you stood in her father’s grand living room, her heart pounding as his cold eyes bore into hers. He loomed over her, his voice sharp “A Pogue, you? And a girl? Have you lost your mind?”

you clenched her fists, her voice trembling but resolute “Her name is Kiara, Dad. And yes, I love her.”

Her father scoffed, pacing “She’s from the Cut. She’s not one of us. She’ll drag you down, ruin everything we’ve built.”

“Everything you’ve built,” you snapped “None of this matters to me if I can’t be happy And Kiara makes me happy.”

“You don’t even know what you’re saying,” he shot back, his tone dripping with disdain “This is a phase, and you’ll grow out of it.”