We sat down at the same place she'd been sitting alone before I came. The setup was two to a table, elegant and intimate, like it was made to force closeness. Maybe that's why she'd looked so tense earlier. Sitting alone at a table meant for two… it must've felt like a spotlight on everything that wasn't right between us.
I sank into my seat beside her. The soft fabric creaked faintly as I leaned back, pretending to look comfortable. From the corner of my eye, I saw Val reach for her glass. She took a slow sip, graceful and calm, but her movements were practiced, the kind that said she was holding herself together.
The orchestra played something low and smooth from across the hall. The sound blended with the faint chatter, the clinking of cutlery, and the occasional burst of polite laughter from nearby tables.
