The night air was thick, wrapping around me like a weighted blanket.
I exhaled, long and slow, my breath barely making a dent in the chaos of my mind. My fingers curled over the balcony railing as I stared at the pool below. The water shimmered under the golden glow of the lights, but my chest felt tight, my stomach unsettled.
I shouldn't be here.
This wasn't my world.
I wasn't built for parties like thesewhere power dripped from the walls and people moved like chess pieces, calculating their next move. The alcohol was endless, the stares were lingering, and the whispersGod, the whispersprickled against my skin.
I shifted my weight, rolling my shoulders as a heavy sigh left my lips. My nerves were buzzing, but I couldn't pinpoint why.
Maybe it was the way Ryder danced downstairs, hi
