“Shh!”
In the eerie, almost painful, silence four pairs of terrified eyes look toward the music coming from my pocket. With shaking hands I pull out the object that had usually been so kind to me. Now it could kill me, just by the ringing. But then I realize the number blinking across the screen is one I don’t recognize.
“Who is it?”
His whispered question breaks the silence and, like magic, the ringing stops. I couldn’t look away though, couldn’t breathe.
“Dude?”
She was annoyed by how long it was taking me to answer. But I couldn’t find my voice. Someone snapped in my face, bringing me back slowly.
“Just some random number.”
My answer seemed to ease some of the tension.
“Star six seven it and call it back.”
Shane was only mildly joking.
“You do it then.”
I threw him the phone and he dialed.
The ringing seemed to go on forever.
“Hello? This number just called my friend?”
Silence.
Then the phone was on the floor and there was a petrified look plastered to Shane’s face.
“Who was it?”
He was quiet for a second.
“My step-dad.”