Amara walked into the art exhibition Elias had invited her to the day he'd stopped by at her house. She wasn't sure what she was doing here, or why she'd even come.
The air smelled faintly of varnish and wine. Conversations rose and fell like soft background music, broken only by the occasional burst of laughter from somewhere near the champagne table.
Her heels clicked against the polished floor as she wandered, eyes skimming over the frames on the walls. Gold-gilded edges, perfectly spaced, and perfectly lit.
She didn't know what she was looking for, or if she was even looking at the art. Mostly, she was aware of the fact that she felt like a misplaced puzzle piece in a room full of people who belonged.
She drifted to a quiet corner, with a glass of champagne in her hand. She leaned against the wall. She took a sip, her eyes lingering on a piece across the room more out of politeness than interest.
She suddenly felt an unmissable shift in the air.
