An unknown number

Athena

There are two types of silence in the world. One is the peaceful, calming silence and the other is the awkward one. What I am experiencing right now is definitely the latter.

I decide to break the ice, " Ahem. This seminar is going to be very useful to us in future. Thanks a lot. It was quite informative, " I try to be as formal as I can.

He regards intently me for a moment and says, " Yes. It definitely was. You know quite a bit about analytic business."

I squirm, suddenly feeling conscious under his gaze, " Well...that's what I'm studying , aren't I ? So I am supposed to know about it."

" Yes but every student who was present for the seminar is studying the same syllabus. Still they couldn't answer the question you did, " Is he complimenting me ?

I shrug, " Eh. May be they don't have the same passion for numbers that I do."

" I suppose so," He looked down and I realized he was trying to hide his smile.

" Why are you smiling ?" Shit, that sounded rude.

He raises an eyebrow, he did that a lot by the way, " Is it a crime to smile Miss...?"

It takes me a moment to realize he wants to know my name. " Athena ! Umm... Athena Hearst. And no, it's not a crime to smile. It's just that...you seem like a guy who doesn't smile often. No offense. "

" You know Ms. Hearst, I don't understand the concept of saying ' no offense ' when it's clear that the phrase is used exactly where offense is intended."

My brows furrow," Are you saying I was trying to offend you ?" Wow. He was turning out to be a jerk.

Once again he raises an eyebrow, " I don't know. Were you? " I am liking him less and less now.

I move forward to give him a piece of my mind, " Excuse me mister. I don't know who you think you are but-"

And then my ankle twists, in the very next moment I find myself in the arms of mystery man. Wow, talk about cliche.

He smells as good as he looks. And he is so warm. God...those eyes. I am so lost in his eyes that it takes me a moment to register his lips were moving. I mean... talking.

"Umm what ?" I'm still disoriented due to his beautiful grey eyes.

" I asked, are you planning on staying here Miss Hearst ?" Even though his face was expressionless, his eyes were filled with mirth.

I fling myself away from him swiftly. Crap I am so mortified I don't even try to meet his eyes.

I tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear and straighten my blouse. I clear my throat and try to preserve the remaining scraps of my self-respect," I have a strong suspicion that they both ditched us. So... I think I should get going too" With that, I dash out of the hall with full speed.

Just when I reach the door, I hear his voice, " Miss Hearst," God, what does he want now ?

I turn around. He walks towards me leisurely, as if he has all the time in the world, " You forgot your bag,"

"Oh. Right. Thank you," I've broken the record of making a fool out of myself today. He hands me my bag and proceeds out of the room.

I breathe a sigh of relief, but it doesn't last long. Because he stops, turns around and says, " Also, you look beautiful while blushing," leaving me gobsmacked.

After ten minutes of being dumbstruck, I finally come to my senses. I blink rapidly, take a deep breath and force myself to calm down. I mean come on, it wasn't a big deal right ? All he did was tell me that I look good..no no... beautiful while blushing. That's nothing right ? Right ?

I don't realize I am talking to myself until Rhea comes and smacks my head upside down. " Yo. A penny for your thoughts ?"

I look at her accusingly, " You ! You left me alone with him,"

She wriggles her eyebrows at me suggestively, " Oh puh-lease. Don't even try to pretend you didn't enjoy. You both were eye-fucking each other the entire lecture. I did you a favor. So come on, give me the deets !"

" First of all, we weren't eye-fucking each other as you so call it. Second, nothing happened ! He turned out to be a jerk. I mean...he wasn't that bad, but he also wasn't that good. Ughh why are all hot guys so mean ? "

Rhea raises an eyebrow, even that eyebrow was reminding me of him, " So... You mean to tell me nothing happened. Nothing at all ? " She looks at me skeptically.

" Well...nothing worth telling," I feel bad about lying to her but I know she would aggrandise it if she knew.

" Alright then. Anyway, we've already missed half of the current lecture. So it's no use going now. Let's go directly to the third one," So basically I've missed half day at the college. Great.

I return home a bit later than usual because Rhea had craved some ice-cream on our way back home, so we took a little detour.

As soon as I come home, I notice my mom has left. Left as in, not left forever but went back to her home, to her husband and step-children.

I stay alone in this small cozy house but my mom likes to visit often. And whenever she comes, she behaves as if we live together. Making me breakfast, doing my laundry, setting my wardrobe etc. That's her way of making up to me I guess.

I go to my bedroom, fall face down on my bed and doze off. I wake up after two hours due to my phone's incessant ringing. " Hello ?" I answer groggily, still half-asleep.

" Hello ?" I ask again. " Who is this ?" I hear no answer. I check the caller ID and see that it's an unknown number. I can hear breathing on the other side so I try again, " Who is this ? Do I know you ?" This time the caller hangs up. I stare at my phone, wondering who it was.

This day is so weird.

My stomach growls and I take that as a cue to get out of the bed and prepare dinner. Just when I'm about to leave the bedroom, my phone beeps again. This time, it's not a call but a message, but from a different unknown number, not the previous one. I open the message and read it out aloud - It was nice meeting you today Miss Hearst. Until next time

- L.M

So Preston did give him my number. I probably would've recognized it was him even without the initials.

Yep, definitely a weird day.