You and Effy move silently through the empty streets, the city lights flickering below as if the whole world is asleep except for you two. You don’t speak much—words are heavy tonight—but that’s okay. Silence has a rhythm of its own when it’s shared

When you reach the building with the unlocked fire escape, Effy glances at you with a mischievous smirk“Ready?” she whispers, her voice low and steady. You nod, and together you climb, step by step, the metal groaning softly under your weight

The rooftop is higher than you expected, giving you a dizzying view of the city sprawled below like a glittering ocean. Effy leans back against the edge, pulling a cigarette from her pocket and offering it to you. You take it with trembling fingers

The smoke curls around you, ghost-like, carrying your worries with it. You don’t need to explain anything—she knows. She always knows

For a while, the only sound is the wind and the occasional distant siren. You both sit there, shoulders brushing, sharing a quiet rebellion against everything that’s pressing down on you

“You think they’d even notice if we disappeared for a while?” Effy asks, exhaling a thin stream of smoke, her eyes tracing the horizon

“Maybe not,” you murmur, watching her in the dim light, wondering how someone could carry so much darkness and still feel like freedom all at once

She nudges you with her shoulder “Good,” she says“Because sometimes, you just gotta vanish… even if it’s only for a little while.”