SCARLETT ROSE
Despite myself, I begin to see what they saw.
Kieran and Maya really were perfect together.
He seemed to love her with everything he had, without reservations, without limits.
The way he looks at me — at her — is so full of devotion that for a moment, I almost believe it’s me he loves.
But it’s not.
A pang of pain shoots through my chest, and my eyes begin to sting.
I can’t cry here.
I can’t shatter this dream, this memory, or whatever it is.
They’re watching me, smiling and happy, as if this dance is a celebration of something precious.
As we continue dancing, I begin to notice details I hadn’t before.
The red dress I’m wearing is heavier than it looks, the luxurious fabric brushing against my skin with every movement.
It seems perfectly tailored to Maya’s body,
