Chapter 29

• Eena sank back into the soft cushions of the car seat, staring out the window as the city passed by. The streets were quieter than usual, remnants of the party still lingering in her mind. Her thoughts refused to settle. Diego. Mateo. Valeria. Who were they really? And why did she feel a pull, a sense of unease, at seeing them together? Her mind replayed the image over and over, twisting it, questioning her own eyes. Had she really seen Diego talking with them, cloaked under a hoodie, speaking quietly like he was hiding something? Or had her tired mind tricked her?
• Her fingers shook slightly as she pulled out her phone. She typed, deleted, typed again. Finally, she sent a message to the number Diego had called her from the last time: “Hi, where are you?” She stared at the screen, willing it to blink with a response. Nothing. Not even a “seen.” Her chest tightened.
• She tried dialing him. The line rang once, twice, and then an automatic voice said it was unreachable. Her heart sank. Unreachable. The word rang cold in her mind. She swallowed hard and rested her head against the glass. Maybe it was better this way, she thought. Maybe some things were meant to stay unknown.