The night of the poetry reading arrived faster than Lily expected.
She stood in front of her mirror, pulling at the hem of her sweater, unsure if it was too long, too short, or too… Lily. Her hair refused to stay where she wanted, but eventually she gave up and shoved a sketchpad into her backpack just in case. It was like a security blanket—if she had her art, she had something to hold on to.
The downtown library wasn't far. She took the bus, earbuds in, but no music playing. Her thoughts were loud enough.
The sky had gone indigo, the first stars blinking into view as she walked up the library steps. Through the tall glass doors, she saw people milling around inside—students, poets, a few older folks sipping coffee from paper cups. A mic stood at the front of a small reading nook filled with beanbags and mismatched chairs.
It felt… warm. Not like school. Not like the world she tried to disappear in.
Sophie spotted her almost immediately. She wore a denim jacket covered in pins and had her hair pulled up into a messy bun. She looked both terrified and thrilled.
"You came!" she said, grabbing Lily's wrist.
"I said I would."
"Yeah, but… people say things and don't always mean them."
Lily smiled. "I meant it."
They found two empty chairs near the front. Sophie kept tapping her foot, fidgeting with a folded piece of paper in her hands.
"You nervous?" Lily asked.
"I'm about to read a poem about my anxiety while having anxiety. It's like a performance art loop."
Lily laughed, and so did Sophie. It felt easy, the way laughter should. Not forced. Not rehearsed.
A few people read before Sophie. Some were stunning—words woven like silk. Others stumbled, their voices shaking, but everyone clapped anyway. There was no judgment here. Just brave people in soft light.
Then it was Sophie's turn.
She stood slowly, the paper trembling slightly in her grip. Her voice cracked at first, but then it settled into rhythm—raw, vulnerable, unfiltered.
She read about feeling small. About walking through hallways that narrowed with every step. About wanting to be noticed and invisible all at once.
Lily felt her chest tighten.
Because she wasn't just hearing Sophie's words—she was hearing her own story too.
When Sophie finished, the room filled with applause. Not thunderous, but real.
Sophie sat back down, face flushed. "That was… horrifying."
"You were amazing," Lily said.
Sophie looked at her. "You really think so?"
"I know so."
They stayed for a few more readers. Then, just as Lily was packing up her bag, someone brushed past her shoulder.
"Didn't expect to see you here."
She turned.
Nathan.
He wore his usual bookstore attire—rolled sleeves, dark jeans, and that faint scent of paper and cinnamon that somehow always followed him.
"What are you doing here?" Lily asked, surprised but smiling.
"Support group for wallflowers," he said, gesturing toward the chairs. "One of my coworkers was reading. She dragged me out."
"I didn't know you liked poetry."
"I like people finding ways to say things they can't say out loud."
Lily nodded. "That's why I draw."
"I know," he said softly. Then: "You looked like you belonged here."
She felt the heat rise in her cheeks. "I'm still figuring that part out."
"You're doing better than you think."
Sophie popped up beside them, a curious smile tugging at her lips. "Friend of yours?"
Nathan extended his hand. "Nathan. Local book peddler."
Sophie shook it. "Sophie. Nervous poet."
"Nice to meet you," he said, then turned back to Lily. "You want a ride home? I promise not to kidnap you unless you ask nicely."
Sophie raised an eyebrow, but Lily laughed. "He owns a bookstore," she explained. "He's… safe."
Nathan grinned. "Mostly."
Lily turned to Sophie. "You okay getting home?"
"I'm good. My brother's outside. Text me later?"
"I will."
As Lily followed Nathan out into the cool night air, she felt a strange flutter in her chest. He didn't say much during the drive—just let music fill the silence—but when they pulled up to her house, he glanced over.
"I'm glad you're saying yes to things now," he said.
She looked at him. "Me too."
Neither of them moved.
Then, quietly, Nathan added, "You're starting to glow, you know. Even when you think no one sees it."
Lily's breath caught.
"I see it," he said.
And then, like it was the most natural thing in the world, she smiled. A real one.