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5

but instead, she froze when she saw the unknown number flash across her phone screen. her stomach twisted uneasily as she stared at it, her thumb hesitating over the "accept" button. glancing up, she saw mike watching her with mild curiosity, his brow slightly furrowed. she straightened in her seat, forcing herself to appear calm. "excuse me," she said quickly, maneuvering out of the booth before he could ask anything.

"i...okay..." mike replied softly, his confusion evident but he didn't press her further.

y/n pushed open the heavy glass door and stepped into the cold night air. the wind bit at her skin as she tucked her free hand into her jacket pocket. once she was away from the noise of the bustling restaurant, she finally answered the call. "hello?" she said cautiously, her voice edged with uncertainty. there was silence at first, though y/n thought she could hear faint sounds in the background. it sounded like shuffling or some kind of commotion, but the wind howling around her made it hard to make anything out. she scoffed softly in frustration, plugging her other ear with her index finger to try and block the noise. "hello?" she repeated, her tone firmer and louder now as she began pacing back and forth in front of the restaurant. then, she heard it-a distinct breathing on the other end of the line. it wasn't steady or calm; it was quick, shallow, and unnervingly... excited. her steps faltered, and her stomach churned with unease.

this had to be a prank.

she let out a frustrated sigh, her breath visible in the cold night air.

"nora?" she questioned sharply, irritation creeping into her voice. "is this you? if it is, this isn't funny."

the line crackled, and then a distorted voice answered simply, "no."

y/n tensed. her heart skipped a beat at the sound of the voice. it was male, with a strange, almost artificial quality to it, as though it was being run through some kind of filter. but there was something familiar about it-something that tugged at the edges of her memory. her frown deepened as she tried to place it, but the harder she thought, the more it eluded her.

"okay," she said cautiously, her grip on the phone tightening. "then who are you?" the caller didn't respond immediately, much to y/n's dismay.

there was a pause, long enough to make her heart pound in her chest. then, in a tone that sent a shiver down her spine, the voice replied curtly, "someone who's been thinking a lot about you..." her blood ran cold at the ambiguous statement.

she opened her mouth to demand more, but her words faltered. "what...what does that mean?" she finally asked, her voice quieter now, laced with an involuntary tremor.

"you'll figure it out," the voice said, almost teasingly. there was a darkness in the words, something calculated, something wrong. before she could press further or question if this was the same person who had texted her a few days ago at work, the person she blocked, y/n's attention was abruptly drawn away by a tapping sound.

she flinched and turned, seeing mike inside the restaurant tapping on the glass window. he was pointing toward the counter where their order had just been called, mouthing the words, "pizza's ready."

"i-i have to go," y/n said quickly into the phone, her tone firm but uneasy.

"don't you dare hang up," the voice snapped suddenly, it's distorted calm cracking into something sharper, angrier. "you'll regret it, you little slu-" y/n didn't wait to hear more. her thumb pressed the red "end call" button, and she stuffed the phone into her pocket, her hand trembling slightly.

she turned on her heel and headed back inside the restaurant, her breath coming faster now. the warmth of the restaurant enveloped her as she stepped back inside, but it didn't chase away the chill that had settled deep in her chest. mike was already at the counter, collecting their pizza and a few paper plates. he glanced at her over his shoulder as she approached behind him, his brow raised. "what was that all about?"