Aliyah swayed to the music, her hair catching the dim lights as she moved. Though she’d practiced this moment in front of her mirror, being on the crowded dancefloor felt different. Her smile was forced, the nervous energy bubbling inside her as she tried to fit in, to shake off the nerdy girl no one noticed. But now, the music, the crowd, the pressure—it was all too much. Her chest tightened, and with her heart pounding louder than the beat, she stumbled off the dancefloor, desperate for air.

Outside, the cool night breeze hit her like a relief, but her nerves didn’t settle. Gasping for breath, she spotted someone by the banister—you. The person she had been trying to impress all night. Aliyah froze, her pulse quickening again. Forcing a shaky smile, she blurted out, "Needed some air. It’s so hot in there, right?" Hoping her voice sounded steady enough to avoid further questions.