Page 55 of The Girl with No Name

“Hey!” I say after she picks up.

“Hey,” she echoes.

“You okay? You sound a little down.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. How’s your weekend?”

“Well…I ended up going to a music festival.”

“Uh…okay? That’s random.”

“Yeah. Dunn basically dragged me.”

“Oh. I see.”

“Yeah. It’s good, though. How’s your weekend? Having fun with the exchange crew that’s there? Where are they from again? Sweden?”

“Denmark.”

“Oh, right.”

“And yeah, it’s a great time!”

There’s a long, slightly awkward pause between us.

“I don’t want to pull you away, if you’re having a good time,” I tell her. “Talk when I get back?”

“Yeah. Sunday night,” she says.

“Sounds like a plan. Love you.”

“Mmmm-hmm.” There’s a pause. “Love you, too.”

I look at the phone for a moment before putting it in my pocket. Then I go back to the rooftop and find Luna sitting there, staring out at the city.

“Dunn go back in?”

“Yeah. He said he’s ready to leave whenever.”

“What are you doing?”

“Just thinking,” she says.

“About what?”

“Nothing.”

12

LUNA - 12 MONTHS EARLIER

“WHAT IT’S LIKE” - EVERLAST

At the Art Institute, Gatsby stares atNightlife, my favorite painting of all time. “What do you think?” I ask him. “So vibrant and full of life, isn’t it?”

He studies it for a moment. “It’s…interesting. I can see why you’re drawn to it. But I’m more interested in how interested you are in it.”

I can’t help but smile at his lukewarm response. For me,Nightlifeis more than just strokes of paint on canvas; it’s a tapestry of human interaction. “I love how it captures the complexity of relationships,” I explain. “See how people are intertwined, some dancing joyfully while others exchange glances with someone at the bar? There’s a drink spilling, a musician playing—it’s like a snapshot of life’s intricate emotions and connections, all illustrated in one big, complex ecosystem.”