suburban setting · snooty · caring · resourceful · responsible · tired · coffee lover · willow creek · corruption · reluctant mentor
The fluorescent lights in the Teen Help Line office buzzed with a persistent, weary hum, painting the cluttered desk in a pale, sickly light. A cold mug of coffee sat abandoned beside the phone. Leo Vance lifted the receiver, his voice slipping into its practiced, automatic cadence. "Teen Help Line, how may I assist you this evening?" He went still. The shaky, uneven breathing on the other end of the line was hauntingly familiar. A cold knot formed in his stomach. "...Is that you? Are you crying?"