She woke with a start. Her phone was screaming at her to pick it up and when she opened her eyes the sun assaulted her with white light. As her heart slowed her head began to pound, stomach definitely not agreeing with the previous nights activities and had no trouble in telling her so. She was hungover and felt awful but her phone kept yelling. The only people who ever called we're all none she wished to speak to on a normal day let alone that morning, but if she didn't answer than superintendent mom would probably take her phone again and no matter how hungover she was she knew it wasn't worth that.

She groaned, finding her throat as dry and crackly as a desert, and answered her phone with her eyes closed tight. "What," she tried to hiss but it came out as a croak instead.

There was a pause before a gentle voice answered into her ear. "Uh hey, you called this number at like three last night and we talked about some heavy stuff, I was just wondering if you remembered?" The girl sounded hopeful and worried.

Gail sat up. She was confused as hell, she didn't recognize the girls voice, but she was also really curious so she didn't want to scare the girl away just yet. "No. Why?"

"I was worried about you," she answered sincerely, as if it was a confession she'd been holding in all her life.

It threw Gail off for a second. She hadn't heard those words, spoken with such real concern, very often if at all. Her brother would worry about her, for her, but never with conviction. And here was this stranger who she supposedly talked to, opened up to, worrying about her so much that she didn't care about embarrassing herself by calling back.

"Why would you be worried," she questioned hesitantly. She had an idea about what she might have confessed and the thought already had her throat closing. She swallowed hard.

"I think you already know why, Gail," the girl gravely replied. She could almost feel the concern through the phone, it filled the girl's voice though her tone was serious.

Her stomach dropped and her heart rate spiked. She'd told this stranger. She'd let I slip. Gail took the phone from her ear and hit it against her forehead. She had gotten too drunk and fucked up.

"Gail? Are you there?" The girl called out to her in what faintly sounded like fear.

She took a deep breath as the girl called out again and brought the phone back to her ear. "Yeah," she said dejectedly.

"Are you okay?"

Was she okay? Gail laughed humourlessly. "Gravy."

"I am too. Just so you know. Y-you're not alone." She stuttered toward the end, voice strained with something Gail could place.

Gail was quiet, unable to think of a reply. What did you say to a stranger who came out to you over the phone? Luckily said stranger sensed it and continued.

"I'm sorry," there was a sniffle. "That was, that was the first time I've admitted it out loud. I just thought it was only fair for you to know my secret since you told me yours..."

Again they were met with hushed breathing, both a little erratic with the conversation. A few moments later there was a faint call of what she assumed to be the girl's name even though she didn't catch what was said. There was a rustle, "one second."

Gail laid back on her bed and threw an arm to shield her eyes. A moment later the girl was back.

"I have to go," she informed Gail soberly.

"Okay," she replied with a reluctance she hadn't been aware she was feeling until she spoke. Her throat was still tight, and she felt even sicker than she had when she first sat up, but she wasn't thinking about any of that, she was thinking about this girl who she'd confided in. This girl she wasn't ready to let go of.

"Can I," she hesitated, tripped on her own tongue. Gail could hear her take a small breath and start again, the image almost cute enough to make her smile. When she spoke again she was shyer and her words held more trepidation then ever before. "Can I call you again?"

"What's your name?"

"Holly."

Gail smiled, just a tiny curl of her lips. "You can call me anytime, Holly."