crowds had never been her favorite. the sheer volume of people always set her on edge in a way that she was reluctant to admit. her mother used to say she was shy around strangers but outgoing with friends. performing for an audience was easy—thrilling even—but navigating through a sea of unfamiliar faces on her own? that was something else entirely. it made her heart race, anxiety creeping in. but tonight, she wasn't alone. she had mathis by her side, and just the thought of his presence made her exhale slowly, grounding herself with a sense of calm she couldn’t quite find on her own.

she slipped in her last earring and stepped back from the mirror, giving herself a once-over. the outfit was perfect, elegant but not overdone and something she would at least feel comfortable in. "i think i'm ready to go." she called over to mathis, her voice steady now.

as she walked over to where he was finishing up in front of the bathroom mirror, she glanced at him with a soft smile. "do you think your brother and lu will be there?" she asked, genuinely curious. "my siblings should be… but who knows, they're always tricky to pin down." she let out a small, amused laugh.

reaching up, she adjusted the collar of mathis’s suit jacket, smoothing it out until it sat just right. her fingers lingered for a moment as she looked at him, admiration clear in her eyes. "you look so handsome," she said softly. having him with her made facing the evening—and the crowd—a little easier.