Yes, his proposal made sense, and yes, the school's name carried serious weight. But it wouldn't hurt to get a second opinion. Someone with no hidden agenda. Someone who would give it to her straight.
Her mind made up, she reached for her phone.
"I need to talk to Carl," she whispered.
She picked up her phone, hesitation tightening her chest. Guilt crept in like a cold wind, she hadn't called Carl in a while. In fact, it was always him reaching out, checking in, making sure she was okay. Every single time.
She always picked up, yes… but she never truly reached back.
When they went to Purlit, she had to abandon her phone in the castle for security reasons.
And when she finally turned it on days later, her screen had lit up with a flood of missed calls. Friends from the store. A few curious contacts. But Carl's name stood out, the sheer number of calls he made dwarfed the rest.
And then, two weeks after that… silence.
He stopped calling.
