Anna sat on her bed, holding her phone.
She read Max’s message again.

“We should meet tonight.”
“We need to check everything.”

She looked at the door.

“My parents might hear me,” she thought.
“I can’t just walk out.”

She stood up and listened.
The apartment was quiet.

“They must be asleep…”

She slowly opened the door.
No sound.

“Okay… I can do this.”

She put on her hoodie and took her bag.

For a second, she stopped.

“Maybe I should stay,” she thought.
“It could be a bad idea.”

Then she smiled.

“No… I have to go.”

A minute later, she was outside.

Cool air, empty street, soft rain.

She looked at her phone and typed:
“I’m coming. You better be there.”