Natasha flopped on her bed as soon as she entered her room. Sure, she was delighted to visit her grandparents with her parents, visit the headstone of Bianca, and then visit the Orange Mall, but all of those delights exhausted her body.
She wanted to rest although she hadn't brushed her teeth, washed her face, or change her apparel. She decided to unlock her phone, hoping that would help to divert her attention from resting.
She sat bolt upright once she saw that she had two unread messages and one missed call. The one unread message was from Liam, the other was from an unknown number, and then the one missed call was from Cassie. All of these got her curious, but she was more curious about the unknown number, perhaps because she had no idea who might it be.
She was about to read the message of Liam first when a call showed up. She saw that it was Cassie, so she didn't hesitate to accept the call.
"Hello, Cass," she greeted.
"So, you're still awake," Cassie said.
"I wouldn't be if I'm not," she said.
Cassie chuckled. "Yeah, right."
"How's your day, Cass?" she asked.
"Not good, Nat," Cassie answered, horrified when she recalled the reviewers she had to read all day for the upcoming first quarter exam.
She noticed that Cassie sounded bleak, so it made her concerned. "Is there a problem?"
"There is," Cassie answered.
"Don't beat around the bush, Cass!" she wanted Cassie to be direct.
"It's about the upcoming exams, Nat," Cassie answered.
"Now that you've mentioned the upcoming exams, I haven't started reviewing the lessons yet," it slipped from her mind.
"You haven't!?" Cassie was surprised. "That's not so like you, Nat."
She chuckled. "There are times I'm not so like me and that applies to you as well, Cass."
"Can't disagree with that," Cassie said.
"Since I haven't started yet and you're worried about the exams, we should have a group study tomorrow after school. How's that sound?" she suggested.
"Sounds good to me," Cassie answered, but then she didn't know where should both of them study. "If so, where?"
"I'm all good, so we should do it here," she answered.
"All right," Cassie said.
"Is there something else to talk about?" she asked. "If there's none, I'll end this call because I'm a bit tired, Cass."
"You're free to do so, Nat," Cassie answered. "I bet you're tired since you went to your former home, wasn't it?"
"I did," she confirmed. "Let's see each other tomorrow. Good night, Cass."
"Good night as well, Nat," Cassie said and then ended the call.
She decided to read the two unread messages later, so she locked her phone and then placed it on the nightstand.
She stood up from her bed, wore her slippers, went out of her room, and then descended the stairs. She saw Diana in the kitchen who opened the fridge to drink cold water.
Diana heard footsteps, so her attention went to that source. "Can't sleep, Dear?"
"It's not like that, Mum," she answered. "I need to wash my face and brush my teeth before I go to bed."
"I see," Diana said and then recalled that she hadn't informed Natasha yet. "I've told Honey about this."
"About what, Mum?" she asked.
"A friend of mine called that she plans to visit our home tomorrow afternoon, Dear," Diana answered.
She should compose a message to Cassie that both of them couldn't have a group study here since Diana had a visitor for tomorrow.
She smiled. "I see. Have fun, Mum."
Diana pecked her forehead. "I will, Dear. Good night."
She entered the bathroom, washed her face, brushed her teeth, and then dried her face with a towel.
She was about to fish her phone in the pocket of her shorts when she recalled that she left her phone on the nightstand. She didn't know if Cassie was still awake, but she should still send a message. She went out of the bathroom, ascended the stairs, and then entered her room.
She held her phone, unlocked it, started to compose a message for Cassie, and then hit the send. She read the message of Liam first.
✉️ Hey, Natasha! What's up?
💬 I'm good. You?
Next, she read the message of the unknown number.
✉️ Hello. This is Marigold Cinnamon. Let us meet tomorrow after school at Starbucks? If you are not available, please tell me what day you are available and I am good to go.
She almost forgot about the girl she saved near Subway. She recalled that Marigold insisted to treat her as her gratitude.
💬 Going to if. I'm not sure, but I'm not good this week or next week because of exams, perhaps after exams, I'm all good.
She locked her phone and then placed it back on the nightstand.
She laid down on her bed and then looked at the ceiling. She didn't mean to recall what happened earlier, but she did.
"He shouldn't have known, but he did. What the hell?" she mumbled.