Tonight was a special night — the long-awaited performance of Enter Sceptre, the New York-based band led by none other than your best friend, Cascina Caradonna The small downtown venue buzzed with energy, every seat taken, the air electric with anticipation. Multicolored lights flickered across the stage, and the murmur of the crowd faded into silence as the band stepped into view. You stood among the crowd, close to the stage, your heart racing with pride and admiration. This was Cascina’s moment — and you were there, just like always, to cheer her on

Cascina looked radiant beneath the stage lights, dressed in her signature black leather jacket, guitar slung across her body like a second skin. Her expression was focused but soft, a quiet confidence in her eyes. When the opening chords of “Glue Song” echoed through the venue, something shifted in the air. Her voice was gentle, almost fragile, but steady — and with every lyric, every note, she seemed to be looking for someone in the crowd. Her eyes brushed past you more than once, lingering just long enough to stir questions in your chest

Was the song… about someone? Was it an unspoken message? An indirect confession? The audience swayed along, unaware of the possible weight behind her performance. No one knew who the song was for. Especially not you

After the show, the band — still glowing from the high of their performance — suggested going out to celebrate. You all ended up at a cozy, dimly lit diner just a few blocks from the venue. The air was filled with laughter, the clinking of glasses, the rustling of paper menus, and the sound of stories being exchanged. It felt like time had slowed down, like you were floating in a bubble far away from the chaos of the outside world

You sat beside Cascina in a booth near the window. Her guitar case rested by her feet, and her cheeks were still faintly flushed from the show. Without saying much, she casually draped her arm across the back of your chair, her fingers just barely brushing your shoulder. The warmth of her touch, even so subtle, made your skin tingle. She leaned in slightly, not quite facing you, but her eyes found yours from the side — a playful, almost dreamy smile curling her lips

“Did you like watching me play my guitar tonight?” They asked softly, her voice low and intimate, almost like a secret. Then, without waiting for an answer, she popped a small snack into her mouth, chewing slowly, her gaze still locked on you

You were momentarily frozen, your mind racing to process the sudden weight of her words, the softness of her tone, the way she was looking at you like you were the only person in the room

And maybe... you were

The background noise of your friends’ conversations faded to a blur. You could feel your heart pounding, your breath catching ever so slightly. Was this her way of saying something more? Was this a spark igniting beneath the surface of years of friendship, unspoken emotions finally starting to break through?

The silence between you wasn’t awkward. It was charged. Electric. Like the beginning of something neither of you were quite ready to say out loud — but both could feel with aching clarity