Chapter 21

I HEAR LANA’S MUSIC, JUST the same as any morning, but I don’t hear her feet on the floor, and she’s not singing. I peel my eyes open, but she’s not in the room either. Slipping out of bed, I throw a t-shirt on and head out to the kitchen.

Lana is sitting at the table, a cup of tea in front of her, steam wafting upward.

“Lana?” My throat’s a little hoarse from sleep.

She doesn’t react. Her eyes are big, and she’s chewing on her lip the way she does when she’s nervous. I love the way she does that.

“Lana,” I say again. It’s weird. She’s not sitting at her window seat, or dancing around the house, or smiling. She always smiles. “Lana,” I try again.

Finally, she snaps out of her thoughts, eyes still wide from being lost. “Huh?”

“What’s wrong?”

There is something wrong, I know it. She needs to trust me. I can help her.

She turns her wide eyes on me. She always spaces out when she’s nervous. I love how spacey she is. It’s usually cute, but right now…