The quiet night wore its silence like a cloak, covering the city.

Winter lay sprawled on her bed, eyes glued to the phone screen and aware of hardly anything besides the times trickling through. Her day's been tiring, boring notes and classes.

All she wanted tonight was to hear Karina's voice, how it softened to her and how Karina's gentle laughter could ease every worry she had.

She pressed Call, breath held, the room filled with the sound of the dial tone, stretching out in anticipation.

But the line clicked off, unanswered.

Winter's jaw clenched, and she let her hand fall onto the bed, her fingers instinctively curling around her phone as she stared up at the ceiling, a small storm gathering in her chest.

Maybe she is busy, Winter tried to reason with the stinging thought, but it settled like a weight in her stomach. She knew Karina had been drowning in studies lately.

Days were filled with lectures and assignments, and nights—with endless reading. Winter could understand… but it doesn't make it any easier.

She sighed, looking over at the clock. It was late, but still she couldn't settle in without a word from Karina.

She tried to distract herself, but her thoughts kept circling back, the gnawing need to feel close to her pulling her right back to the phone. After what felt like forever, she dialed again, a sliver of hope slipping through the frustration.

This time, Karina had answered, her voice carrying all the warmth that immediately was able to soften Winter's frustration.

"Winter? I'm so sorry that I missed your call," began breathy with hints of apology.

"I didn't see it right away."

Winter was silent, but her face said a thousand words. Her lips were clenched tight, her eyes narrowed at some spot on the wall as if Karina could feel the disappointment on the other side of the line.

The small silences Karina understood best.

"Hey," Karina's voice went soft, with all the warmth woven in, knowing just what Winter needed.

"Are you mad at me?"

The question hung in the air, gentle yet teasing, but Winter could feel the worry beneath it. She exhaled, almost in relief, yet the words that followed were laced with her unspoken fears.

“I just… It feels like I barely get to talk to you anymore. I know you’re busy, but…”

"But it feels like I'm drifting away?"

Karina finished for her, her voice soft. She could picture Winter's expression perfectly well—those eyes holding both yearning and frustration. She could almost feel the weight of Winter's longing, mirroring her own.

"I know. I miss you so much."

Winter's hand relaxed slightly. Tension slowly relented in the presence of Karina's words. She bit back the lip, wanting to be less affected, less needy, but couldn't hide the slight tremble in her voice.

"Then why don't you answer?" she whispered, the vulnerable within her tone betraying her effort at calmness.

Karina’s face softened. “Winter, I promise you, it wasn’t on purpose. I’m just… buried in work here. But you’re still on my mind. Always.”

She let out a small, tired laugh.

“If you looked at my notes, I bet you’d find your name doodled in the margins.”

The confession coaxed a faint smile from Winter, though she tried to keep her voice steady.

“That better not be a line you use on everyone,” she teased, the smallest hint of a laugh slipping through, despite herself.

"Only you," Karina replied sincerely, her voice unwavering. She could feel Winter relaxing on the other end of the call. The invisible tension was loosening.

"Look, this weekend… can we make it ours? Sunday, no more interruptions—just you and me. I'll make time. Promise."

Winter's heart was racing at the thought, months apart suddenly shrinking down to just days. She could feel Karina's presence wrapped around her in that moment.

"This Sunday?"

Winter's silence was punctuated by something unspoken: a soft vulnerability bleeding through as she inhaled the promise settling over her like a warm blanket.

"I… can't wait." Her voice is small but full of relief at what had been, was melting away the frustration built earlier.

"You'd better keep that promise."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," she said with a small chuckle, warm undertones in her voice.

She paused for a moment before giving her reluctant addition, "And Winter… I'm sorry if I made you feel any less important. You are everything to me."

That one simple sentence nailed Winter, grounded her, and filled the emptiness that had been plaguing the past few months. Holding onto the words, feeling them wrap around her quietly like a reassurance of sorts, she finally could let herself relax fully into the pillow.

"I'll hold you to that."

It took a little while in that soft silence, both were breathing softly, listening in to the quiet presence of one another on the line as if neither wanted to get off.

Winter broke into a softer timbre finally, murmuring low, "Get some rest, you sound like you're exhausted."

"Yeah, you too," whispered back Karina, knowing fully well that Winter would drift to sleep with the voice ringing from their active call, "Good night, Winter."

"Good night, love."

And the minutes ticked on until Winter's eyes grew heavy, her breaths evened out, her phone still resting against her cheek as she fell into sleep, a small, hopeful smile lingering as dreams of Sunday filled her mind.