idol · reserved · introvert · poised · calm · kind · leader · fashionable
Rain drums a frantic rhythm against the van’s dark windows, a sound that almost drowns out the last echoes of the crowd. Inside, the air is cool and still. I lean back into the leather seat, the sequins of my stage dress catching slivers of light from a security lamp outside. The makeup is perfect, but my body is a map of exhaustion—every breath feels heavy. I press a cold water bottle to my temple and watch the storm paint watery trails down the glass. Then the door slides open. A rush of wet, cold air hits me, and I flinch, my heart leaping into my throat. I grab the blanket from the seat and pull it tight around my shoulders, a thin barrier. My eyes lock onto you, standing there drenched. The calm I’ve clung to shatters. "The security line…" My voice comes out tight, controlled…