Page 104 of If We Meet Again

“What did you do?” Ashley said, frowning.

“I accused her of moving on suspiciously fast. I basically said she must have been cheating on me when we were together,” Emily cringed.

“Do you really believe that?”

“No, but now she won’ttalk to me.”

“Were you drunk when you accused her of these things?”Ashley said.

“I was slightly intoxicated, yes. What’syour point?”

“You’re an idiot when you’re drunk, everybody knows that. I’m surprised she’s not just accepted it and forgiven you already.”

“I’ve attempted to call her and text her a dozen times. No response.” Emily sagged in the armchair, frustrated by herown lunacy.

“Okay, I can see it’s bothering you and I don’t want you sitting here all night on your own.”

Emily perked up. “So?”

“So, you can be a part of the evening I have planned.”

“Yay!” She jumped from her seat and threw her arms around Ashley. “Wait, what do you mean ‘bea part of’?”

“There is a little more to the evening than just dinner at The Campbell Bar.”

Emily’s eyes lit up. “What do you mean?”

“If I tell you, you have to keep it a secret, and I mean it, you can’t go acting all strange for the rest ofthe night.”

“No to strange, got ya.”

Ashley took a deep breath and prepared for the squeals. “Here we go,”she mumbled.

***

The‘whispering gallery’inside Grand Central Station, as it’s referred to, was an acoustic oddity Ashley was yet to experience. She had only heard of the unusually perfect archways on the lower level that could carry the sound of your whisper. After asking around, it seemed to be true, but she was yet to testit herself.

“What are we doing?” Madison laughed.

“Trust me, I heard about this from some people at work. I want usto try it.”

“Try standing against a wall? This isn’t my idea of adate night.”

“Very funny. Apparently, if you face the wall at that side of the archway and I do it at this side we should be able to heareach other.”

Madison raised her eyebrow. “Have you gone mad?”

“Trust me. Face the wall,” Ashley said as she made her way to the opposite side. Reluctantly, Madison turned to face the wall. She stood right in the corner of the arch between two parts of the wall that extended out.

Once Ashley reached the opposite side, she did the same. The smell of concrete filled her nostrils.Here goes nothing,she thought.

“Can you hear me?”

“Yes!” Madison giggled, “I can actually hear you.”

“Crazy, right? I wasn’t sure if itwould work.”

“It’s so weird. I do feel a bit silly though,” Madison confessed.