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

Chapter 19

Luz laughed, half-breathless, as she held out her hand toward the phone. She ran a fingertip down the edge of the device as Amity crinkled her eyes and tilted her head against the couch cushion beside her. It had only been a day for her, a day at most—even if she counted those long, horrible hours waiting for the Siren at the Met performance to begin, she had been with Amity longer than she had been apart. But now? Seeing the golden-eyed girl curl up against a couch somewhere else in the world? It hurt. She wanted nothing more than to reach out and feel those familiar slender fingers lace themselves around hers. She felt the loss of Amity's presence then, sharp and keen, and she had to swipe at her eyes. "How—" Luz sniffed, and wiped the back of her thumb across her face, "How are you?"

Amity smiled so bright, it was blinding. "I've been alright," She replied as she hooked her sweatshirt sleeve around her palm and brushed back along her cheekbones, "But better, now." The auburn-haired girl put her fingers in front of her lips again as she huffed a laugh, biting her lower lip after she whispered, "I'm better now." She giggled, and Luz felt that familiar thrill dance up her spine at the sound, "And you?" the pale girl asked.

Luz puffed her cheeks out as she exhaled noisily, "Well," she laughed, blinking and staring around the room, "I just woke up this afternoon? Pretty, uh, well rested I guess?" She shrugged with one shoulder as she chuckled and shook her head, "It's... It's so weird," she said as she looked up toward Amity's eyes, "I saw you yesterday. To me, I mean, but then I'm told it's really been four months?" She blinked rapidly for a moment before she huffed, "At least I dreamed about you."

Amity breathed in softly, and exhaled, "You did?"

"Yeah," Luz smiled, "We would sit and watch the stars." She watched as Amity looked down at her lap in something like shame, blinking and wiping at her eyes.

The pale girl shifted around, turning to lie down on the couch so she could cradle the phone in both hands, just gazing at Luz. She bit her lip as she closed her eyes, breathing out long and slow. "I missed you, Luz," Amity said softly as she opened her eyes, giving the brown-haired girl a pained smile.

"I'm sorry, hermosa."

Amity blinked away sudden tears and covered her eyes with her sleeve-wrapped hand. She took a shuddering breath and whispered, "I missed you so much." She breathed out once, like a sob, and then bit her lip again, her mouth trembling.

Luz let loose a watery breath of her own, her chest aching and heavy with guilt at the sight of Amity crying. She didn't cause it on purpose, but she had caused it. It had been a long time since she hated herself as much as she did at that moment. "I— I'm sorry," Luz forced the words out through the lump in her throat, "I'm sorry I left you alone for so long."

"You didn't—" Amity choked and swallowed a sob, shaking her head behind the hand still covering her eyes, "It wasn't on purpose, I know—"

"—Still," Luz interrupted, and Amity pulled her hand down just enough for Luz to see her eyes, "Still. It's the last thing I wanted to do." She reached out again to touch the side of the phone, and Amity turned her head as if to push into her tanned fingers. Her heart thudded in her chest, a great weight pressing down on her lungs. Her fingers ached to wipe away the pale girl's tears. She watched Amity sniff and wipe at her eyes again, breathing out a smile as she noticed Luz staring. "Were you alright?" the brown-haired girl asked, worried about what she would hear.

"Yes," Amity nodded, pressing her lips together before breathing a laugh, "Camila and Eda let me stay in— in your room when I wasn't— I-I hope you don't mind." Luz shook her head and whispered not at all. "I— uh," the pale girl blinked and made a face, looking away for a moment, "I borrowed some of your books, um—"