AUTHOR'S POV. -
"So who he is exactly?" Andy took another bite of his sandwich while looking at Livie who was lost in her thoughts. Andy stared at her for an answer but when he realised that she maybe didn't even hear him, he let out an audible chuckle making Tina look at him. He looked at Tina who was already busy staring at him weirdly.
"What?" She asked confused and Andy just raised his eyebrows towards Livie.
"What's with her? She's being weird." Tina blinked her eyes after Andy said out loud. Tina's eyes also turned concerned and roamed at Livie's facial features. She sensed that she was worried about something.
"Livie?" Tina called her out in a loud tone causing her to flinch and shake out of her thoughts. "Huh?" Livie looked at both the figures sitting in front of her flabbergasted. "Where are you lost?" Tina asked with a light chuckle not to make it awkward for Livie. Livie sighed while closing her eyes and rubbing her face.
"Nothing." She let out in the smallest voice as Andy and Tina exchanged looks again. "I think I need some sleep." Getting up from her place, Livie waddled towards her room while Andy and Tina sat there confused at her actions.
"Is something up?" Andy couldn't hold his curiosity as he again asked Tina to which she just shrugged her shoulders. Even if she had a slight clue of the things happening around her, she can't say anything until she have proof.
"I don't know."
Coming into her room, Livie sat on her bed with an exhausting sigh and closed her eyes to stop all the thoughts running through her mind aimlessly. Shaking her head, she stood up and went towards her closet to pull out her clothes after making up her mind to take a shower. She took out the random piece of clothing coming into her hand and went inside the bathroom to divert her mind.
The water pouring down on her body made her muscles relax. But somehow she wasn't able to stop thinking about everything that happened. Every time she closed her eyes, she could see the reflection of Lucian. The vivid memory of him saving her from the truck and getting injured himself was captured in her mind. As time passed, those scenarios got more clear for her. Now she remembers every single detail of it, which was bothering her. Because now she could see some things which she wishes she couldn't.
'The truck was moving faster and it was coming towards me. I closed my eyes tightly knowing very well what will happen next. But what exactly happened? I felt as if the time has stopped. As if I was floating in the air, and something was holding me close. I slightly opened my eyes and saw HIM. Yes, it was him, Lucian. He was the one who was holding me. I was safe in his arms. Why did I feel like that? Why did I feel like nothing can hurt me ever if he holds me close? I again tried to open my eyes but it got difficult for me. My hand was resting against his chest and I could feel his heart beating like crazy. Even in this chaos, his heartbeat was so clear to me. My back touched a hard surface and I lost the touch of comfort. I panicked and that's when I realised that he was no longer holding me. My head throbbed as it crashed with another hard surface. I finally started to feel the ache. My body hurts, and my head too. Someone was calling out my name. The voice was familiar but my senses were lagging and I couldn't understand who it is. With the energy left in me, I opened my eyes wide and saw his face. His eyes were in pain and panic. He wasn't crying but his eyes were moist. I wanted to tell him that I was fine but my mind loosed all consciousness and I fainted.'
Livie plopped on her bed as she remembered all the events in sequence. Everything was crystal clear. From the start to the end. Throwing the towel she was using to dry her damp hair she looked around her room to spot her phone, which was laying on the nightstand. She hurriedly went towards it and pick it up before turning it on.
"I should call him." She thought but then stopped when she realised that she don't have his number. "Oh god!!" she exclaimed frustrated, while shaking her head. "Now what?" She said while looking at her phone when suddenly she remembered something.
"And if you want to give me something, then consider giving me a call. I'd like to make a nice friend." Lucian smiled while forwarding his business card.
"Business card!! Yes. He gave me his business card." A wide smile appeared on Livie's face as she searched around her room to find the card. Rumbling through her stuff, she looked at almost all the shelves but couldn't find it. Sighing in defeat, she sat on the floor in front of her dressing table and banged her head on the chair lightly. "Why am I so careless?" Cursing at herself she tried to remember where did she place it and again got up to search. Groping her bag, she turned it upside down on her bed as all the things inside it scattered on the bed, including the business card.
Livie's eyes lit up as she gripped the card tightly and kissed it once and twice. Without realising her actions, she went towards the other side of the bed and picked up her phone. Taking a deep breath she calmed her heartbeat and dialled the number given on the card. Checking it twice, she hit the call button and slowly brought it to her ear.
Her heartbeat increased for unknown reasons as she waited for the call to connect. But to her bad luck, she heard a message instead.
"The number you're trying to call is currently not available. Please try again later."
The call got disconnected after the beep as Livie's smile faded in an instant. "What?" She confusedly goggles at the black screen of the phone. Her lips parted in shock, disappointment, grief, and anger. Determined by her decision of talking with Lucian today, she again dialled his number. But after getting the same response, she couldn't help but make a sad pout on her lips. "Why?" She whines while staring at her phone.
"Liv." Her head snapped towards the door where Tina was peeking her head in. Livie changed her expression and showed a smile to Tina. "Yeah?" She asked making Tina enter her room and come towards her. "I was going home so thought to see you once." She flashed a smile towards Livie making her smile but Tina understood that it wasn't genuine.
"Hey, everything alright? You look stressed." Patting Livie's shoulder, Tina sat in front of her and looked at her worriedly. Livie sigh knowing that she was not so good at hiding her emotions. Tina caressed her shoulder softly letting her know that she was there.
"Nothing. It's just...Lucian's phone...is not connecting." Livie said while looking at her phone causing Tina to frown and follow her gaze. Tina got more confused as she then looked at Livie and saw her expression.
"Are you worried about that?" Tina's tone held amusement making Livie stare at her with raised eyebrows. "I mean, it's not even that big of a deal. What are you so worried about?" Tina spoke out her thoughts leaving Livie in a daze.
'She's right. Why I'm so restless for not talking with him?'
Livie thought and gripped her phone tighter not knowing what is happening with her. It was the very first time she got worried for someone who she didn't even know properly. Tina who was looking at her all this while patted her shoulder gaining her attention. Livie raise their eyes and gazed at Tina.
"Livie, you sure you're okay?" Tina asked again making Livie throw her phone on the bed and sigh.
"I don't know Tina. I just feel like I need to talk with him. He saved my life. And I didn't even say a 'thank you' to him. I just..." Livie rumbled while Tina heard her carefully. She could feel the frustration in Livie's voice which was raising her worry for her.
"Calm down Livie." Tina tried to soothe Livie while she kept whining. Tina held Livie's hand causing her to stop mumbling and look at Tina. "Livie, I need to tell you something." She said making Livie nod her head confusingly.
"Actually, that day..."
Tina got cut in between when Livie's phone rang. Livie looked at her phone and rush to see who was calling her. Her eyes widen when she saw the caller id. It was her manager from the agency, where she works. She hurriedly picked up the call.
"Hello? Sir?"
"Hi, Livie. Hope I'm not disturbing you."
Livie blinked her eyes after hearing her manager speak from the other side. Tina looked at her wondering who she was talking with.
"No, not at all. Is anything important?"
"Of course, it's really important. I called you to inform you about something. Do you remember you submitted a few pictures for the magazine cover?"
Livie crushed her eyebrows but her eyes dilated as she remembered what he was referring to.
"Yes sir. I remember."
"Yeah. Well, congratulations, they got selected." The person on the line exclaimed making Livie gasp out of joy.
"Really?!!" She almost screamed and tripped but thanks to Tina who held her hand, stopping her from falling. Livie's face brightens up with happiness.
"Yes. They liked your photos so much that they're going to make it their new magazine cover. I called you to inform you about it. You'll receive a mail from them. So just wait a little." The joy was visible in the manager's voice as he announced the news to Livie.
"Thank you so much, sir!!" Livie kept thanking him as he congratulate her one more time before hanging up. Livie looked at Tina's confused face and giggled before hugging her tightly. "Tinaaa....!!!!" Livie swayed their bodies while hugging with a wide smile plastered on her face.
"Wait wait wait. First, tell me what happened?" Tina asked while pushing her away a little so she could breathe.
"You won't believe what happened?" Livie said with utmost joy in her voice making Tina smile too. "You remember I told you about this worldwide famous magazine? And I submitted my pictures to them for the theme of wildlife?" Tina nodded her head yes after Livie's every question and saw her happiness reaching its peak.
"They liked my pictures and even selected them for the magazine cover!!!" Livie finally declared making Tina's eyes sparkle.
"What!! Are you kidding girl?!! For real?"
"Yes." Livie's happiness was enough to let her know that she was speaking the truth as they both stared at each other before screaming together.
"YEAH!!!!"
Tina hugged Livie and they both fell on the bed while giggling and screaming in happiness, completely forgetting the topic they were talking about a while ago.
TO BE CONTINUED ||