Chapter 12: Can You Tell Me More?

Abigail’s POV

The first ring of the phone dial dragged on longer than I ever remember a dial tone being.

“C’mon…” I muttered to myself.

The second ring began.

“Elle,” I said

The third ring went on even longer than the first. My palms started to sweat, and the phone nearly slipped out of my hand and crashed to the floor. I squeezed my grip tighter on it. It was hot from my tense muscles suffocating it and sticky in sweat.

“Please, please pick up,” I whispered. My phone was shaking in my hand. I changed the call to speaker. If I put it up to my ear, my shaking phone would keep tapping my earring.

I waited through five dial tones before I hear a click.

“Hey! It’s Elle,” Elle’s voice on the other line was the remedy for my jitters.

“Oh, Elle I—” I began, but I paused.

“Thanks for your call. I’m not here right now. Leave a message and I’ll get back to you A.S.A.P.!”

A robot voice spoke after Elle’s. It was stale and artificial while Elle’s was a comfortable melody.