Music Recommendation: Exile by Taylor Swift feat. Bon I've.
...…..
Elias stood backstage.
He stood half in shadow. The crowd outside was still buzzing. Amara's name was being repeated with that particular excitement that belonged only to authors who made people feel things they didn't want to feel.
Her laughter floated through the curtains now and then. Her laughter was so small and unforced.
She was signing books and smiling in that new way she did. He had seen it in the live interviews, and it bothered him in a manner he had no language for.
Joy shouldn't hurt to witness.
Elias lowered his eyes to the bouquet in his hand. They were lilies. Simple, white, and hopelessly earnest lilies. He could have sent roses. He could have brought orchids. He could have sent diamonds if he wanted to drown her in apology. But no, he sent lilies.
She looked happy out there.
Alive happy.
He hadn't known, until this moment, that the sight would bruise him.
