“Are you... okay?” she asked, lowering her voice.
“Yeah. I’m just worried the art museum will try to keep you.”
“I’m serious.”
He smiled. “Worried about me?”
She looked away. “I’m regretting it.”
Kian’s smile widened.
They stood a moment longer, the hush thickening. Riya stared again at the woman’s squared shoulders, how it echoed Kian’s guarded posture. She hadn’t realized how much his mother’s leaving had affected him. And for the first time, she felt an unwelcome tug—not just to untangle the curse, but to dig beneath it all. To see how deep it went. Maybe to ease it, if she could.
After all, that’s what friends did.
Mel’s voice broke the hush, tugging at her sleeve. “Come on, you two. There’s a Monet up ahead, and it’s not going to stare wistfully at itself.”
Riya followed, their footsteps echoing against the marble floors.
AtJapanese Footbridgeandthe Water Lily Pool, Giverny, they stopped. The soft blues bled into one another, like the painting were dissolving into itself.
“Now’s a good time, right?” Mel whispered. “To talk to Andrew?”
“Definitely.” Kian rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I’ll lure him over. I’ll text him that there’s an incredible painting he has to see.”
Riya raised an eyebrow. “He’ll ditch his friends for a painting?”
“Don’t underestimate the power of curiosity.”
Mel bit her lip. “Okay. And then what?”
“Then it’s up to you.” Kian shrugged. “Talk about the painting. Tell him it reminded you of him. But I guess you should pick a painting, first.”
Mel’s eyes lit up. “Oh!Sunflowers! I’ll meet him in front ofSunflowersby Van Gogh. They remind me of him—becausehe’sso sunny and bright, andthey’resunny and bright....”
“Done,” Kian said, already on his phone. A few seconds later, he grinned. “He’s on his way.”
“Oh my God.” Mel clasped her cheeks. “I can’t. I’m scared!”
“The painting’s close by,” Kian said, steering them toward the next gallery. “We’ll wait there with you. It’ll be fine.”
As they approachedSunflowers, its vibrant hues glowed under the museum lights. It was smaller than Riya had imagined, but the flowers seemed to sway in a nonexistent summer breeze.
Together, the three of them waited for Andrew in tense silence, until—
“Riya, Riya, Riya,Riyaaaa!” a voice sang from behind them.
Riya’s shoulders tensed at the familiar tune, a wave of irritation washing over her as she turned to see Quin splitting off from their group of friends, grin mischief-wide—then dimmed at Riya’s glare. “Please stop looking at me like you’recataloging all the ways you could kill me.”
“I refuse,” Riya replied. As usual, Quin’s sense of timing was the worst.
Quin’s attention slid to Kian. “Kian Kho out on a field trip—a rare sighting.”
Riya stepped half a pace in front of Kian. Quin missed nothing—especially when it came to her. Lately, they’d been watching Kian, too. Not with suspicion, exactly. More likeamusement. Like they’d caught the scent of something strange and couldn’t help prodding it. The same way they had during dodgeball.
“Interesting.” Quin’s glance darted between them. “And you’re enjoying yourself, Miss VP?”
“It’s fine,” Riya said shortly, adjusting the notebook under her arm.
