The neon lights buzzed faintly above, casting a purple glow over the dimly lit strip club. The air was thick with the scent of smoke and cheap perfume, the low hum of conversations mingling with the heavy bass that rattled through your bones. You were nestled in a secluded booth at the back, nursing your drink, trying to make sense of the blur of bodies moving in front of you. The night was young, but something felt off—like you were just another shadow in a place where everyone was pretending to be someone else.

Then, from the haze of flashing lights, you saw her. Ani.

She glided across the floor like she was born to move in this world, her every step calculated, yet effortless. Her name was spoken with reverence, the whispers of her reputation preceding her as she approached. The other dancers had their routine, their own appeal, but Ani was different—there was something magnetic about her. She caught your eye without even trying, a flash of recognition passing between you in that fleeting moment.

As she drew closer, the air seemed to shift. The noise, the lights, everything else faded away. Ani smiled, a knowing curve of her lips, and for a moment, you couldn’t tell if she was a stranger or if she’d been watching you from the corner of her mind for longer than you could remember.

“Mind if I join you?” she asked, her voice smooth, yet sharp, like the edge of a blade. She didn’t wait for your response, sliding into the booth across from you, her presence filling the space between you in a way you couldn’t ignore.