[PEARL]
That night, sleep had finally enveloped me in its comforting embrace when the disturbing sound of my phone shattered the silence of my room. I felt drowsy and slightly irritated, I squinted at the glowing screen. A foreign number displayed on my blinking phone screen. With a furrowed brow, I answered with curiosity tinged with annoyance.
"Hello?" My voice was hoarse, sleep still clinging in my eyes.
"Pearl, it's me, Zayn," came the familiar voice, a gentle balm to my irritation.
"Zayn!" I bolted upright, my heart leaping with joy. "Where are you? Is everything okay?"
"I'm in Kenya now," he replied, his voice warm and soothing. "I just couldn't wait to hear your voice again. I miss you."
A smile spread across my face, the sleepiness dissipated like mist under the morning sun.
