Between the lines

Chapter 6

Madison zipped up her jacket as she stepped outside into the crisp evening air. The streetlights cast long shadows along Llyndarren's winding roads, and the faint hum of a distant train echoed through the town. She wasn't planning on going far—just enough to clear her head. The cliff mural from earlier still haunted her thoughts, as if the figure falling through glass was trying to tell her something.

As she walked, her phone buzzed in her pocket. Pulling it out, she saw Ryan's name light up the screen.

Ryan: What's your favourite piece so far?

Madison smiled and slowed her pace. He was the only person who got it—how the graffiti wasn't just pretty pictures, but something deeper.

Madison: The one of the cliff. It's so raw. What about you?

A moment later, his reply popped up.

Ryan: The face in the tree near the skate park. It's kind of haunting, but in a good way.

Madison had to agree. That one had been striking—half-hidden among the branches, as if it had been waiting to be discovered.

The next morning at school, Madison couldn't stop thinking about their conversation. She even walked past the skate park during lunch to get another look at the mural. She didn't know why, but the art made her feel connected to something bigger than herself, like she wasn't just some girl in a tiny, forgettable town.

"Madison!" Evie called, jogging up behind her. "Why do you always wander off? I've been looking everywhere for you."

"Sorry," Madison said, not turning around. She was still staring at the mural. "I just... needed to see this again."

Evie rolled her eyes. "You're seriously obsessed. You know that, right?"

"Maybe," Madison admitted. "But don't you wonder who's behind it all? I mean, how do they come up with this stuff? It's so... perfect."

"Perfect?" Evie laughed. "It's cool and all, but it's just paint, Maddie. Chill."

Madison sighed. Evie didn't get it, and maybe she never would.

Later that evening, Madison sat at her desk, absently sketching while the faint sounds of her mum watching TV drifted through the house. She wasn't really focused on her drawing—her thoughts kept drifting back to the murals.

What if she left a message for the artist?

The idea came out of nowhere, but it made her heart race. She grabbed her sketchpad and started scribbling out ideas. Nothing too obvious—just something small, a symbol or a phrase that only the artist would understand.

As she worked, she thought back to what Ryan had said about the face in the tree. There was something hauntingly beautiful about it, like it had been watching the town long before they ever noticed it.

Before she knew it, an hour had passed, and her notebook was full of ideas. She flipped through the pages, unsure if any of them were good enough. Eventually, she landed on a small, simple design—a heart with broken glass shards radiating outward, like it was cracking apart.

She stared at it, wondering if she'd ever have the courage to actually paint it somewhere.

Her phone buzzed again.

Ryan: You free tomorrow after school?

Madison's pulse quickened.

Madison: Yeah, why?

Ryan: Meet me at the coffee shop on High Street. 4:30.

She stared at the screen, biting her lip. Was this just another one of their random hangouts, or was it... something else?

The next day dragged on endlessly. By the time the final bell rang, Madison was practically sprinting out the door. When she got to the coffee shop, Ryan was already there, sitting by the window with a cup of tea in front of him.

"Hey," he said, standing up when he saw her. "Thought you might've bailed."

Madison rolled her eyes. "As if. What's up?"

Ryan hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. "So, this might sound weird, but... I think we should team up."

Madison blinked. "Team up? For what?"

He leaned closer, lowering his voice. "To figure out who the mystery artist is."

Her heart skipped a beat. "You're serious?"

"Dead serious," Ryan said. "You keep noticing stuff I miss, and I've been hearing things around town that you probably haven't. If we work together, we might actually figure it out."

Madison stared at him, her thoughts racing. She hadn't told anyone about her plans to leave a message for the artist—she wasn't even sure she was going to go through with it. But teaming up with Ryan? That was... tempting.

"Okay," she said finally. "But if we do this, we have to keep it quiet. No telling anyone else."

Ryan grinned. "Deal."