The shrill ring of my phone cut through the quiet darkness like a knife.
I jerked awake, my heart pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears. For a moment, I couldn’t remember where I was, just the shadows, the faint glow of moonlight slipping through my curtains, and the sound of that persistent ring breaking the silence.
My eyes were heavy with sleep, my head foggy, but I reached for the phone on my nightstand anyway. I didn’t even look at the caller ID. My voice came out hoarse when I answered.
“Hello?”
For a heartbeat, there was only static. Then…
“Autumn?”
I froze. My breath caught mid-inhale.
It was him.
“Taylor?” I whispered, my voice cracking on his name.
The moment I heard that quiet sigh of relief on the other end, something inside me broke. I didn’t even realize I was
