Johnny’s chest tightened.“Maggie—”The room felt smaller than before.Not because anything had changed, but because of the space between them.Johnny stood a few steps away from Margaret, his hand now lowered to his side. The urgency in his chest had not reduced, but something else had taken its place.Hesitation.Margaret hugged her arms lightly around herself, as if trying to steady her own thoughts. Her breathing was not fast, but it wasn’t calm either.“Please,” Johnny said again, softer this time. “We have to go.”Margaret shook her head.“I’m sorry,” she replied, and this time there was more firmness in her voice. “I can’t just walk out with you like that, when I… I don’t understand what’s happening.”Johnny’s hand dropped slowly.“We don’t have time,” he said. “Please, just trust me.”But even as he said it, he could see it.That word—Trust.Right now, it meant nothing to her.Not after everything she had just seen.“No,” she cut in, her voice firmer now, though it still trem

They sat across from each other.The first glass came quickly.Then the second.Then another.Johnny leaned back slightly, staring at the drink in his hand. Towel barely on.Sophie watched him for a moment, her legs crossed, skirt riding high on her thighs. “Are you okay?” she asked, leaning forward so her blouse strained tighter.Johnny let out a quiet breath.“No,” he said honestly. “Not really.”He took another sip.“I just….don’t want to think about it right now.”There was a pause.The room felt quieter than before.Not empty. Just… stillThen he looked at her. “You know what?” he said. “Tell me about yourself.”Sophie blinked. “Me?”“Yeah,” Johnny said. “I just realized I don’t really know anything about you.” Sophie looked at him for a moment. Then looked down at her glass, her fingers tracing it slowly. “There’s not much to tell.”“I doubt that,” Johnny replied, smirking.Silence stretched. Thick with heat. “…Alright,” she said quietly.Sophie still did not start talking

The phone kept ringing, while Johnny just stared at the screen witj his hand hovering just above it. His thoughts moving slower than they should.His body was still caught in the moment he had just been in, the warmth of Sophie still lingering against his skin.Then ringing stopped, and silence followed. A quiet kind of silence. The kind that felt heavier than noise.Sophie let out a quiet breath beside him. It wasn’t loud, it was small, almost unnoticeable, but Johnny felt it. The way her body relaxed slightly beneath him, the way her fingers loosened just a little against his arm.Relief.Johnny didn’t say anything. He just stared at the phone in his hand, his mind still catching up.Then—A soft vibration. A new notification -- Voicemail.His thumb moved before he could overthink it. He picked up the phone and tapped the notification.Margaret’s voice came through. “Johnny… I—I’m sorry.”Everything inside him stilled again.Sophie didn’t move now. She stayed still beneath him,

Margaret kept looking around, her mind still couldn’t process how Johnny had suddenly vanished into thin air. She looked around for any where he could be hiding, and didn’t even realize how much her hands were shaking until one of the officers pointed it out.“Ma’am… are you alright?”She blinked, looking down at her fingers like they belonged to someone else. “I’m fine,” she said quickly, even though her voice came out thinner than she wanted. The officersdidn’t look convinced, but they moved on anyway. “Let’s start simple,” the officer said, flipping open a small notebook. His tone was calm, but there was something sharp underneath it. Another officer leaned forward slightly. “How long have you known Johnny Steele?” “I—” she started, then stopped. “For quite a short while”That was the answer, right? That was what made sense. That was what was safe.The officers exchanged a look. “Okay, and what is your relationship with Johnny Steele?”Margret hesitated for just a second too

“Miss Grace,” one of them repeated politely. “We’ll need you to come with us.”Margaret blinked, then nodded slowly. “Oh… okay.”She stood up, adjusting her bag, but before she could fully settle it on her shoulder, one of the men stepped forward and took it from her.“We’ll handle that,” he said.She hesitated for just a second, then let him take it.Her mind was still catching up, still trying to make sense of things as she followed them.Still hoping. Maybe this was connected to Johnny. Maybe this was him. Maybe he sent them. Maybe—But as they turned and began walking, she noticed where they were heading.Back inside. Back into the studio.Margret slowed her steps slightly, while her eyes searching their faces quickly, but something felt off. Not wrong, just… unfamiliar.“…Wait,” she said, her voice uncertain. “Where are we going?”“The executives of Pantheon Valley Got Talent would like to have a word with you,” one of them replied without hesitation.The words settled in slowly