“I can protect myself,” she retorted.

She sure could—Glory had just ratted out Wally Beery for flirting with a thirteen-year-old extra. But Lionel had seen the way Glory and Beery looked at each other. That girl’s beautiful blue eyes sure could turn green fast. He touched his hat. “I’m going to Riverview to find my notebook. Don’t want anyone stealing my ideas.”

“Fat chance.” Glory sniffed.

Chapter 76

Chapter 76

AFTER GLORY LEFT, Pin had made her way back through the park, sleeves rolled up and hands slung in her knickerbocker pockets, head thrown back to stare raptly at the grey sky. She sauntered past Red Friend, grinning like she hadn’t heard his bally a thousand times—“Happened right where you’re standing, friend—that very spot!” She didn’t even pause to watch the crowd outside the shuttered Hippodrome, where policemen chased away photographers trying to sneak in.

She felt pixilated, like one of those pictures from the funnies that showed someone with bluebirds flying from their eyes. She could hardly bear to think of Glory’s mouth pressed against hers: the memory made her so happy she was afraid she might wear it out, the way film reels decayed after being played day after day.

Yet she couldn’t keep it from her mind, or the thought of Glory’s hand in hers, how she’d cocked her head and gazed at Pin with that sly half smile.

I suppose you’re just braver than me…

No one had ever thought she was brave. She’d never thought she was brave. Girls never were, unless they were martyred saints, like Joan of Arc.

But Pin wasn’t dead. And Glory’s kiss proved she would never be a saint. The longing to be with her again made her feel restless, frantic even. She needed to get Lionel’s notebook from her mother’s booth. Once she retrieved it, she’d hit up Max for Lionel’s delivery and streetcar fare, and head to Uptown and Essanay.

But that meant waiting for Max to show up. Maybe she could cadge the fare from her mother now. Then she could make two trips to the studio: one to deliver Lionel’s notebook, the other after she saw Max and got Lionel’s cigarettes.

The arcade was thronged with boys and girls her own age. Of course: kids were admitted free today. Pin tugged down her cap to hide her face. She didn’t want to chance running into anybody from one of her old schools.