Elleri sat alone in the faculty room, the soft hum of the air conditioner blending with the occasional distant chatter of teachers on their lunch break. She was deep into finishing a report when her phone suddenly vibrated, breaking her concentration. Glancing at the screen, she froze.
Adrian. His name and photo lit up her caller ID.
Her heartbeat picked up as she instinctively scanned the empty room, making sure no one was around. It wasn’t like him to call—actually, this was a first.
She grabbed her phone and answered quickly.
“Adrian? Is everything okay?”
A chuckle came through the receiver, smooth and easy. “Wow, straight to the interrogation. No ‘hello’ first?”
“I—uh, sorry. You don’t usually call,” she admitted, shifting in her seat.
“Well, I should start, shouldn’t I?” he mus
