Zoe's POV
My hand hovered above the screen for a long moment. Bob's number glowed at the top of my phone like a warning sign. I stared at it, hoping the digits would change if I waited long enough. But they didn't. My thumb trembled slightly. This was a terrible idea. Every instinct told me so, but desperation has a way of drowning out instinct. I swallowed hard and glanced once more at the door of my room, as if someone might walk in and stop me before I did something irreversible. No one came. The house was quiet. Too quiet.
I drew in a slow breath and pressed the call button. The phone began to ring. Each ring seemed louder than the last, matching the rhythm of my racing heart. One ring. Two rings. Three. A small part of me hoped he wouldn't answer - maybe he was busy or would ignore the call. Maybe the universe would save me from having to beg. Four rings. Five. Just as I was about to give up, the ringing stopped. A voice came through the speaker.
