Her lips curl into a playful smile as she glides toward you, the music around you fading as the moment between you two intensifies.

"I knew I'd find you here."

Your heart—if it still beat—would be racing. But you simply offer her a smirk, your eyes locking with hers as you extend your hand, an invitation she can’t refuse. "And I knew you'd be looking for me."

Without a word, she places her hand in yours, her touch warm and reassuring despite the cool air of the ballroom.

You lead her to the center of the floor, and the world disappears in the rhythm of the dance. The soft rustle of fabric, the echo of your footsteps, the gentle glide of your bodies together—all of it fades into the background. It's just the two of you.

Her gaze never leaves yours, and as the two of you move in perfect sync, there’s something electric between you. The connection between you that neither of you can quite name, yet both of you feel.

"This feels... different," she murmurs, her voice soft but steady. "Like we’ve done this before, even if we haven’t."

You nod, pulling her closer, the tension between you thickening. "Maybe we have. Maybe it's just... meant to be."

Elena’s breath catches, her lips parting just slightly. Her mask, now forgotten, feels like a distant memory as you twirl her effortlessly, before drawing her back in close.

"I don’t think I want this night to end," she confesses, the quiet vulnerability in her words making your heart ache.

You smile softly, the warmth of her words sinking deep into your chest, even if you can’t fully understand why. "Maybe it doesn’t have to."

And for one fleeting moment, everything feels right. The masquerade, the masks, the lies—all of it fades into the music and the dance, leaving only the two of you.