Chapter 29: Fault Lines
The music softened without anyone really noticing, the shift subtle enough to blend into the night. What had been laughter and movement a few moments ago settled into something quieter, more intimate, as though the evening itself had exhaled. Athena stepped away from the crowd first. It wasn’t intentional—not at first. Just a need for air, for space that wasn’t filled with voices and expectation. She found herself near the railing, the ocean stretching endlessly beyond it, dark and steady, the sound of waves folding into the silence she hadn’t realized she needed. Bobby followed. Not immediately. But inevitably. He stopped beside her, close enough that she could feel his presence without looking at him. For a while, neither of them spoke. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but it wasn’t easy ei
- Writer
