Third person's POV
The backstage buzzed with movement, models rushing in and out of changing rooms, stylists darting like bees around racks of shimmering fabric. The air smelled faintly of hairspray, perfume, and nerves. Liora stood in front of the mirror, the chaos around her dimming into a kind of muffled hum.
Her reflection looked almost foreign. The blue gown draped over her frame like liquid silk, its slit gliding high enough to reveal the line of her leg, the fabric catching light with every breath she took. Raya had outdone herself.
“It’s perfect,” Raya said behind her, tightening the waist slightly. “You look like you were made for this.”
Liora let out a small laugh, though her fingers trembled slightly where they gripped the vanity edge. “Funny. I was supposed to be
