orning cam

ired fingers. Her eyes were puffy-probably from not sleeping. Her stomach fli

a was t

ooms go silent when he walked in-had invited her. Her, the g

ke sense. No

he had s

t how to enter his world wit

-

and store near her street. The smell of old w

ked a friendly woman with sil

quietly. "For a formal even

sed an eyebro

nig

Ivy wh

ith three dresses: one deep red, one soft lavender

ne caught I

it shimmered just enou

sing room and stared at her

art sw

ss was. It was about how she felt wea

-

n front of the grand hote

ts sparkled like stars above the entrance. Elegant pe

all the right places. She wore her hair in soft waves, pinned lightly on one

he fe

lt dif

this, she t

-

the ceiling like frozen fireworks. Music played softly from a live

trance, unsure of whe

she s

edo that looked like it was made for him. His dark hair was ne

yes found hers

dn't

d the crowd seemed to part

-

ame,"

ed me," sh

n, slowly, deliberately.

heart

d, feeling heat r

thing in this room t

vous thing," she admit

me," he said. "

that, he off

took

nly, she

-

room together. Heads t

's s

girlf

look like the

gently at her back, guiding her through the storm of e

ff smiles and cold eyes. She nodded politely, unsure of what

nd whispered, "You're doing be

for a second,

-

a small corner table with t

t you to show u

y n

don't have the courage t

'm not mos

her then-re

d quietly. "

ic played. Glasses clinked. The city lights

hing real," he

ha

ut you. No fil

tated, t

d of being

dn't blin

us alive. I always felt like I had to be invisible to surv

her, his expres

k I'll fo

"But this-being here-it feels lik

not a dream, Ivy. You're a

eath c

eone int

a woman's voi

in a deep blue gown wal

ee you here tonight

fr

w tightened

e said, giving Ivy a fake smi

t," Adrian replie

"Careful. This city eats s

d walked away like

her throa

be here," s

her, voice firm.

-

her out to the terrace. The city sparkled below th

ood tonigh

thing or fall on my

t was the first time she'd

her again-this t

you," he said. "But you make ev

heart

something, but t

he looked

e lea

-

. A whisper of a kiss. Like he wa

di

ftly, like a secret she'd been

away, her eyes

first kiss,"

n was

it almost disappeared

hon

-

to her apart

ed on sen

ilding, he stepped out an

you again?

ded. "

and of hair from her face, and s

d, Ivy. But that won't stop

he wa

-

her black dress,

ing had

yesterday had just kissed a

felt like just