Chapter 5: The Phone Number

PRESENT

"Do you remember the first time we texted?" Queshia suddenly asked Maverick still just staring at her food.

"Yes, I won't forget that." Maverick suddenly remembered and smiled as he recalls the memories with Queshia.

PAST

Monday

She met up with her friends during lunch break and chatted. They were at their usual spot at a canteen nearby, she told them everything about Maverick, and they were shocked.

"Maverick? He's a player! You better be careful girl...and he usually eats here too, haven't you ever noticed him here before? We're almost...okay, ALWAYS here" says Lizzy, one of her first friend at the university.

"It's just a tiny crush?...uhm, wait...what?? No...I never really cared when I'm with you guys, but does he really eat here often?" Queshia asked shocked from what she heard.

"Aren't you still used to Queshia? She rarely looks around girl, unless she knows you. If she doesn't, she won't give a damn about you" Jessie, her best friend, replied laughing.

"Well, you do have a point...but they're hard not to notice though, he's always at that usual spot with his friends" Lizzy said pointing at a corner spot in the cafeteria.

"Oh...then that's great! Gives me more chance to see him then...even from afar..." Queshia said dreamily.

"She's hopeless" Said the two girls.

But that specific lunch break, Maverick and his friends didn't get the chance to eat due to an exam for their major subject. While reviewing, he can't seem to get Qushia off his mind. He doesn't know why. He just keeps thinks that she's different than the other girls than he thought she would be. Though she's surrounded by men, she's not flirty, though he hates how she's ignorant and doesn't even know how she affects our classmates on our Saturday classes, and even my classmates, what more with her regular classmates.

"...if she could just be a little sophisticated...I bet I can do that...wait, what the hell am I thinking?! It's just because I'm hungry...that's right..." Maverick said without realizing he just blurted that out loud.

"Bro! Who is the chick you're thinking of eh?" Charlie asked teasingly while bumping into Maverick's shoulder with his.

"What chick? I said I'm just hungry..." Maverick responded defensively.

Tuesday

The professor of Maverick didn't come to their class, so they decided to go to the mall nearby to slack off. So, Kei was then with Queshia at the library together with Jessie and the sleeping Zian.

"Uhm Kei, can you get Maverick's number for me?" Queshia asked boldly to Kei who was quietly doing her homework.

Kei laughed not believing what she was hearing from her man-like friend, before she responded "Well I don't have his number, but I know someone who does, and I think he'd give it to you if you'd ask him" she said while pointing a guy with her lips.

"Laugh all you want, but I told you, I'm going all in for him to notice me...it's worth a try...come on let's call him" Queshia said with determination.

"Hey! Classmate! Mark! Psst!" Kei shouted in a whisper because they might be scolded by the librarian. In this school, all students actually call each other 'classmate' whether or not you are one.

"Hey Kei, Wassup?" he replied not noticing the girl behind Kei, as he approached her, that's when he noticed Queshia. He was the classmate of Maverick and Kei that likes all the pretty girls he sees around the campus.

"Oh...uhm...hi c...cl...classmate..." Mark stuttered to Queshia.

"Uhm hey...Mark right?...I'm Queshia, I know you don't know me but, we were hoping if...you know Maverick's number?" Queshia responded shyly while biting her lower lip and trying not to smile awkwardly.

"Oh...uhm...yeah...I do, wait...here it is." he responded disappointed, but is really not that surprised by the fact that it's because of Maverick...again...that all the girls want from him...is to get some information about Maverick since he's an easy target.

"Thank you so much!!! I owe you one! Bye!" Queshia happily replied as the girls were walking back to where Zian was still sleeping.

"OMG...what do I even say? Can I use you as an excuse?" Queshia asked Kei pleadingly.

"Whatever." Kei responded casually but was smiling at how giddy Queshia is, while going back to her homework.

But before she ever texted Maverick, she didn't know that Mark has already texted him already that he gave his number away.

"Bro! I gave your number to a girl named Queshia, don't worry, she's pretty, I think you'll like her or already know her" Maverick read the text as he was about to enter the mall, he almost bumped a couple of students due to shock and amusement that she just asked someone else for his number. So he wonders what excuse of a message would she send him. Thinking about this, he unconsciously entered the mall with a wide smile.

"Hey classmate, this is Kei, since we are groupmates for the report on Thursday, I got your number from Mark, hope you don't mind?" Queshia texted using her phone pretending to be Kei. But she forgot that she have this signature text at the end of every text on her phone! His initials with a heart! "M.I. ❤" though this is also a famous initial of a fast-food chain here - Mac Ivs, it was bound to make a misunderstanding to a narcissist guy like him.

"HOLY COW!!!KEI!!!" Queshia accidentally said out loud forgetting that they were still inside the library, so they got scolded at, and was about to get kicked out when the librarian saw Zian sleeping, but good thing he already woke up and it looked like that he was just scratching his eyes with his palms, so they just went outside to avoid more complications inside the library.

Queshia explained what happened to Kei, Jessie and Zian.

"Oh no no no! You clean that mess up! Tell him it's your number right away!" Kei refuted while Zian and Jessie was just laughing.

Queshia removed her text signature and texted "I'm sorry, this is Queshia, *********** is the number of Kei. She just used my phone to text you 'cause she didn't have any load at the time. And M.I. is my favorite fast food chain."

Queshia was so embarrassed and tried to redeem herself.

On the other hand, Maverick was amused.