Bea stood in the middle of the living room, surveying the space around her. Streamers hung neatly from the ceiling, fairy lights twinkled softly against the walls, and a carefully arranged spread of snacks and drinks covered the table. She had spent hours planning every detail, imagining how the evening would unfold. But now, with the night stretching on in silence, it all felt fragile, almost pointless. All this… and tomorrow it will all go to waste, she thought bitterly, a pang of disappointment twisting in her chest.
Her fingers lingered over the edge of the table, brushing against the neatly folded napkins as if grounding herself in the reality of the moment. She had imagined the laughter, the music, the way Kafziel would look at her. But now that vision felt painfully out of reach. H
