The Siren at the Museum (The Girl Who Sang #1)

Chapter 4

Luz led Azura through the colonnade behind the security desk, walking under the high arches bracing the third- and fourth-floor balconies, and the girls stepped out into the Museum Atrium. Benches, potted trees, and information panels were scattered about on the ground floor, with a few circular welcome center stations where museum employees stood to assist visitors. White granite columns rose to meet the roof high above, decorated with banners and flowering green creeping vines, and balconies on the left and right formed the walls for the rectangular space. Clouds stretched out overhead, visible through the crystal skylight spanning the open area, as well as through the massive windows in the far wall. Walkways for the third and fourth floors crossed the atrium at the far end, where people stood either looking down at the other visitors or pointing out over the South Lawn. "They can control the glass up there," Luz pulled Azura close as she pointed up at the ceiling, "It goes semi-transparent at noon when the sun is really bright overhead, and then during Night Exhibits it's crystal clear so you can see the stars." Azura's eyes sparkled as she looked up in wonder.

"The West Hall," Luz grinned at her wide-eyed companion, motioning to her right, "holds the Fine Art exhibits, while the East Hall," she motioned to their left, "Has all the natural history stuff. Animals, geology, that kinda thing." She turned to face Azura, still holding her hand, "Where would you like to go?"

The pale girl turned her golden eyes up at Luz and stared at her with an unreadable look. "What is it, cariño?" Luz asked with a gentle voice. Azura blinked a few times, then raised the notebook. Luz let go of her hand and stepped close as the other girl wrote a few sentences.

I RARELY GET TO MAKE DECISIONS. WHAT I WANT DOESN'T MATTER. MOTHER CONTROLS MY LIFE.

Luz frowned and shook her head, "That's not okay, Azura... and it matters to me." She placed a hand on Azura's arm as the shorter girl leaned forward to push her black beanie-wrapped forehead against Luz's collarbone for a moment, before standing up and pointing at the page.

THANK YOU

Luz gave her a smile, and stepped over to stand beside Azura, hooking her hand over her left elbow, "Listen, I'm here all the time, so you're in charge." The brown-eyed girl motioned toward the notebook with her free hand and said, "What would you like to see first?"

THE ART

"This way then, mi preciosa," Luz said with a flourish and a bow, shooting a cheesy grin up at the golden-eyed girl. Azura turned a light shade of pink, and Luz smiled wide. As they walked toward the main corridor bisecting the Atrium, Luz motioned toward the balconies above them. "The Paintings and watercolors are up on the fourth floor, fabrics and, uhhh," she thought for a moment, then snapped her fingers, "textiles—that's what they're called—are on the third, and the photography and mixed-media prints are on the second floor." She pointed straight into the corridor ahead and added, "Sculptures and statues, stone work—heavy stuff like that—are down that way. So," Luz squeezed Azura's elbow with her fingers and asked, "What kind of art would you like to see first?"

I'D LIKE TO SEE THE PAINTINGS

"To the stairs!" Luz exclaimed, and gave Azura a gentle tug. The two started up the white marble switchback staircase as Luz began to ramble, "So what did you think of Steve?" Thumbs-up.

"I told you he was a great guy, he's worked here for years. I'm not sure who's worked here longer, him or Tía Lily. Oh!" Her brown eyes lit up as she half-turned toward Azura, stumbling up a step, "Did I tell you about Steve and Lilith?" Thumbs-down.

Luz clapped her free hand to her cheek, "Omigosh! Steve loves my aunt so much, he'd be, like, really good for her, but she just doesn't notice stuff like that. She always thinks he's joking when he asks her out on dates," Luz rolled her eyes, "or she thinks it's like a work-outing-type situation and she invites other people to go along, but—I think—he knows she's not being oblivious on purpose." She chuckled and ran her fingertips along the banister as they turned the corner of the staircase, starting up another flight of stairs, "It's actually happened so many times their coworkers have started a betting pool on when they'll finally get together. It's like something on the Hallmark channel, you know, handsome-big-city-security-guard falls for small-town-archeologist—" Azura scribbled HANDSOME? and gave Luz a questioning eyebrow, and the brown-haired girl stammered for a moment before blushing, "—I don't have a crush on him, if that's what you're implying, missy, it's just an observation. Y'know, objectively speaking, he's not an ugly dude—just like you're not some ugly chica." Luz smirked as a blush crawled up Azura's face, visible above her scarf, "Besides, I'm his number one cheerleader in his quest to catch Tía Lily's attention. He'll keep improving himself and he'll ask her out one day and she'll say, 'why not', and it will be so gosh-darn cute."