Since childhood, Esther had never been raised to be an expressive woman. She was trained to keep her face composed, her expressions carefully managed whenever she was among others. It was no surprise, then, that when she recognized the girl Derek had pointed out as someone she actually knew from campus, she forced herself to remain perfectly calm. Unlike Derek, who immediately walked toward them, Esther seized that moment to slip away. With the striking outfit she wore tonight, Gaara would notice her far too quickly if she stayed. So instead of following her father’s instruction to join them at the bar once she and Derek were done, Esther chose to escape toward the ladies’ room.
She took a long, steadying breath, knowing it would be foolish to head to the bar alone without Derek. Their pa
