the answers. Now? Now I was just a girl lost in a world that existed behind a phone screen.
I pressed my lips together, forcing a smile, but it felt stiff, like it was stuck there. It didn't reach my eyes—didn't even try. I hoped she wouldn't notice.
"Just peachy!" I said, the words coming out like I was reading them from a script.
The teacher didn't look convinced, but thankfully, she moved on. I sank back into my seat, wishing I could escape into my phone, into the only part of my day that felt exciting.
Lately, he had been distant. But as long as he was still mine—even if just in the chaotic digital realm we shared—I didn't mind. Those late-night texts, those moments where I could just be Elara, no pressure, no expectations… They made everything else easier to bear.
Did he even realize how much he meant to me?
The thought lingered as the lecture droned on. I daydreamed about our next conversation—teasing, banter, and inside jokes—getting lost in a world where my real-life worries faded into the background.
---
Time slipped away, and now, hours later, I was sitting in my room, staring at my phone. Ten hours. It had been ten hours since my message was marked as delivered. The silence stretched on, gnawing at me more than I wanted to admit.
I scrolled through the old messages, each one like a weight settling heavier in my chest. The words blurred, but the longing didn't—no, it only dug deeper.
My phone buzzed, and I jumped in my seat. It was THEO.
I didn't care if he had ghosted me for ten hours. He must be busy. Not everyone had hobbies like staring at the wall for a straight ten hours. I immediately clicked on the notification, my thumb already hovering above the keyboard to type before I even read the text. My favorite song, "we fell in love in October" by girl in red, played in the background—fading as my brain and heart solely focused on the text.
"I was a little busy."
That's it??? But anyway. He must be tired, I thought to myself as I typed back immediately.
"I understand."
"So how did your day go?"
The message wasn't seen. But at least he replied, so it was a relief.
The night stretched on, and I was still sitting there, staring at the screen. Ten hours of waiting, and finally, he replied. I couldn't help but smile, but then my thoughts started to race again. My journal was sitting next to me, a place where I always dumped my feelings, and I found myself wanting to write it all down—capture the moment. I grabbed it without thinking, fingers itching to put everything into words before I lost the feeling of it.
"24-October-2024
Dear Diary,
Today has been kinda boring. But he replied late. But he's been busy the whole day. I wonder what he was doing. But we've been talking for ten days only, so I wouldn't be surprised if I am not his priority… yet. I am flattered that he takes time to reply to me. He sounds genuine and kind. I really am sure he is not a 50-year-old guy again. But just to be sure, I'm planning to meet him, though I haven't talked about this yet. Let's see how this goes."