On and Off Conversations
349 Words
The first weeks after the alumni reunion were… strange.
Aliyah stared at her phone more than she cared to admit, waiting for a ping, a reply, a single word from Luke.
Aliyah stared at her phone for what felt like the hundredth time that day. The screen lit up with a new message, but she didn’t immediately open it.
She sat on her bed, knees drawn up, trying to convince herself she didn’t care.
I shouldn’t be waiting for him.
But of course, she was.
It had been almost two weeks since Luke went back to his city.
His studies called him away, and while he promised he would visit, life somehow got in the way.
She knew that. She understood that. Still, the silence gnawed at her.
Her thumb hovered over the screen. Should she text him first? Or should she wait?
The rational part of her head whispered, He’ll text if he wants to talk.
The other part—the part that hated being patient—screamed, But what if he’s talking to someone else?
Aliyah groaned and rolled onto her side, burying her face in her pillow.
Ding~
Her phone buzzed again. She sat up quickly, heart racing.
It was him.
Luke: “Hey… how’s your day been?”
A small smile tugged at her lips. Her fingers hovered over the reply button.
Should I answer? Should I make a joke?
She decided on sarcasm.
Aliyah: “Surviving… barely. You? Pretending to study or actually studying?”
Almost instantly, the familiar bubble of three little dots appeared, signaling he was typing.
Luke: “Studying. Definitely studying. Not at all messing around with friends. Promise.”
Aliyah rolled her eyes but laughed aloud.
The corners of her lips lifted in that small, satisfied way that Luke always managed to provoke.
It wasn’t fair. He lived far away, yet he still had this… effect on her.
The truth was simple: she wanted his attention.
Every word. Every laugh. Every little emoji he sent.
Even when he disappeared for days, the thought of him lingered in her mind.
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- Writer
