★Nathan★
By the time I got back to my apartment, the night air still clung to me like a quiet reminder of how perfect the evening had been. My head was full of Cassandra, her laughter, the way she looked at me across the table, the way she held my hand during our walk along the waterfront. I felt lighter than I had in months, maybe years. Hopeful. Steady. I closed the door behind me, loosened my tie, and let out a slow breath. The living room was dim, the city lights outside cast soft shapes across the floor. Normally, I would have gone straight for a glass of whiskey or maybe turned on the TV just to unwind, but tonight I walked in a daze, replaying Cassandra’s smile in my mind. I removed my jacket and draped it over the back of the couch. I unbuttoned the top two buttons of my shirt, st
