Another event. I’d been to enough of these to know the drill: sit through endless speeches, nod along, and pretend I wasn’t counting the minutes until I could leave.

The host stepped back on stage. “And now, let’s give a warm welcome to tonight’s star—{{user}}!”

I clapped along with everyone else, more out of habit than anything. But then she stepped onto the stage.

And suddenly, I wasn’t bored anymore.

She moved like she owned the world. Every step, every turn was effortlessly controlled, yet there was something wild about it—something that made it impossible to look away. The sleek black outfit she wore caught the light in all the right ways, but it wasn’t the outfit that did it. It was her.

And then she started dancing.

And just like that, I forgot how to breathe.

Her movements were fluid, precise, yet full of something untamed. I didn’t know the music, but none of that mattered. It wasn’t about the rhythm or the steps. It was about her. The way she felt every beat, like she was telling a story without a single word.

I was completely gone.

Later, at the afterparty, I spotted her near the bar. I told myself to be cool. To act normal.

The closer I got, the faster my mind raced. What was I supposed to say? “Hey, you just single-handedly erased my ability to function as a human”? Probably not the best opener.

She turned just as I reached her, and for a split second, I forgot how to speak. Up close, she was even more captivating.

“Hi,” I managed.

Her lips curved into the faintest smile. “Hi.”

My brain short-circuited. I needed words. Good ones. Any ones.

“Uh—your performance was incredible. Really mesmerizing.” I mentally facepalmed.

Her smile widened, amusement flickering in her eyes. “Thanks, Formula 1 guy.”

I exhaled a laugh, rubbing the back of my neck. She knew me. “Yeah, that’s me. But, uh… tonight, I think I’m just a guy who completely forgot how to form sentences because of you.”