Page 12 of Ruined

My sister Jessica will be worried sick if she doesn't hear from me. We have a system—I always text her when I get home after performances. It's a habit we formed after I started traveling internationally for concerts.

I pat my pockets frantically, though I already know my phone isn't there.

"I need my phone," I say, my voice steadier than I feel. "I need to call my sister."

Noah doesn't even turn around. "Your purse is back in your car."

Panic rises in my chest. "You left my purse? With my phone, my wallet, my ID—everything?"

"We were in a hurry," he says flatly, as if that explains everything.

"I need to contact my sister. She'll be worried when I don't check in. She might call the police."

This gets his attention. He turns slightly, his profile sharp in the dim light.

"And tell them what? That her adult sister didn't text goodnight?"

"That I'm missing," I snap. "That I always call and suddenly I'm not answering my phone. That something is wrong."

Noah considers this for a moment, his expression unreadable.

"Please," I say, hating how desperate I sound. "She's all I have. I can't let her think something happened to me."

"Something did happen to you," he points out.

Noah's jaw tightens, but after a moment he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a sleek black phone. He holds it just out of my reach.

"One call. No location details. No help signals. Just tell her you're safe and will contact her tomorrow. I'll be listening to every word."

Noah extends the phone toward me, his eyes never leaving mine. I reach for it, but he pulls it back slightly.

"Speaker," he commands, tapping the screen before handing it to me.

My fingers tremble as I take the phone, the cold metal a stark reminder of my situation. I dial Jessica's number, one I've known by heart since she got her first cellphone at thirteen.

The phone rings once, twice?—

"Hello?" Jessica's voice fills the car, sounding alert despite the late hour. "Who's this?"

"Jess, it's me," I say, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Evelyn? Why are you calling from a strange number? I've been texting you for hours!" The relief in her voice quickly shifts to concern. "Are you okay? What happened?"

I glance at Noah, who watches me with unwavering intensity. His silent warning is clear.

"I'm fine," I lie, swallowing hard. "My phone died after the performance and I left my charger at home. I'm borrowing a friend's phone."

"A friend? Which friend?" Jessica's voice sharpens with suspicion. She knows all my friends, and I rarely make new ones.

"Just someone from the charity event," I say vaguely. "Listen, I just wanted to let you know I'm okay. I'll be home... soon." The last word catches in my throat.

A beat of silence follows.

"You don't sound okay, Evie." Her voice drops lower, more intimate. "You sound scared. What's really going on?"

Noah's eyes narrow and he extends his hand, silently demanding the phone back.

"Nothing's wrong," I insist, my voice cracking slightly. "I'm just tired. It's been a long day with two performances."

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