Rhea lay on her bed staring at the ceiling, phone balanced on her stomach.
No notification.
No reckless text.
No baby girl.
She exhaled slowly, annoyed at herself more than anything else.
"…Idiot," she muttered—and picked up the phone anyway.
She typed.
Rhea:
You alive or did dadi finally kill you with emotional speeches?
Three dots appeared. Disappeared. Appeared again.
Ling was staring at the screen for a full minute before replying.
Ling:
Sadly alive.
Dadi failed. Again.
Rhea smiled despite herself.
Rhea:
Tragic. I was hoping for peace today.
Ling:
You'd miss the chaos in 3 hours.
Rhea rolled onto her side, hugging a pillow.
Rhea:
Bold of you to assume I miss anything.
Ling:
Bold of you to text first then.
Rhea scoffed quietly.
Rhea:
I texted because I was bored.
Ling:
Sure.
And I replied because I had nothing better to do.
A pause.
Then—
Rhea:
So what are you doing, Miss Trillionaire-in-Her-Room?
Ling:
Lying on my bed.
Staring at the ceiling.
Judging it.
Rhea froze for half a second.
That was… exactly what she had been doing.
She typed slower.
Rhea:
Your ceiling must be ugly.
Ling:
It is.
Keeps reminding me of you.
Rhea's fingers stilled.
Rhea:
Excuse me??
Ling:
Flat. White. Annoying.
Very you-coded.
Rhea laughed out loud, pressing her face into the pillow.
Rhea:
You're unbelievable.
Ling:
You came through my window.
You don't get to talk about unbelievable.
Rhea bit her lip, warmth spreading through her chest.
Rhea:
You climbed mine first.
Criminal behavior.
Ling:
For science.
Rhea:
For a kiss.
A beat.
Ling:
You initiated that one.
Rhea stared at the screen, heart thudding.
Rhea:
Accident.
Ling:
Your accidents are dangerous.
She could almost hear Ling's voice saying it—low, amused, too intimate.
Rhea swallowed.
Rhea:
Did you eat?
Ling:
Dadi forced me.
Rina made commentary.
Rhea:
I knew it.
Tell her she's annoying.
Ling:
She says she learned it from you.
Rhea smiled, then frowned at herself for smiling so easily.
Rhea:
My mom is watching me like I committed a crime.
Ling:
You did.
You left.
Rhea's chest tightened.
Rhea:
I had to.
Ling:
I know.
That I know hit harder than anything else.
Rhea stared at it for a long moment before replying.
Rhea:
You okay?
Ling didn't answer immediately.
The typing dots appeared. Stopped. Appeared again.
Ling:
I'm fine.
Don't overthink.
Rhea huffed softly.
Rhea:
You hate lying.
You're bad at it.
Ling:
And you hate staying.
You're worse at it.
Rhea closed her eyes.
Rhea:
Stop psychoanalyzing me.
Ling:
Stop pretending you don't care.
Silence.
Then—
Rhea:
Next weekend.
I meant it.
Ling:
I know.
Rhea:
And…
You better not climb my window before that.
Ling:
No promises.
Rhea smiled again, helpless this time.
Rhea:
Goodnight, window criminal.
Ling:
Goodnight, liar.
Rhea put the phone down, heart racing, cheeks warm.
Across the city, Ling did the same—staring at the dark screen like it might disappear if she blinked.
Neither of them said I miss you.
They didn't need to.
It was in the pauses.
The timing.
The way neither of them let the conversation end first.
Missing each other like hell—
and pretending it was just nonsense.
Ling lay on her bed with one arm thrown over her eyes, phone resting on her chest, screen dark.
Sleep wouldn't come.
The room felt too big. Too quiet. Her mind kept replaying stupid little details—Rhea laughing in her shirt, the way she'd tug her collar without thinking, the weight of her head on Ling's shoulder like that was where it belonged.
Ling turned on her side, groaning softly.
"This is ridiculous," she whispered to no one.
She grabbed her phone and hit call before she could overthink it.
It rang once.
Twice.
Then—
"Hello?" Rhea's voice, already soft, already half-tired.
Ling smiled without meaning to. "You asleep?"
"No," Rhea lied immediately. "I was… thinking."
Ling snorted. "Liar. You sound like you're wrapped in a blanket judging the world."
Rhea hummed. "And you sound like someone who can't sleep."
"Excuse me," Ling said, settling deeper into her pillow, "I sleep perfectly fine."
"Then why did you call?"
Silence for half a second.
Ling answered lightly, "Wrong number."
Rhea laughed, low and warm. "Sure."
They both went quiet, not awkward—comfortable. Like neither wanted to be the first to hang up.
"So," Rhea said finally, "did dadi give you another lecture?"
Ling sighed dramatically. "She told me love makes people weak."
"And?"
"And then she told me to fight harder for what I want."
Rhea smiled into her pillow. "Wise woman."
Ling turned onto her back, staring at the ceiling again. "What are you doing?"
"Lying down. Amaya's asleep. Shyra keeps staring at me like she knows something."
Ling smirked. "She always knows something."
"Annoying family trait," Rhea said, her voice slowing. "What about you?"
"Missing someone very irritating," Ling said casually.
Rhea went quiet.
Then, pretending not to care, "She sounds unbearable."
"She is," Ling agreed. "Always argues. Never listens. Leaves when she shouldn't."
Rhea exhaled slowly. "And yet?"
"And yet," Ling said softer, "she feels like mine."
Rhea didn't reply right away. When she did, her voice was lower, calmer.
"You're being emotional. Sleep."
Ling smiled. "Says the girl who refuses to hang up."
"Because you'll call again."
Ling laughed quietly. "True."
They drifted into nonsense after that—mock arguments about who'd win in a fight, whether Ling's hair or Rhea's patience was shorter, whether next weekend should be chaotic or peaceful.
"Peaceful," Rhea murmured.
"You won't survive peaceful," Ling teased.
"You will," Rhea countered. "I'll make you."
Ling closed her eyes, listening to Rhea's breathing through the phone. Slow. Steady. Safe.
At some point Rhea stopped replying with words—just soft hums, little sounds of acknowledgment.
"Rhea?" Ling whispered.
No answer.
Ling smiled, tender this time.
She stayed on the call, not moving, not daring to breathe too loudly. Listened as Rhea's breaths evened out completely, sleep finally claiming her.
Ling whispered, barely audible, "Goodnight… don't run in your dreams."
Rhea didn't hear it.
But Ling slept better than she had all night—
phone warm in her hand,
heart quieter than before.