Chapter 172: the call I

Chapter 172: Chapter 172: the call I

Vivienne stared at Christopher’s latest message.

She read it once.

Then again.

Then a third time.

Her eyes slowly widened.

"..."

Claire leaned over.

"What?"

Vivienne turned the screen toward her.

Claire read the message.

Then looked at Amelia.

Amelia immediately leaned closer.

"Oh my God."

"What?"

"He wrote all that?"

Vivienne nodded.

Amelia took the phone from her and read it again.

"This is the longest message he’s sent you."

"I know."

Claire laughed.

"He’s actually explaining his schedule to you."

Vivienne smiled helplessly.

"I only asked about dinner."

"And he answered."

"Very thoroughly."

Eleanor glanced over from her desk.

"Or he’s answering your question."

The other three looked at her.

Claire sighed.

"Eleanor."

"What?"

"Let us have this."

Eleanor smiled faintly and returned to her reading.

Vivienne took her phone back.

She stared at the message again.

A tiny smile remained on her face.

He was still talking to her.

That was what mattered.

Amelia leaned closer.

"So what are you going to say?"

Vivienne thought for a moment.

Then typed:

Oh, I see. What are you doing now?

She paused.

Then looked at the girls.

"Is that okay?"

Claire nodded immediately.

"Perfect."

Amelia grinned.

"Send it."

Vivienne smiled.

Her finger hovered over the send button.

Then the thought suddenly occurred to her.

She looked at the girls.

"...Or..."

Claire raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

Vivienne hesitated.

"Should I just call him?"

Silence.

Three faces turned toward her.

Amelia’s eyes widened.

"Call?"

Vivienne nodded slowly.

"Maybe."

Claire sat upright.

"Actually..."

She thought about it.

"You could."

Eleanor looked over.

"You already gave him a missed call before."

Vivienne nodded.

"Exactly."

"And he said he’d answer next time."

Claire’s eyes widened.

"Wait."

She pointed at Vivienne.

"That’s actually a legitimate reason."

Amelia immediately agreed.

"Yes."

"You already have precedent."

Vivienne laughed.

"But what if he’s with his friends?"

"Then he won’t answer."

"And if he does?"

Claire smiled.

"Then we get to hear him."

Amelia’s eyes lit up.

"Put it on speaker."

Vivienne stared at her.

"Absolutely not."

"Why not?"

"Because that’s embarrassing."

"We’ll be quiet."

"You won’t."

"We can try."

Eleanor sighed.

"You are all ridiculous."

Claire grinned.

"You want to hear his voice too."

Eleanor returned to her book.

"I didn’t say that."

"Which means yes."

Vivienne looked down at her phone.

Her heart was beating faster now.

"I think ai should still text him first. How about... ok this kight work."

Are you busy right now?

Claire and Amelia both nodded.

"That’s really smooth."

"We really should learn from you."

Vivienne laughed and pressed send.

---

Christopher’s phone vibrated.

He glanced down.

Another message from Vivienne.

Are you busy?

He looked around the table.

His friends were still talking.

Someone was arguing about their professor.

Another was laughing over something that had happened during class.

Christopher wasn’t particularly occupied.

He typed:

Not really. Why?

He sent it.

Then returned his attention to the conversation.

--

The girls waited.

Vivienne stared at the screen.

Then the reply came.

She tried to look casual.

She failed.

Claire glanced at her.

"He answered."

"I know."

"So?"

Vivienne looked at the message.

Not really. Why?

A small silly smile appeared.

"He said not really."

Amelia immediately leaned closer.

"Well?"

Vivienne looked at the three of them.

"I don’t know."

Claire raised an eyebrow.

"You were the one who wanted to call."

"I know."

"So call."

Vivienne laughed softly.

She looked down at her phone.

Her heart was beginning to beat faster.

A message could be thought about.

Edited.

Deleted.

Rewritten.

A call couldn’t.

She had already sent the message.

He had replied.

He wasn’t busy.

And she wanted to hear his voice.

That was all.

...Right?

Vivienne smiled to herself.

Then she took a breath.

Her thumb hovered over the call button.

Claire gave her two silent thumbs-up.

Amelia nodded enthusiastically.

Eleanor merely watched, though the faint amusement in her expression betrayed her.

Vivienne laughed nervously.

"Okay."

She pressed the button.

--

Christopher’s phone began ringing on the table.

He glanced down.

For a moment, he simply stared at the screen.

Vivienne Beaumont.

A call.

That was unexpected.

His friends continued talking around him.

Nobody paid much attention.

Christopher picked up the phone and answered naturally.

"Hello?"

Then, a moment later—

"Good evening."

Vivienne’s voice came through.

"Hello."

The moment his voice reached the dorm room, Claire’s eyes widened.

Amelia immediately grabbed her arm.

Eleanor looked up from her book.

All three stared at one another.

Claire mouthed silently:

His voice.

Amelia pressed a hand dramatically against her chest.

Then mouthed:

So good.

Vivienne’s eyes widened.

She immediately covered the lower part of her phone with her hand.

"Stop it," she whispered.

Claire bit her lip to keep from laughing.

Christopher couldn’t make out what was being said.

He could only hear Vivienne’s voice faintly beneath the noise around him.

"Sorry?"

Vivienne straightened.

"Nothing."

Christopher glanced around.

The conversation at the table had become louder.

He couldn’t hear her properly.

"Sorry, I can’t hear you very well."

He stood and picked up his phone.

"Give me a moment."

He gestured toward his friends before stepping away from the table.

The noise gradually faded as he walked outside.

A cool night breeze greeted him.

He stopped near the entrance.

"All right."

His voice was clearer now.

"What were you saying?"

Vivienne blinked.

"Nothing."

She glanced at the three girls.

They were still staring at her.

Claire silently mouthed:

Keep going.

Vivienne ignored her.

Instead, she asked,

"Uh... Where are you right now?"

"I’m outside."

Christopher glanced down the quiet street.

"Just somewhere outside the university district."

"Oh."

Vivienne’s voice softened.

"I see."

She paused.

"What are you doing there?"

"Just catching up with some friends after class."

Vivienne nodded even though he couldn’t see her.

"I see."

She smiled faintly.

So he was simply out with friends.

That made sense.

There was another brief silence.

Christopher waited.

Then asked naturally,

"So..."

"Why did you call?"

He paused.

"Is there something you need?"

Vivienne’s fingers tightened slightly around her phone.

Her mind went completely blank.

She had thought about this.

She had imagined what she would say.

And yet...

Now that she was actually hearing his voice, none of those carefully prepared thoughts remained.

"Actually..."

She hesitated.

Behind her, Claire leaned forward.

Amelia silently clasped both hands together.

Even Eleanor had stopped pretending to read.

Vivienne swallowed.

Then finally said—

"I just wanted to hear your voice."

--

Tbc