58Please respect copyright.PENANAfpWBo86ceU
She seemed in a better mood.
58Please respect copyright.PENANA9vin9pIgAZ
When Jamie came onstage, Nora leaned closer so she could see past the woman in front.
58Please respect copyright.PENANAGX3jAbN31n
He said his first line to the cardboard tree instead of the other actor.
58Please respect copyright.PENANA0pEYQraQrC
Nora pressed her lips together. Her shoulder shook against mine.
58Please respect copyright.PENANA8C6XxYqG2X
“Don't,” I whispered.
58Please respect copyright.PENANAZ8QgfmAS05
“I'm not doing anything.”
58Please respect copyright.PENANAl3RzYYYzCr
“You're shaking.”
58Please respect copyright.PENANAFVHs4BEk2d
She squeezed my hand, just as she used to when we were little and trying not to laugh in church. I knew that squeeze.
58Please respect copyright.PENANAXhka0N78BS
For a while, I forgot we were supposed to be annoyed with each other.
At the end of the scene, everyone applauded. Nora let go of my hand. I looked sideways at her.
58Please respect copyright.PENANA5h6s278SoP
Her palms faced outwards.
58Please respect copyright.PENANA1haV5OoVgv
She brought the backs of her hands together with a quiet clap.58Please respect copyright.PENANAwqpuRXpitd
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────── ✠ ──────58Please respect copyright.PENANAv6dVvnunnp
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Before I could look properly, the woman in front stood up to take a photo. When she sat down again, Nora's hands were in her lap.58Please respect copyright.PENANAQ8yT9Xg0Dj
58Please respect copyright.PENANAu76IZeQkCv
“What?” Nora whispered.58Please respect copyright.PENANAgdeT3Shz0o
58Please respect copyright.PENANA6DZXLseeXU
“Nothing.”58Please respect copyright.PENANAzjA8wzthwk
58Please respect copyright.PENANASncvg7zMzY
Maybe she was trying not to knock her rings together. She was wearing three of them.58Please respect copyright.PENANA1F0vQlJT3d
58Please respect copyright.PENANAWISnStk6Af
My phone vibrated against my leg.58Please respect copyright.PENANAfCTajBMWr4
58Please respect copyright.PENANA4XWG1hJF00
Nora calling.
58Please respect copyright.PENANAyGbFHeZRAn
I showed her the screen.58Please respect copyright.PENANA1rKNqoXjfj
58Please respect copyright.PENANAYKzdMnopeL
“You're calling me.”58Please respect copyright.PENANAcvJcc1pVZp
58Please respect copyright.PENANAEC6v0ayOln
She glanced down. “That's strange.”58Please respect copyright.PENANA5sIxHKMpll
58Please respect copyright.PENANAIT4J0JG6Xl
“Where's your phone?”58Please respect copyright.PENANAkrj3wvCu9h
58Please respect copyright.PENANAGSKV8bY7ur
“In my bag.”58Please respect copyright.PENANAc6G5DwVqrg
58Please respect copyright.PENANAWS7jSMoVdJ
She reached under the seat for her bag. I answered before she sat up again.58Please respect copyright.PENANApi2VFXsaJj
58Please respect copyright.PENANAxaJsysvcgL
“Hello?”58Please respect copyright.PENANAuSWcgCkyqA
58Please respect copyright.PENANAuNcw4Bm1ef
“Lilith? Where are you?”58Please respect copyright.PENANAvTunXTCTzR
58Please respect copyright.PENANAV2eStQBUzr
It sounded like Nora, but she was out of breath.58Please respect copyright.PENANAzfpsCaK3zP
58Please respect copyright.PENANASihxYPicNk
“In the hall.”58Please respect copyright.PENANA7xP3xyzoSo
58Please respect copyright.PENANALl0ol8PrT2
“Which door are you near?”58Please respect copyright.PENANAVY0fgyqI6R
58Please respect copyright.PENANALGHswyRJAb
“The left one. Why?”58Please respect copyright.PENANAoGjOK4N0tE
58Please respect copyright.PENANAJp8GaRPzGO
I heard something scrape against the phone. Someone was speaking in the background, but I couldn't make out the words.58Please respect copyright.PENANAj5dSM1a0Zm
58Please respect copyright.PENANAeWuP9bB5Qv
“Don't leave with—”58Please respect copyright.PENANAeCyKX4F0hN
58Please respect copyright.PENANAzPIdfoN9hU
The sound started cutting out. I heard my name again, then the call ended.58Please respect copyright.PENANAToXOY13MOp
58Please respect copyright.PENANAUNs95NrCkR
Beside me, Nora sat upright with her phone in her hand. Its screen was black.58Please respect copyright.PENANAZeNlEcB9ss
58Please respect copyright.PENANAzE2YwFJLqh
“Who was it?” she asked.58Please respect copyright.PENANAMDI906ATez
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“You.”58Please respect copyright.PENANA3JsKjcUxsI
58Please respect copyright.PENANADtzTOAd40F
She pressed the side button. Nothing happened. “Mine's dead.”58Please respect copyright.PENANAnCbrpDYgQO
58Please respect copyright.PENANA7NIBlQMmFJ
I stared at the two phones.58Please respect copyright.PENANASax8MNOknG
58Please respect copyright.PENANAXMUP0u6aT9
“But I heard you.”58Please respect copyright.PENANAXLJRLA45rS
58Please respect copyright.PENANA27IffA7G4j
“Are you sure?”58Please respect copyright.PENANALnAkFbn3jz
58Please respect copyright.PENANAqWsxlXeteh
She didn’t laugh. That frightened me more than if she had.58Please respect copyright.PENANA1kNweLX43g
58Please respect copyright.PENANAVHOowveVwH
I called back, but no one answered. Eventually it went to voicemail.58Please respect copyright.PENANATlBYnPIl3i
58Please respect copyright.PENANAl4JECbjFUv
Onstage, someone dropped a metal tray. I jumped so hard that Nora put a hand on my arm.58Please respect copyright.PENANAlDss4Wcrui
58Please respect copyright.PENANAjhHn0yB99L
“Let's go outside.”58Please respect copyright.PENANAwV53zyUkZX
58Please respect copyright.PENANAaVxGeYWScD
“Jamie's last scene—”58Please respect copyright.PENANADJ1bmoLqkq
58Please respect copyright.PENANAG57taPUZ2S
“We'll stand by the doors. You'll still be able to see.”58Please respect copyright.PENANABNhAlFx4ir
58Please respect copyright.PENANAIPZATYCuZC
We moved into the aisle. She picked up her bag and waited while I put my phone away.58Please respect copyright.PENANADVvRbx9C4m
58Please respect copyright.PENANA9ca83Z59oF
It vibrated again.58Please respect copyright.PENANAFz80luzt93
58Please respect copyright.PENANAsKcTexWmfp
Stay where there are people.58Please respect copyright.PENANAlm91795YFm
58Please respect copyright.PENANAlRFUraAyfa
I stopped. Nora read the message over my shoulder. For a moment, neither of us spoke. Her hand was still on my arm.58Please respect copyright.PENANA5ozrAp1ECc
58Please respect copyright.PENANA1Spe9sXrJU
Then she said, “Call Mum.”58Please respect copyright.PENANAiJFJBkuQY6
58Please respect copyright.PENANA1iS4lPCfWd
That was exactly what my sister would have said.58Please respect copyright.PENANAzcCk9jtFAY
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Mum didn't answer. I could see her near the front, holding up her phone to record Jamie.58Please respect copyright.PENANAHKD45BjQQg
58Please respect copyright.PENANAsbFWayKYDI
Nora looked towards the stage. “She's filming. We'll find her afterwards.”
58Please respect copyright.PENANA0HvTIDeeW7
We stood by the doors at the back of the hall.
58Please respect copyright.PENANAFhAMSpgu80
She stayed beside me until the curtain came down.58Please respect copyright.PENANAzQu6HHn0RQ
58Please respect copyright.PENANAkMIEX983VV


