Amara's POV:
It's the weekend after a week filled with good bruises, events, and shocks. Finally, I can rest a bit without caring about anything.
"Ama, Ama," Jia was calling as if I would not listen to her right now, the world will start eating air instead of food.
"Coming," I shouted and started running towards the living room."What?" I asked as I sat on the sofa beside her."Guess what?" she asked as if she had gotten the chairman position in the Supreme Court."What? You won a lottery or got the chairman position," I answered, trying to be disinterested."Shut up, you punk," she said and handed me a cover letter, same as on her hands."Open it," she said while getting extremely excited.
I opened it, and now I can't blink my eyes. It was an invitation from S&R Law Firm for the Sunday Evening Party. But why me? Jia is an Intern there, so it's valid for her to get an invitation, but why me? I looked at Jia, and she was literally over the seventh sky, not about her own invitation, but because I would join her there.
"Now, don't waste any more time. Let's go shopping. We will buy some nice dresses and accessories, and yes, a nice pair of heels," she said while grabbing me with my forearm.
"Ahhhh, why am I even invited there? I don't work there, I just got one sponsored project, does that make any sense to invite a person with coding interest to a Law party?" I said everything till I was holding, but Jia doesn't seem to care at all; she already left and was halfway to the stairs.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh," I screamed in annoyance.
Inside the mall, warm lights pooled like honey across polished tiles, catching every shimmer of the dresses we tried on. We selected really good dresses, some accessories, and were now heading towards the footwear section.
"Let's just finish it soon, I am a bit tired," I said while adjusting one of my bags in my hand."Shut up, I just got the stipend, and I need to spend it as a reward for my hard work in the internship," Jia replied as we both entered the next shop.
We bought really good heels, and I won't deny it, but that feels really good after shopping with your own hard-earned money.
"Huh, I am tired," said Jia while throwing her bags on the couch in our room."Do you want coffee?" I asked."Yes, please, I need it," she said, her eyes getting brighter.
We had coffee, the soft steam curling like a secret between us, and then after having lunch, we went to sleep as we needed to prepare a lot tomorrow.
Jia's POV:
Evening draped itself in a violet hush as we dressed. We had only decided on the dresses, not even the hairstyles or the accessories yet, but excitement hummed through the room like quiet music.
I chose a deep blue dress while Ama slipped into a white one that caught every flicker of light and turned it to moonshine. Soon, it was time for a few selfies.
"Who is this hot chick?" I asked while looking at Ama, and she laughed."Ohh, I wonder if the party will be left with any conscious man there, or everybody will go crazy after your one look?" she teased me as an answer to my compliment.
Just like this, we left for the party.
Amara's POV:
The drive was a blur of city lights and nervous chatter. Jia hummed along to the music while I kept adjusting the thin strap of my dress, every passing streetlight making the pearl sheen catch and glow like soft starlight on water.
The S & R building shimmered like a lantern when we arrived—glass panels catching the night in fractured gold. A valet opened the door, and a breath of cool evening air tangled with the soft perfume of orchids drifting from the entrance.
Inside, the party felt like stepping into a dream spun from low jazz and warm amber lights. Polished marble floors reflected the chandeliers above, and the subtle scent of cedar and something citrusy wrapped around us. I was still trying to take it all in when a familiar voice cut through the music.
"Miss Amara. Miss Jia."
Vihaan stood near the entrance, dark suit perfectly tailored, an easy confidence in the way he carried himself. His smile softened when his eyes landed on me, a look that seemed to hold a private warmth, like he was seeing something only he understood.
"You both look…incredible," he said, a tiny pause between the words that made them feel more personal than polite.
Jia grinned. "And you look like you own the place," she teased, earning a quiet laugh from him—low, smooth, almost musical.
"May I?" Vihaan offered his arm in a subtle gesture, guiding us into the main hall. "Let me introduce you to a few people before it gets too crowded."
The hall was alive with the low hum of conversation and the delicate clink of crystal glasses. He led us toward a small circle where a couple of Jia's colleagues from the internship were already gathered.
"Jia!" one of them exclaimed, a tall girl with caramel-brown hair. "You made it!"
Soon we were enveloped in friendly greetings. They pulled Jia into easy conversation about recent cases and office gossip, the kind of warm camaraderie that even made me feel welcome despite not belonging to their world.
Vihaan lingered near me, occasionally joining the chatter but often just listening, his presence calm and quietly protective. Someone handed me a flute of sparkling water. Across the room, a jazz trio slid into a mellow tune, the bassline thrumming through the polished floor.
For a moment, I forgot to be nervous. The soft lights, Jia's laughter mixing with the music, and Vihaan's quiet but steady nearness made it feel almost like we were exactly where we were meant to be—before the night revealed its hidden edges.