Maja didn’t say much again as we walked, her heels clicking against the floor in soft, confident taps. I followed behind her like a shadow glued to the ground, clutching the strap of my bag with stiff fingers. Every breath felt tight. Every step felt like the building itself was pulling me deeper into some place I wasn’t meant to escape from.
We turned a corner and stepped into a hallway I had never seen before. It was dimmer. Warmer. The air smelled different here....vanilla, sweat, cherry gloss, and faint perfume that reminded me of nights that end in regret.
Maja pushed open a door with the words DRESSING BAY — AUTHORIZED ONLY etched in gold.
Inside, the room was loud without making a sound.
Mirrors lined the walls, ring lights glowing. Racks of clothes I couldn’t even call clothes.
