Autumn's phone buzzed at 11:42 PM.
Unknown number.
She stared at the screen for a moment before opening the message.
Did you make it home safely?
Her eyebrows pulled together.
She typed back.
Who is this?
Three dots appeared almost instantly.
You know who it is.
She sighed.
How did you get my number?
Connections.
She rolled her eyes.
Luca.
Yes, Autumn?
She blinked.
You don't usually call people by their full names.
Maybe you're different.
Her heart did something strange.
She set the phone down.
Picked it up again.
You're annoying.
You're texting me back.
She huffed a quiet laugh.
What do you want?
Conversation.
It's midnight.
Exactly. Best time for it.
She hesitated.
Then she typed:
Fine. Five minutes.
I'll take it.
They talked for nearly two hours.
About music.
About family.
About the project they were supposed to be working on.
And slowly, piece by piece, the quiet girl with emerald eyes began letting Luca Hayes see parts of her that no one else noticed.