Call

They enjoyed their new year's party until they lost their energy. The first time they were all together, spending a special occasion, not thinking about anything else but to have fun. They all looked so free and genuinely happy for the first time. Lanie felt butterflies in her stomach as she joined and looked at them. She also wished that this moment won't end but she knew that that was not the case for them. They need to face some chaos and struggles just to achieve this kind of moment and feelings again. And upon looking at them, her courage increased again. She got her phone and went to her balcony. She closed the glass sliding door to lessen the noise. She looked again to her friends who's savoring the party before she looked at the city under her. She closed her eyes to feel the cold breeze of the new year. Few minutes later, she felt someone beside her. She smiled.

"Why are you here?" She opened her eyes and looked at Mark. He bought her another beer.

"I'm happy." she said instead. Mark looked at her gently and smiled.

"Glad to hear that, Lanie." she leaned her back on the railings. They both looked at the two girls who were still enjoying themselves. They both smiled and chuckled.

"I hope everything will be fine this year." Mark said, drinking his beer. Lanie looked at him.

"It will be fine. I will make it happen, don't worry." Mark also looked at her. He saw courage and certainty in her eyes. This moment, this moment made Mark realize that she was almost ready. Without saying a word, he nodded at her, having faith in her words. Even though they didn't say it, they both knew the ground behind that.

Mark decided to go inside and joined the girls while Lanie stayed there. She looked at the city again before calling that number.

"Happy new year…" she softly greeted me. She heard a heavy and deep breathing on the other line. She didn't speak for a minute but she felt so calm only hearing that breathing.

"I may sound selfish if I said that I chose both of them but it's a new year so can I be selfish?" she said. She heard deep sighed again.

"Can I? Hmm?" she said so softly as if she was taming a baby to give her some candy.

"Of course, you can." she smiled upon hearing his voice.

"Happy new year, Kitten." she smiled widely as her heart beat so loudly while putting her phone down after he ended the call.

At 4 o'clock they were all exhausted and decided to go to sleep. They all fell asleep on the couch with a cozy set up. They all sleep peacefully knowing they spent a happy holiday and hoping that there are better days ahead of them.

Meanwhile, at a nice house with a contemporary design, a woman wearing a red nightgown sat beside Tyler who was drinking his wine while looking at a fireplace.

"She called?" said in a soothing voice.

"Yeah." he answered as he lay on the woman's shoulder. The woman patted his head.

"What did she say? Has she finally made up her mind?" Tyler sighed and looked at the woman before nodding.

"She chose both." The woman held Tyler's hand and caressed it.

"Will you be able to handle it? I am not questioning your decisions but…" the woman looked at him uneasy and worried. "We don't know what will happen. I am just worried for the both of you." Tyler seated properly and looked at the woman.

"I can. Don't worry, Mom. Everything is in control." He said before getting his wine. He also poured another wine to give it to the woman.

"As well as your plan to let her stay in your place?" Tyler stopped for a moment and started at the fire. 

"It's for the better right? I can monitor her." he said, like he was convincing himself. The woman smiled at him before agreeing to him even though she already sensed what would happen soon if Tyler let her stay in his house. But she trusts him, so she will not worry for now. 

They woke up late with a hangover and were still tired from the party. Mark was the one who woke up first. He stood up and washed his face. He shook his head while smiling as he looked at the three girls who were peacefully sleeping like babies. He started to clean some messes silently. He also washed the dishes and threw out the garbage. Althea and Penelope woke up when they heard the door closed because of Mark's entry.

"Where were you?" Althea said, half asleep.

"I just threw out the garbage." He answered. He looked at Lanie who was still sleeping. The two girls also looked at her.

"Don't wake her up. She was the one who slept last night." Mark said and proceeded to the kitchen. Althea and Penelope went to fix themselves. Mark heated the leftover food last night while the girls cleaned the thing Mark still didn't clean. When they are done, they eat together.

"Hey, Mark! I think it's better if you carry Lanie to her room. We have to clean her living room." Althea said. Mark nodded. He scooped Lanie carefully and brought her to her room. Penelope opened the door for him and looked away.

When Mark entered her room, he looked around the room while walking towards the bed. He gently and carefully put Lanie on her bed and tucked her on bed. He moved the stands of her on Lanie's face and put it behind her ear. Not thinking, he smiled while looking at her face and caressed her cheek.

Before leaving her room, Lanie's phone rang. It is on her bedside table. Mark quickly grabbed it, worried to wake up Lanie. He sighed when Lanie just wiggled a little. Mark looked at her phone and bit his lip. He accidentally answered the phone instead of rejecting it! He tilted his head while looking at the name of the caller.

"That guy?" he murmured before putting the phone to his ear.

"Hello?" he answered. He looked on the screen again to make sure that the call was still on because no one answered him.

"Hello?" he said again. "Lanie is still sleeping. We kinda slept late last night and I don't want to wake her up because I know she's tired. I will tell her that you called once she woke up." he added. There is still no response from the other line. He was about to end the call but he noticed that Lanie was finally up.

"Hey, what time is it? Why am I here in my room? Didn't we sleep on the couch?" She fired questions immediately. Mark sat beside her and ruffled her hair.

"It's currently four o'clock in the afternoon, sleepy head. I carried you here for you to sleep comfortably." he said with a smile on his face. Lanie nodded and rubbed her eyes.

"Ah! Here." Mark handed her her phone. Lanie looked at him curiously before accepting and checking her phone.

"Oh! He already ended the call?" Mark asked before he stood up. "Anyways, I will go now and help the girls outside. Take your time, we can manage." He said before leaving her. Immediately, Lanie checked her phone calls. Her eyes widened when she saw who called and for damn sake Mark's answered it! She was relieved because she didn't put the real name of the caller.

"Why did he call?" she said while tilting her head. She shrugged and went to the bathroom to wash herself when she couldn't think of the reasons why he called. Maybe because of her choice? Well, she can talk to him after her friends leave.