Val’s P.O.V

The vibration under my pillow was faint, but the sound cut through the silence of my room like a blade. I froze mid-motion, my shirt half over my head, heart already pounding from the possibility of who it could be.

I tugged the fabric down, fumbling for the phone. The glow of the screen burned my eyes. One word made my pulse spike.

Mom.

It was Mom.

I sat there, damp from the shower, towel sliding against my legs, shirt clinging to my skin, and for a second I just… ...