Yet Another Confusion

It was already midnight.

"Noel promised that he'd come earlier so what's taking him so long?" I kept tapping my feet on the ground restlessly while waiting for Noel with dinner all ready and served on two plates on the table. It was getting too late so I decided to wait for him after finishing up the meal. I picked up my fork and started digging into the meat. As soon as a piece went into my mouth, the cold and hard layers of the meat landed on my tongue and my face twisted in disgust and I immediately spat it out.

"Ugh..the food got cold..." Frustrated, I dropped the silverware on the table with a loud clink. The taste of the cold meat still lingered on my tongue even after washing my mouth. 

"I can't deal with this anymore. I'll just call him. He's probably in the investigation scene and his phone must've been switched off but it wouldn't hurt for me to try, right?" I mumbled under my breath and made my way to the bedroom to grab my phone. 

I spotted my phone and reached out to it. But as I picked it up, I realised that it wasn't mine.

"Hazel's phone? Wait— did our phones get switched? She must have mistaken my phone for hers since both of them are the same model. I'll go get it from her..." I thought as I walked out of my room and then the apartment. As I got out, I glanced at the floorboard of her door and noticed a dim blue light spreading out.

"She's still awake?" I inched closer to the door and only then did I hear her voice faintly. It was almost as if she was having a conversation with someone. I leaned a bit closer to the door to listen carefully.

"Code number is 02.34.8.5qB7." I could hear her faintly talking to someone. I couldn't help but think who could be in her house at this hour.

Curious, I hesitantly knocked on her door. 

"Hazel..? Are you there?" I called out to her in a low voice, thinking that if she heard it, I'll have my phone back or else I'll have to come back tomorrow.

My question was followed by a series of loud thuds and clanking of steel rods, perhaps her wheelchair, and I stood there stunned by everything going on. 

After a few moments, Hazel finally opened the door, almost roughly.

"Y-Yes? Did you need something?" She asked with a forced but tired smile. I could see sweat dripping from her forehead and the bags under her eyes seemed like the last time she slept must've been a year ago.

I eyed her suspiciously, "I heard you talking about some code. What's going on? Is everything alright? Why do you look so tired?" I showered her with concern, and leaned forward to take a peek inside the room but, as expected, she quickly blocked my view.

"It's nothing! I was just watching a movie! You must've heard it from there." She laughed nervously, and changed the topic, " So, what brings you here?" 

"Oh, right. I came here to get my phone back. Our phones got switched." I smiled and handed her phone over to her. I knew it was definitely her voice but I tried to push down my suspicions. 

She glanced at her phone and her eyes filled with realisation and also a glint of something else. Her jaws clenched in anxiety.

"Did you pick up any calls in that phone?" She asked. 

"No. In fact, it's battery is dead." I shrugged. 

"Oh, alright. That's good...." She exhaled deeply and mumbled inaudible words under her breath. 

"Did you say something?" I asked, unable to hear her clearly. 

"N-No..it's nothing. Just give me a minute, I'll go get your phone. Stay here and don't move." She told with a weak smile, and shut the door.

"Stay here and don't move? What's making her become so secretive all of a sudden? Oh, come to think of it, she has never invited me into her apartment too. I didn't realise she never told anything about herself apart from her past." My eyebrows shoot up in realisation.

I kept tapping my feet on the ground while waiting for her. 

"Here's your phone..." Hazel cracked the door open ever so slightly that only her pale slender fingers could pass through the space.

"Thanks." I took the phone and flashed a small smile before leaving her to whatever she was doing in her cave.

I closed the door behind me and checked my phone.

"No calls..." I sighed. 

I still couldn't help but think how weird it was for Hazel to act like that. She didn't look like the cheerful and bright girl I know— almost as if she was an introvert who doesn't socialize much. 

Later that night, Noel arrived looking tired and worn out after his first day at work. He obviously hadn't told me anything since the facts related to the case shouldn't be disclosed to outsiders. After a quick bath, he seemed more relaxed and at ease so I decided to put out the topic of Hazel in front of him. 

He plopped down on the couch and ruffled his wet hair with the towel hanging around his neck. I sat across him and asked, "Was Hazel always so secretive?" 

Noel paused and looked at me with a frown, "Did something happen?" 

I leaned back on the couch and sighed, "No..it's just..when I visited her apartment earlier, I heard her call out some random code number and it looked like she hadn't slept for days." 

Noel's eyes grew slightly wide but it soon recovered back to his usual "I-don't-care" expression. 

He shrugged, "She'll be alright. You're worrying too much."

"Am I?" I thought to myself