The Wrong Number

18

Italics: Aspen
Bold: Kenneth

"Hey. Guess what?"

"What now? It's freaking two in the morning. Don't go asking some ridiculous question again."

"No. Not a question. I just came to know this now."

"What?"

"Spoons are little bowls on sticks!!"

"..."

"..."

"Kenneth. You better hang up before I telepathically come over there and kill you."

"...but it's interesting to know that right. I mean getting a little knowledge once in a whil-"

"Kenneth."

"-le is good and then one day you could tell them to your kids. Kids are beautiful aren't they? I would ne-"

"Kenneth?"

"-ever do that to kids. I mean they don't need to face anything like this, you know? I would take my kids to parks and pl-"

"Kenneth!"

"...I was rambling, wasn't I?"

"Yeah. You were. What's wrong?"

"..."

"You don't want to talk about it?"

"No. It's just.....I want someone to give me company tonight. I guess I'm not sleeping. I'm sorry for being selfish but I'm kind of desperate?"

"It's fine. I was just doing my homework anyway."

"Aspen."

"Hmm?"

"You suck at lying but thank you."

"You're welcome. So are you at home now?"

"No. I could not stay there anymore for tonight. So I just wandered around..what is this place called? Uh...Joyce Park?"

"..you are at Joyce's park right now?"

"Yeah why?"

Aspen bit her lip. She was hesitating to tell him or not that Joyce Park was just around her block and if she could, she would just go and meet him now. But was she ready? She was really introverted when it came to meeting people she didn't see once. And even though she talked with Kenneth almost everyday and that feelings for him had grown, she still felt unsure.

What if he judged her? What if he never called after seeing her? What if he never liked her back?

"I was so lonely tonight. Dylan and Judy had gone to a date so I didn't want to worry them. Thanks for picking up my call Aspen. I was going to not call you the second time if you hadn't picked up."

Her chest constricted at the way his voice sounded. It was filled with pain and content at the same time. 

She sighed and quietly got out of bed, slipping in her shoe.

"I'm glad I picked it up as well."

"I don't know why but I feel a sense of comfort when I talk to you. I wonder how it would be if I really talked to you in person."

"I would be really shy I guess?" She smiled, putting on her cardigan.

""You and shy? It even feels wrong. After all the sassy remarks and sarcastic comments you passed on to me. Nah. You won't be shy."

Aspen lightly laughed. "You wouldn't know until you met me right?" She walked out of her room and trodded downstairs. Since her parents had gone out of town for business, she didn't have to sneak out.

"..."

"Kenneth?"

"..."

"Why are you laughing?"

"To be honest, I really want to meet you."

Aspen stopped for a second before slowly opening the door and stepping outside in the cool air and closing the door. "You do?"

"Yeah. I really really want to see you and experience talking to you in person. I feel like it would be amazing."

Aspen could feel her her beating so fast that it could burst. She really liked Kenneth Jones, huh?

"Well I kind of want to see you too."

"Woah. Coming that from you feels like a miracle."

Aspen smiled as she turned the block and noticed the park lit up with street lights. He was there. She was finally going to see him. Her palms sweated in nervousness and she took small, calculating steps.

"Miracle huh."

"..."

"Kenneth?"

"..I really like it when you say my name."

Her heart pounded hard against her chest at every thing he said.

"It sounds different from when people call me. Funny huh? Now I want to see you so much."

Aspen saw him then. He was under a street light, his broad back leaning against the post, his back towards her so she could only see his tousseled chocolate brown hair. His one hand was holding the phone against his ears and the other hand in his pocket.

This was it. She was finally meeting him. This was okay right? Right.

She walked towards him.

"Aspen?"

"Then turn around."

Kenneth creased his eyebrows in confusion and looked at the phone before turning.

He saw a petite, small girl. Her hair was long with luscious curls, her eyes blue as the ocean, eyelashes long that made her eyes look really pretty under the light. Her full lips perfect for her small face. She was pretty. No. Beautiful. And to say he was awestruck was an understatement.

"I think it would be best if you close your mouth?" Aspen said, sassily but a hint of nervousness in her voice.

She recognised Kenneth's face from one of the games he had come to play in her school. she had just forgotten about him until he saw him tonight. He was really good-looking, she had to admit. With tousseled hair that fell messily over his eyes, green eyes that sparkled under the street light, the perfect face and that made her more nervous, conscious of herself.

"Um h- wh- really?"

Aspen bit her lips nervously and poked Kenneth's arm playfully. "Really."

"Wow. I mean Wow!" Kenneth said, not believing that the girl who he talked to almost every night was standing right in front of him, in person.

"Are you just going to stand there gaping like a fish? It's uncomfortable, you know. I left all my dignity at home and came here and y-"

Aspen didn't get to finish her sentence because she was suddenly pulled against a hard chest. Kenneth's chest.

She blushed profusely, her heart hammering hard against her chest. His smell intoxicated her head and it was too good to be true.

"Thank you." Kenneth whispered, feeling safe and warm and glad. That someone could do something like this for him.

Aspen smiled against his shoulder, and sighed contently. "You're welcome."

*****

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