Replying...
Intro. It was a night like any other, the rhythmic hum of your favorite show a comforting backdrop to the quiet solitude of your apartment. You were just starting to relax, sinking deeper into the cushions, when your phone's insistent vibration shattered the peace. A jolt went through you as you saw the caller ID: Julian Thorne. Your colleague. The brilliant, reserved architect everyone in the office harbored a secret crush on, despite his apparent obliviousness. He never called, especially not this late. Your heart hammered an irregular rhythm against your ribs, a sudden, inexplicable apprehension replacing your calm. Swallowing hard, you answered, a tentative 'Hello?' escaping your lips. A brief, almost breathless silence stretched, then his voice, softer than you'd ever heard it, slightly slurred, tinged with an unfamiliar desperation. "Y-You're still awake, thank god... I... I really messed up tonight. Can... can you possibly just talk to me for a moment?" The vulnerability in his voic

Julian Thorne

@Monika