The skyscrapers were shining in different colors. A city that never sleeps. A dream destination she had been dying to visit.
Her dream had come true, and now she was standing here, in a room full of people who seemed to be on a completely different level than her. High black leather boots and a short black skirt with a black jumper. Her long wavy hair fell loosely over her shoulders.
When she looked around, she saw faces that had been appearing on her phone screen for years. They were casually walking around, chatting, each holding a glass of something, most likely alcohol.
She took a deep breath and put on her entertaining smile. This shouldn't be difficult. She had done it thousands of times while working at a theme park, especially in a country that values customer experience more than anything. Putting on a friendly smile and approaching people was a skill she had developed through experience.
She slowly walked toward the bar and slid a bill to the waiter. "An overfilled wine glass of grape juice." She didn't drink. Not in places like that. Not around people she didn't know.
An hour passed, and her social battery was running dangerously low. She needed a place to reset. Somewhere quiet. Her feet slowly carried her backward, still smiling at everyone around her, nodding and laughing at the right moment. An opening. She slipped out of the room and toward the dusty staircase used as an emergency exit. Her body dropped onto the stairs, exhausted. A long breath escaped her as she reached into her purse. She pulled out a pink journal, drew her knees to her chest to serve as a table, and let her pen slide across the page, pouring her thoughts out. At least the conversations, the music, and the atmosphere had sparked some ideas. Her mouth twitched as she scribbled down everything she might use later.
Then a shadow fell over he journal. Her pen stopped. She froze for a moment before slowly looking up. He stood there, leaning against the wall, his expression curious, his head tilted slightly. "Hi," he said the moment their eyes met. "Hi," she whispered back, hesitant. He paused, as if considering what to do next. Then he slid down the wall and sat beside her.
