"Is it happening?" she asked, her voice hushed as if a loud noise might scare the pixels away.
Suddenly, Leo’s phone chirped. A golden banner flashed across the screen: YOU WON. best place to buy theatre tickets in new york
"We're going," Leo grinned, tucking his phone away. "Rule number one of New York, kid: the best place to buy a ticket isn't a building. It's wherever luck meets a little bit of local knowledge." "Is it happening
"Then we go to the TKTS booth at Lincoln Center," Leo said, steering her away from the crowded Broadway hub. "It’s the secret weapon. No lines, all the same deals, and you get to see the fountain." "We're going," Leo grinned, tucking his phone away
They turned toward the theater, two small shadows disappearing into the glow of the marquee, joining the magic before the curtain had even risen.
The neon of Times Square pulsed like a frantic heartbeat, but Leo wasn't looking at the billboards. He was looking at his phone, watching the digital countdown of a virtual waiting room. Beside him, his niece, Maya, bounced on her heels.
"What if we don't win?" Maya asked, glancing at the long queue snaking around the Booth Theatre.