I stared at my phone. Hesitated. But after a million second thoughts, I decided to answer the call anyway.

“Hello?”
“Oh. Hi,” the voice on the other line said, obviously surprised that I answered his call.
“Hello,” I said. Again.

“Why are you still up?”
“Well..” I started searching for an answer and settled with “I have my reasons.”
“Reasons like?”
He still hasn’t changed. He still keeps asking follow-up questions. This habit of his has always amazed yet annoyed me at the same time.
“Reasons which are none of your concern, I suppose,” I finally answered.
“Oh,” was all he could say.

Awkward silence followed then.

He broke the silence by attempting to crack a joke. “Bet you’re waiting for my call,” he said, adding a little laugh.
“Funny that you asked,” I said, “but no, I wasn’t.”

Another pause.
Then his voice grew serious.

“Do you miss us? Me in particular?” he asked.
I’ve long waited for him to ask that question. I know exactly how to answer it now.
“If there’s anything I miss about us, it’d only be the friendship. Nothing more and definitely nothing less.”

And for some reasons, the line suddenly went dead.