Sophia glanced at her watch; it was almost 6:00 p.m. Her heart still raced from the message Victor had sent earlier:
Victor: Be ready by 7. We're going out. Dress classy.
It was just a text, but so much weight hung on it. Since the first date, things had been. tense. He was pulling away again, just when she thought they had put much of the struggle behind them. She still remembered the night he opened his heart to her about his past. A turning point, she had hoped, bringing them closer. Yet, Victor remained distant. Still, the idea of a night out together stirred something inside her. Was this his way of trying again?
Lexie had arrived about half an hour ago, beaming as she greeted Sophia at the door.
"Alright, girl, spill. Victor's taking you out again? He sent you a message? This sou
