Savannah sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the dark screen of her phone like she could will it not to hurt when it lit up.
Her apartment was too quiet.
Her head was too loud.
She’d spent the entire day pretending.
Pretending her chest didn’t ache.
Pretending she hadn’t woken up next to someone she desperately wanted.
Pretending she hadn’t panicked so hard, she shut down.
Pretending she didn’t miss Tilly already.
She wasn’t calling to talk about that.
She wasn’t ready to even think about that.
She just… needed someone who felt familiar.
Someone who knew her before all of this.
Someone whose voice could steady her, even if she couldn’t tell them why she needed steadying.
Her thumb hovered over the contact.
Alana.
Her little sister.
Savannah pressed call before she could stop herself.
It rang twice.
“Sav?” Alana’s voice was warm and surprised. “Hey. Everything okay?”
Savannah’s throat tightened instantly. Too fast. She swallowed it down. “Yeah. I’m fine. Just… wanted to hear your voice.”
Alana paused. “You never call this late.”
Savannah forced a shaky laugh. “I know. Sorry.”
“What’s wrong?”
Savannah curled her free hand into the blanket beside her. “Nothing. Just… long day.”
Her voice cracked on the last word. She hoped Alana didn’t hear it.
Of course she did.
“Sav,” Alana said softly. “Talk to me.”
Savannah stared at the wall, eyes burning. She couldn’t. She wouldn’t. She was the older sister. The one who held it together. The one who didn’t fall apart, no matter how much the ground shifted under her.
“I’m just tired,” Savannah whispered. “Really tired.”
Alana’s voice softened. “You sound sad.”
