Thirty

Ryan:

The weight of Julian's words was still pressing on me as I stood in the dimly lit room. The silence surrounding me felt suffocating, and I couldn't escape the truth of what he had said. My fingers hovered over the paintings, but they no longer felt like mere works of art. They felt like I could almost touch the heavens. They were raw, vulnerable, and deeply personal. I felt these were things I was never supposed to see, but I couldn't describe how grateful I am for the opportunity to see each painting.

Each brushstroke, each color Dani had chosen, spoke to me in a way I couldn't ignore. I couldn't look at them and deny my feelings. There was no contest here. I don't like Felicia; I just wanted to have a smooth party. I was so used to pleasing my family that I had forgotten t……