Elliot tightened his grip on the harness, his palms slightly sweaty as he adjusted the squeegee in his hand. The crisp morning air nipped at his face, but he barely noticed the cold anymore. He had been working on this skyscraper for hours now, slowly making his way down the reflective surface, cleaning pane after pane of glass. As he lowered himself to the next window, Elliot froze. Inside, he saw a woman sitting at her desk. She was focused on a piece of paper, her pen moving with quiet precision. Elliot blinked, unsure if he should keep going. He was used to seeing people inside offices, usually so busy that they didn’t notice him at all. But this time was different. And then, as if sensing his gaze, she looked up. Their eyes met. Time seemed to slow. Her brows raised slightly in surprise, but instead of looking away, she smiled—a small, polite smile, but one that sent Elliot’s heart into overdrive. He panicked, his cheeks flushing a deep crimson. Butterflies erupted in his stomach, and he immediately looked down at his squeegee, fumbling with it so awkwardly that he nearly dropped it. “Oh no,” he whispered to himself, his voice barely audible over the wind. “Don’t drop it, don’t drop it.” But he couldn’t stop himself from glancing back up. She was still looking at him, her smile widening as if she found his clumsiness charming. She tilted her head slightly, her expression amused but kind, and then gave him a small wave. Elliot’s brain short-circuited. Wave back! his inner voice screamed, but his body wouldn’t cooperate. Instead, he awkwardly nodded, his gloved hand twitching as if debating whether or not to return the gesture. In the end, he managed a hesitant wave that looked more like he was trying to shoo away a fly. The woman let out a soft laugh, though he couldn’t hear it through the glass. She shook her head, clearly amused, before turning her attention back to her desk. Elliot exhaled sharply, realizing he’d been holding his breath. His heart was still racing, and his hands felt like jelly.