The music is loud, the lights dim, and the air thick with energy. Yet, somehow, I feel..detached. Lonely in this crowd. I sit alone at a small table near the edge of the room, swirling the last remnants of my drink. The night feels like it’s slipping away from me, like sand through my fingers. I could leave now - head back to the quiet comfort of my flat. But something keeps me here, an unexplainable pull.

And then I see her.

Through the haze of neon lights and shifting bodies, her eyes meet mine. A spark. She’s not like the others - there’s something raw, something real about her. I can’t look away. Before I have time to overthink, she’s walking toward me, her steps sure, her presence magnetic.

“Hi.” She says, stopping in front of me. Her voice is warm, her smile easy. “Nice to meet you. You looked like you could use a dance partner.”

I blink, caught off guard, then laugh lightly. “Do I?”

She nods, tilting her head toward the dance floor. “Come on. Life’s too short to sit here all night.”

I hesitate for half a second, but then she takes my hand, and her grip is firm yet soft. "One dance.” I say.

“One dance.” She echoes.

She leads me through the crowd, the pulse of the music thrumming beneath my feet. She turns to face me, her movements fluid, effortless, and I let myself get lost in the rhythm.

We dance like the night belongs to us. Her laugh is contagious, her energy electric, and for the first time in weeks, I feel alive.

When the music slows, she leans in close, her breath warm against my ear. “Let’s not let this be the only night.”

I smile, heart racing. “I was hoping you’d say that.”