第9部分(第2/7 頁)

　door。　They　were　greeted　by　silence　instead　of　a　loud　siren。　“That’s　been　there　for　years；”　he　explained；　walking　out　onto　the　unfinished　tar…covered　roof。　Around　them；　other　people　were　on　their　own　rooftops；　setting　off　rogue　fireworks；　toasting　each　other；　and　laughing。

“I　love　it　up　here；”　Hollis　said。　“It’s　like　a　party　in　the　sky。　LA　was　nothing　like　this。　In　LA；　you　always　have　to　get　in　your　car　to　do　just　about　anything。　Here；　everyone’s　so　connected。”　He　shrugged　as　he　sipped　his　beer　and　surveyed　the　surrounding　rooftops。　“I　kind　of　wish　I　had　my　camera。”

“I　have　mine。”　Vanessa　pulled　her　camera　out　of　her　messenger　bag　and　offered　it　to　him。　She　crossed　her　arms　over　her　chest　and　clamped　her　teeth　together　so　they　wouldn’t　chatter。　She　didn’t　want　Hollis　to　know　how　cold　she　was；　because　she　didn’t　want　him　to　suggest　they　head　back　downstairs。

Is　that　so？

Hollis　took　the　camera　carefully　from　her　hands　and　pointed　it　in　her　direction。　“I’m　glad　we　came　up　here；”　he　said；　slowly　panning　the　camera　so　it　took　in　the　other　rooftops。　He　stopped　once　he　came　to　Vanessa。　“So；　tell　me　the　story　of　your　life。　Maybe　I　can　make　it　into　a　movie　that’ll　get　me　out　of　my　five…hundred…square…foot　apartment。”

“Do　you　use　all　your　students　for　story　ideas？”　Vanessa　took　a　sip　of　PBR　to　stop　herself　from　saying　anything　else　stupid。　Why　was　she　suddenly　so　nervous？　She’d　spent　plenty　of　time　alone　with　Hollis；　debating　the　merits　of　Cassavetes　after　class。　But　for　some　reason；　being　alone　with　him　right　now　felt　scary　and　thrilling　at　the　same　time。

“As　you　pointed　out：　You’re　not　my　student　anymore。　Now；　sit　on　the　picnic　table　over　there　and　tell　me　more　about　yourself。　That’s　an　order；”　he　added；　a　playful　smile　snaking　across　h