Call me later

Dawn awoke calmly that morning. Thankfully, she didn't have the nightmare after trying to sleep again.

She groaned before rising to her feet and putting on her slippers, stretching her arms. "Where is Iris?" she asked herself as she walked around the corner of her room.

"Unfamiliar faces," she sighed as she walked away.

"Good morning!" exclaimed a happy voice from the other room, urging Dawn to smile. The woman approached her and extended her hand.

"Iris!" Dawn exclaimed, hugging the younger woman. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, Dawn. How about you? You seem to be in a good mood too," Iris said, pulling out of the hug to glance at Dawn's smiling face.

"Why?" Dawn chuckled. "Do you want me to cry every morning?"

"No! That makes me sad," Iris said, pouting her lips.

"Good morning, dorks. Come here! Let's eat," Lizzie remarked, coming out of the kitchen with two bowls of fried rice.

The two made their way to the dining table. "Don't forget about me today," Lizzie said after setting the bowls down, and giving Dawn a side hug.

"Of course, Lizzie," said Dawn, with a beautiful smile.

Lizzie returned to the kitchen to get her bowl. "How's Zera? I haven't seen her in days," she asked, while Dawn and Iris sat by themselves in the dining area.

"Still a hopeless romantic," Dawn giggled, "and we're thinking about a book title..."

"What book?" Lizzie inquired; her expression was puzzled.

"The one I'm working on with Zera," Dawn replied.

"Oh," Lizzie bobbed her head. "What is the book about, anyway?"

Dawn hesitated for a moment and exchanged glances with Iris, exclaiming, "Ah, why would I tell you? It's a secret!" before taking a spoonful of rice.

"Can't you spoil me a little?" Lizzie asked, making the two laugh.

"I don't even know anything about it," Iris stated plainly before eating her food.

"You're here early today, Dawn!"

Dawn lifted her brows when she noticed a woman in front of her. "It's me," the woman said as she reached out her hand.

"Ah, Leigh!" Dawn said before hugging the young woman. "You've been gone for days, so I've missed you."

"I was on a business trip and just returned last night," Leigh explained. "And I missed you, too, even if you keep forgetting about me."

"You know how much I want to remember you all the time," Dawn pouted, making the other woman laugh and ruffle her hair playfully.

"But where is Zera? She hasn't arrived yet?" Dawn asked, gazing around. There was no one wearing the same disguise as Zera usually had.

"I'm not sure; maybe she's already on her way," Leigh replied. "Take a seat and wait for her."

Dawn simply nodded. Leigh received a phone call at that very moment, so she excused herself and stepped outside.

"Daniel misses her all the time," Dawn chuckled.

"Should I get us a coffee? No, I already treated Zera the last time," Dawn thought to herself as she approached the counter.

She was waiting for her Americano when someone approached her. Despite feeling this person stare at her, she chose to ignore it. "Hi!" exclaimed the woman happily after a while.

Dawn cast a peek at the young woman, expecting her to extend her hand, but she didn't seem to know about it. Dawn had to ask nicely, "Who are you?"

"What do you mean, 'who am I?' It's me!" the girl sulked, leaving Dawn confused.

"Who is this person?" she wondered.

"I don't know who you are," Dawn said flatly before looking away.

"Stop teasing me!" the woman exclaimed before clutching Dawn's arm and grasping the latter woman's hand.

Dawn was startled when she recognized the woman and exclaimed, "You... what are you?" before taking her hand back and gently pushing her away.

"You're so mean! You've been teasing me and now you've pushed me," she pursed her lips. "Is that how you pay me back for the chocolate cake I gave you?"

"It's because you suddenly held my hand, and we don't even know each other yet," Dawn snarled before looking at Sabrina from head to toe. "Is she always this pretty?" Dawn wondered to herself.

"Didn't I leave you a note?" Sabrina asked before extending her hand properly, "I am Sabrina Sarratt, you can call me Sab..."

Dawn glanced at the older girl's hand for a moment. Sabrina continued, "Or you can call me later."

Dawn's eyes widened when she heard what Sabrina said.

"W...what?" Dawn whispered quietly, "Call you later?" It was a pick-up line that Dawn didn't

understand.

"Do you want to?" Sabrina smirked. "I can give you my number."

"Excuse me, here's your Americano," the woman behind the counter remarked, drawing the two's attention to her. Dawn eagerly accepted and paid for the coffee. "Thanks," she said.

Dawn bowed her head humbly to the woman before returning her gaze to Sabrina. "I don't want your phone number," she murmured, turning away.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Sabrina exclaimed loudly as she watched Dawn pick a seat. "Give me one Americano, too. Just call my name, Sabrina, when it's done. Thanks," she hurriedly said to the employee before following Dawn.

Dawn tossed her bag to the side and took out her laptop as soon as she was seated at her usual table with Zera. "I'll sit here," Sabrina remarked, having already sat down.

"What are you doing here? There are lots of seats," Dawn remarked, ignoring Sabrina's stare.

"Why? Is this already taken?" Sabrina inquired, prompting Dawn to groan out of frustration. It seemed like this woman had no plans to leave her alone.

"Yes, it is taken."

Sabrina made a sad face and asked, "How about you?"

"What do you mean?" Dawn inquired cluelessly as she typed her password. She took a sip of her coffee after that.

"Are you taken?"

The other woman almost threw up her coffee because of what she heard. "What is wrong with you?" she inquired.

"I'm just curious!" Sabrina declared, giggling.

"Please leave because I'm busy," Dawn said coldly.

Sabrina was ready to respond when she received a phone call. She sighed and irritably said upon answering it, "What? Now?" She cast a glance at Dawn. "All right, I'll be there," she said.

"I'm sorry, but I'll have to leave now," Sabrina says as she taps Dawn's hand on the table.

"I don't care, just go," Dawn said, making Sabrina chuckle. She stood up and was about to leave when she remembered something.

"You still haven't told me your name," she remarked, glancing down at Dawn.

"I don't give my name to strangers," the latter woman grumbled.

"We have met for the third time now, we're no longer strangers," Sabrina stated as she took something from her pocket.

"Here," she replied as she handed it to Dawn. "Oh, hang on."

Dawn was taken aback when Sabrina suddenly pulled her pen from the pocket of her shirt, near her chest, and muttered, "Let me just..."

Dawn watched the woman write her personal number on the top of the business card.

Sabrina handed it to Dawn right after, saying, "Here, call me, okay?" "Bye!" she exclaimed.

Dawn could only watch Sabrina walk away, and as she was about to go, a voice called out, "Miss Sabrina, your Americano!"

"Oops," she laughed before returning to the counter to pick up the drink and pay for it. She then cast another glance at Dawn, waving at her.

Dawn said to herself, "What the... is she really that woman from before?" "I had no idea she was crazy."

She continued to stare at the business card. "Call her?" she murmured.