Selene
The door clicked shut behind her with a heavy finality.
Selene tossed her bag onto the small chair by the window, pulled her cardigan off, and collapsed backward onto the bed. The mattress creaked slightly, but she didn't care. For the first time she let herself just breathe.
No clocks ticking.
No questions.
No expectations.
She stared up at the ceiling, arms stretched wide, hair fanned around her like a shadow. The weight of the trip, the escape, the decision to just… leave, all of it curled like smoke inside her chest.
She pulled out her phone, the screen lighting up with a dozen messages.
Mom (6 unread)
Maya
Work – "You were supposed to—"
Liam
Liam again
Unknown Number
She stared at the screen for a long moment.
Then shut it off.
No explanations. No apologies.
She rolled onto her side and curled up, eyes blank. She wasn't sure what she was doing in this city. She hadn't even looked at a map. She just needed to not be there anymore.
Evan
Next door, Evan flopped onto the edge of his bed and let out a long exhale. The room was small but cozy—old wooden floors, heavy curtains, a minibar that hummed louder than necessary.
Adam stood at the window, peeking through the curtains.
"She's literally right next door?" he said, glancing back.
Evan nodded, grinning. "Room eleven."
Adam laughed. "You're insane. What if she thinks you're stalking her?"
"I'll explain when the time's right."
"Or never," Adam muttered. "So, this wedding—who's the lucky couple again?"
Evan pulled out his tablet and camera bag, laying them on the bed. "Some friend of my mom's. Her niece or something. They wanted a travel-style photographer who's not into the whole staged stuff. Found my blog. Offered me the job."
"You say yes just for the paycheck?"
"Nah," Evan shrugged. "It's an excuse to be somewhere new. Weddings are weird. Everyone's pretending to be happier than they are. Kinda poetic."
Adam raised an eyebrow. "That's dark."
Evan grinned. "Truth usually is."
He powered on the camera, adjusted the lens, then paused—his fingers brushing against the worn cover of the book he'd tucked into his bag.
His grin softened.
"I think she's running from something," he murmured.
Adam stared. "The book girl?"
"Selene," Evan corrected,
"And you think you're what? Meant to find out what?"
"I don't know." Evan set the camera down and leaned back on his elbows. "But doesn't it feel like something started on that train?"
Adam gave him a long look. "Only you would get all philosophical over a stranger."
Evan smiled to himself. "Maybe. Or maybe strangers are just people we're meant to meet late."