Fiona:
The silence that followed Dustin and Paige's dramatic exit felt deafening. I stood frozen in the center of the gallery, my heart hammering against my ribs as thirty pairs of eyes studied me with varying degrees of curiosity, sympathy, and judgment.
"Well," Brenda Sterling announced loudly, breaking the uncomfortable quiet, "that was certainly more entertaining than most gallery openings I attend."
A few people chuckled nervously. Others began moving toward the paintings again, though I could feel their stolen glances and hear the whispered conversations that followed their footsteps.
Maya appeared at my side, her face flushed with concern and barely contained fury. "Fiona, I am so sorry. I had no idea this would happen."
"It's not your fault," I managed, though my voice sounded
