Lucy wrapped the red scarf around her neck and smiled back, but this time, the smile didn't reach for permission.
Everything changed on a Tuesday afternoon when Lucy received a package by mistake. It wasn't the ergonomic keyboard she’d ordered. Inside the velvet-lined box was a vintage, leather-bound journal and a heavy brass key with a tag that simply read: The Midnight Gallery. 14 Wickham Lane. A Nice Girl Like You
Julian handed her a fountain pen filled with shimmering violet ink. "Write the first sentence. And make sure it’s something you’ve never said out loud." Lucy wrapped the red scarf around her neck
She leaned over the desk and wrote: Today, I decided to be difficult. Inside the velvet-lined box was a vintage, leather-bound
For the first time in her life, Lucy didn't check her watch. She didn't think about her five-year plan. She looked at the blank journal in her hands and realized it wasn't a mistake—it was an invitation. "What do I do first?" she asked.
Lucy gripped the pen. She thought of her boss, who took credit for her work. She thought of her mother, who insisted she marry the local dentist. She thought of the beige walls of her apartment.