"Relax, Melo. He's not gone forever!"

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not!"

"Yes, I am!"

"No, you are not!"

"I'm an adult, Ash. I'm fine... OW!"

The angry steam wand breathed fire on my fingers , while I tried hard to focus on my work without much success. Asha's chattering and Akram's absence were distracting me, like two opposite forces stretching out my brain in two different directions.

"Tut-tut! See? I told you." Asha shook her head and took the mug from my hands, careful not to spill the strongly aromatic coffee I worked hard to prepare. She placed the order on the bar. " Hey, show me your hand. How are you gonna text him with burned fingers?"

"I'm alright. You just distracted me, " I mumbled as Asha examined my hands in her small ones.

"Right! Like this is the first time I talk while you work," she said , her tone sarcastic.

" Your thumbs are alive! Groovy!" She trilled in excitement that didn't match the situation, bouncing like a beach ball. Her long hair fanned the air and blew a sweet coconutty smell to my nose.

I need to remind her not to do that near the drinks. The patrons won't be happy to find hair that long in their coffee. I mean, it's beautiful on her head, not in someone's coffee mug. Ew!

Asha bent over to open the small fridge underneath the counter - the end of her ponytail grazing the floor- and scooped some crushed ice in a plastic cup. "Here, put some ice on your booboo." I rolled my eyes when she grabbed my hand and stuck my fingers on top of the cup. She made me feel like I was a little kid and she was my fussy mother.

Smiling sheepishly, I picked up a piece of ice with my good hand and stuffed it into my mouth. The shocking wintery taste in my mouth was something I secretly loved since I was little, besides, it had zero calories and it cooled down my anxiety.

"You like eating ice? What diet are you on? Akram and water?" Asha chuckled.

I pouted when she reminded me. I wasn't being careful about my calorie​ intake recently. Sneaking in a pint of ice-cream or a jumbo bag of potato chips into my dorm room at weekends - spending Saturdays sleeping, reading and stress-eating like a hog - wasn't something that I was proud of. Especially that It all ended up hurled down the toilet.

"You're not funny today!" I grumbled.

"I'm not funny? It's been two months and you're getting worse. You should definitely call him. You suck at texting any way, " Asha said, twisting the side of her face in disapproval.

"No! And I don't suck at texting, I have sweaty hands! " I said, still pouting.

Akram asked me to text once and I wasn't going to push my limits. I missed him like hell but I wasn't going to risk pushing him away with creepy phone calls at night, especially that he'd never called for the past two months. He did text me every day, but only in reply to my single lousy messages at night.

"Don't get me started. I taught you how to keep the chat going, but you just don't listen. You send something lame like; 'I'm home' Or 'Good night' ... seriously who starts texting with 'good night'? It's basically the same as telling him 'Go to hell!' " She pursed her lips, pulling the ice away from my hand and tossing it in the sink. She turned to face me, hands on her hips, " you don't get the symbols right, you let auto correct fool you , and you never ask the guy any questions! You're taking 'less is more' to a whole new level! Why get a cell phone if you're not gonna use it decently?"

Asha looked and sounded as serious as a heart attack, a frown shrinking her skinny eyebrows as she glared at me.

"Sorry, mommy." I rolled my eyes.

"The guy proved himself innocent. Probably, too innocent for his own good. Why are you treating him like crap," Asha reproved.

My eyes widened. "That's not true! Why are you saying that?"

"That's exactly how he feels right now. That you don't want to talk to him," she said with a confident nod of her head.

"Really?" My heart sank, pondering what she just said.

"I'm pretty sure, yeah!" Asha folded her arms. She tilted her head, a smirk on her glossy lips.

God, am I really giving him this impression? Could I be unintentionally pushing him away? He told me to text once, but is it possible he wants more? I never thought he would! What if Asha's right and he thinks I don't want to hear from him? I don't want to be a bug, but I would never want to lose him because of my catastrophic foolishness .

"Fine. I'll do something about it. But I'm not going to call," I said, turning around to clean up my counter.

"Fine, Ms. I-don't-know-how-to-text, " she teased and walked back to her regular spot.

Later at night, I was bundled up in my covers across the narrow bed, an unfinished book on my lap, holding my cell phone and thinking of a new approach to human communications.

What the heck could I ask him in a text?

I didn't want to creep him out. I didn't want to be rude. I didn't want to sound too needy, or too formal, or too cheesy, or too obviously missing him, because that would probably scare him away.

It had to be a question, according to Asha, to give him the impression I wanted to have a conversation.

With hesitant fingers, I clicked on the little envelope displayed on the small screen, feeling my pulse quickening as if I was going to invite Akram personally into my room.

Racking my brains, I stared at the blank text message. My eyes wandered to check the time on the top right corner of the screen. Almost 9 p.m. Is it silly to think he's waiting for my message?

Me:
《ARE YOU UP?》

I typed the words, then I realized that they were in caps and I was asking one of those already-answered dumb questions . It was still early and he had to be up. It's summer vacation, for God's sake!

Cursing my dumbness, I huffed, deleted the words and was back to the ridiculous blank page again.

Trying to refresh my brain, I rubbed my forehead with my fingers. Oh, please! This has to work!

A spark of determination ignited out of no where. I started clicking the keypad, a wide smile forming on my lips.

Me:
《 Do you like ice cream? 》

I hit 'Send' and brought the tip of my thumb between my teeth, anticipation flaring up in my belly like spicy food.

Holding my breath, I waited for his response. It took a bit longer than a breath so I exhaled and tried to read my book for a while without real concentration.

About twenty minutes later, a low 'Beep' vibrated the phone in my hand. My thumb swooped on the key eagerly to open the incoming message.

Akram:
《 I'm eating ice cream right now. How did u know?》

My eyebrows shot up and I grinned like a creep. Apparently, my question was spot on. I typed again and pressed 'Send'.

Me:
《 I didn't. I love chocolate. What's ur favorite flavor?》

It was kid stuff, I know, but I was enjoying this.

Akram:
《 Chocolate, vanilla & espresso. How R U 2day? 》

I sighed. Akram was possibly questioning my sanity right now.

Me:
《 Still alive...》

Akram:
《 Now I'm worried! R U alright?》

Typical Akram.

Shaking my head, I smiled at the concern he seemed to hold for everyone. The memory of Vivian decoying him to her bogus children's orphanage crept up to my mind and my smile changed into a scowl. He was too good to be tricked this way.

Something that felt like a swell of protectiveness rose inside my chest. I almost wanted to avenge him.

Me:
《 I'm Okay. Don't worry. What R U doing?》

Akram:
《Trying 2 write music & failing miserably :( so I listen 2 real music instead.》

This was something he hinted before but it didn't seem likely that he was serious. I thought he was just being humble. There was no doubt Akram was talented. True, I'd never heard him play, but he was in Juilliard and he had to be super gifted to be accepted there. Curiosity nudged my head to ask him more about it.

Me:
《 Sorry :( what happened? Is it difficult? U need inspiration? 》

Akram:
《 It's ok. I'm Just 2 lazy I guess. What U doing lately?》

Easy one! Although, I had a feeling he intentionally redirected the conversation away from himself.

I pressed the keys clumsily, my thumbs slippery over the tiny keys.

Me:
《 Work, read, overeat, under-sleep, wake up & repeat.》

Akram:
《Pls, look after ur health, will u?》

I rolled my eyes, but my lips were curving up fiercely.

Me:
《I will. Thx. What R U listening to? Classical?》

Akram:
《 Nope. 70's Soft Rock. Now playing:
I'd Really Love To See You Tonight :) 》

At this moment, the way I felt when I read his text didn't make any sense whatsoever. I didn't even know that song, but my cheeks flushed like blooming roses facing the summer sunshine. My heartbeat sped up as I pictured Akram's sunny smile that I'd been craving for too long. I could feel it spreading out and radiating through the cellphone screen, then, I did the most freakish move ever.

I brought the cellphone close to my face, opposite my mouth, then I pressed it to my lips. I pushed it up to the tip of my nose, breathing in.

Weirdly, the phone smelled really nice. I closed my eyes and tried to distinguish the sweet smell that the plastic body of the phone had absorbed due to belonging to Akram; a faint citrusy freshness with a warm hint of spice. This must be his personal perfume.

There you go! I'm going nutty as fruitcake!

Another 'beep' followed the last and sent a startling buzz, reverberating through my lips. I leaped in my place on the bed, a short gasp crossing my mouth. The phone dropped off my hands and dove inside the folds of the covers. Frantically, I searched for it and pressed the 'New Message' box.

Akram:
《 Tell me sth nobody knows about U
;) 》

Oh, no! Not this one!

My head pulsed, looking back into the flickering images of my past life. The sweat of mild panic began to form on my hairline. I wiped it with my hand, leaving it there to cool my tight forehead for a moment.

There was nothing normal that I could tell... I had nothing to share that wouldn't give him a violent shock to his core. I didn't want to lie to him anymore. He didn't deserve to be friends with a sick liar.

Shakily, I pressed 'Reply' and responded.

Me:
《 Very cheesy!》

Akram:
《 I like extra cheese! :D 》

Clearly, I had to come up with something. Anything that wasn't a lie would do- not that there were many of those to spare.

Okay then!

Me:
《 I'm afraid of hospitals. HBU? 》

Akram:
《Oh! Will U B scared if I told U my dad is a doctor?》

I chuckled.

Me:
《 No. U still hv 2 answer tho.》

Akram:
《 OK... I like 2 watch water ballet.》

Me:
《Ha ha! No, really, Tell me something else.》

Akram:
《I was talking to my mother about U.》

Something must have blocked my gullet because, once I read this, I tried to gasp and swallow, but the whole attempt failed and turned into a long string of uncontrollable frog-like coughing. My eyes bulged and watered, trying to restore my breath and possibly restart my flaccid heart.

My hand flew to clutch my neck as I sucked in deep breaths, then I released the air.

Goodness! What just happened? Why did I even react this way? He seems to have a strong bond with his family, It's normal that he talks to them about his friends, isn't it? If I had a mother, I would tell her about Asha all the time, I guess. So why did this freak me out? Oh man, what the hell did he tell her? What could she be thinking of me right now?

I gulped.

Me:
《 Exactly what did u tell her?》

Akram:
《 The truth. Mom's my best friend. Now she has competition :D》

The bad habit of biting my thumb was getting worse tonight. I chewed my poor thumbnail as I contemplated what Akram was telling me. Time for a witless comeback!

Me:
《 Didn't expect ur mama's boy! 》

Akram:
《 Mama's boy & proud! I'm a very domestic guy :b 》

Me:
《 Does she hate me already?》

Akram:
《 Nooo! She actually wants 2 meet U someday.》

Oh snap! I think I'm going to panic, or throw up...or faint! This is so embarrassing, I don't even know why I am shaking right now!

The digital clock on the corner of the screen decided that it was past midnight already. How time flew by so fast was beyond me!

Me:
《Sure. G2G now. Goodnight.》

Akram:
《 Sweet dreams, Melody. :) 》

*******

Hello lovelies!!

Missed you so much! Did you miss me? ;)

Sorry for taking too long to update, I was having a stupid block for a while. I really hope you like this chapter.

*So what do you think of the text conversation? Is it worth the wait?

*did you ever spend the night texting someone and never wanted it to end?

*what's the best or worst text you ever received? ;)

*Do you think texting is easier than talking face to face?

*Do you think Melody is right to panic when Akram mentioned his mother ? XD

please share your thoughts and any remarks to improve this story. It's really helpful and it gives me great pleasure. ♥

Also, I hope you like the song. Akram has an old-fashioned taste but hopefully you'll enjoy it too ;)

Love you ♥