Karina:

The cool evening air brushed against my skin as we stepped out of the mall, our arms weighed down with shopping bags. The streets were lit with golden lights, and the distant hum of traffic filled the silence between Michael and me. I felt… different. Lighter. For the first time in years, I wasn’t trying to shrink myself. 

Michael glanced at me, his lips twitching into a smirk. “So, how does it feel?” 

I raised an eyebrow. “How does what ...