The Love We Left Behind

“The Phone Call”

The moment Bethany stepped through the front door, she felt the familiar warmth of home wrap around her like a soft blanket. The scent of her father’s favorite air freshener and the distant clatter of him in the kitchen made her smile. But none of that compared to the excitement buzzing in her chest.

As soon as she kicked off her shoes, she hurried upstairs, practically skipping up the steps. She didn’t even stop to breathe before pushing open her bedroom door and shutting it behind her.

She tossed her bag on the bed, pulled her phone out, and stared at the screen for two seconds—just enough to calm the butterflies—before dialing Evan’s number.

He picked up on the first ring.

“Hey, Martins. Are you back home?” His voice came warm, gentle, and surprisingly eager. It made her heart do a little flip.

“Yeah, I’m home,” she replied, flopping onto her bed with a relieved sigh. Even hearing him say her nickname made her feel lighter.

“So, how did the shopping go?” Evan asked.

“It went really well. We got the dress,” Bethany said, smiling up at her ceiling like he could see her expression.

“That’s good to hear,” Evan said. “How did your day go today?”

Bethany stretched her legs and yawned softly. “It went well, but I’m quite tired.”

“Sorry, Martins. You’re home now, so get a good rest,” he said, voice low and caring in a way that made her chest flutter again.

“I will,” she promised. “So… how did your day go?”

“Nothing much,” Evan said. “Spent the day with my mom.”

Bethany smiled. “That’s good. Uhmm…” She paused, biting her lip. “I talked with Ava, and she said you can come to the party.”

“Oh. Okay.” His voice raised slightly—surprised but clearly pleased. “Thanks, Martins.”

“I’ll text you the address to Ava’s house,” she added.

“She’s hosting the party at her house?” he asked, sounding a bit shocked.

“Yeah, for safety purposes. And Ava’s house is really big,” Bethany explained with a small laugh.

“Ohh, okay. That’s a great idea.” He paused. “So, have you gotten your own dress for the party?”

Bethany turned on her side, picking at a loose thread on her pillow. “I don’t know yet, but I’ll figure that out before Saturday.”

“Okay,” Evan said, and there was a smile in his voice even though she couldn’t see him. “Can’t wait to see you.”

Bethany froze. Her fingers stopped moving. Her heart thumped loudly in her ears.

“You can’t wait to see me?” she asked teasingly, raising her brows even though he couldn’t see her.

“Yeah,” Evan said defensively, clearing his throat. “I mean I haven’t seen you in… nice outfits before, so I can’t wait to see you in one.”

Bethany burst into laughter. “Ohh, so all the outfits you’ve seen me in before aren’t nice?”

“What—hey! Come on, don’t get me wrong,” Evan said, laughing with her.

“I get what you’re saying. I’m just kidding,” she giggled.

“You better be kidding,” he replied playfully.

Their laughter blended through the phone—warm, soft, and strangely intimate. Bethany felt something flutter deep in her stomach, something she couldn’t quite name but didn’t want to lose.

“Uhmm…” She looked toward her door. “I’m gonna go now. I want to help my dad prepare dinner.”

“Oh, okay.” His tone dropped slightly, like he didn’t want the call to end yet. “So… see you on Saturday?”

“Yeah,” she said softly, voice warm. “See you on Saturday.”

The call ended.

And Bethany just lay there for a moment, staring at her ceiling, letting the happiness wash over her. She pressed her phone to her chest and grinned like someone who’d just been handed a bouquet of butterflies.

She didn’t know exactly what she and Evan were, but she knew she liked whatever it was.

Still smiling, she hopped off her bed and headed downstairs. Her dad was in the kitchen, humming an old-school tune as he chopped vegetables. He looked up when she entered.

Mr. Martins raised an eyebrow. “What’s on your mind, princess?”

Bethany nearly tripped.

“What? Nothing, Dad,” she said quickly, schooling her expression even though her grin refused to disappear.

Her dad chuckled knowingly but didn’t push. He simply handed her a bowl.

“Cut these for me,” he said.

She took it gratefully—happy for something to keep her hands busy. But her mind… her mind was nowhere in that kitchen. While her dad sautéed onions and peppers, Bethany sliced vegetables with a smile she couldn’t hide.

Every now and then, she caught herself daydreaming—imagining how Evan would look on Saturday. How he’d smile when he walked in. Whether he’d talk to her first or wait for her to come to him. Whether he’d dance. Whether he’d compliment her dress.

She shook her head lightly, pushing the thoughts aside… but they kept coming back.

The hours slipped by faster than she expected. Soon, they were sitting at the dining table together, eating dinner. Her dad kept giving her side glances every time she giggled randomly at her own thoughts.

She didn’t care. She was happy.

After dinner, Bethany washed dishes with a small hum in her voice. The warm water, the scent of dessert cooking in the oven, the glow of the kitchen lights—it all made the moment feel calm, almost perfect.

And somewhere between wiping her hands on a towel and heading upstairs, she realized something:

She really couldn’t wait for Saturday.

Later that night, she went to bed with her heart full—full of excitement, full of anticipation, full of something she couldn’t quite describe. She lay on her side, hugging her pillow, smiling like someone who’d been given a secret and couldn’t wait to unwrap it.

She drifted to sleep thinking about Evan’s laugh, his voice, his shy excitement about the party.

Meanwhile, in another part of town, Evan was lying on his bed staring at the ceiling much like she had earlier.

Except he wasn’t smiling—he was grinning. The kind of grin someone has when they’ve replayed the same moment ten times in their mind and it still makes them feel warm.

His pet cat, Whiskers, jumped onto his chest, meowing directly into his face.

Evan chuckled. “Hey. I’m gonna see Bethany on Saturday. I’m really excited.” He scratched his cat behind the ears.

Whiskers meowed louder, purring.

“Yeah, I know, right?” Evan laughed. “I’m hoping we’ll have a great time at the party.”

He sounded like someone confessing a secret—to a cat, but still a secret.

Just then, his mom walked into the room with folded laundry in her hands.

“Hey, buddy! Who are you talking to?” she asked, raising a brow.

Evan blinked, startled, then sat up quickly. “No one, Mom! I’m just… singing.”

“Singing?”

“Yeah, I’m just humming a tune,” he said, trying way too hard to sound normal.

Mrs. Lee stared at him for three long seconds, clearly unconvinced, but she let it go with a soft laugh.

“Alright, singer boy.”

She left the room.

Evan breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back on his pillow.

He was still excited—so excited that even the thought of Saturday made him feel jittery. He grabbed his phone, checked the time for the fifth time in ten minutes, then placed it on the table beside him.

He couldn’t wait.

He closed his eyes, still smiling.

He couldn’t wait to see Bethany on Saturday.