[img]https://i.pinimg.com/736x/75/a2/46/75a2467106368ddc6ed0de3a6464c361.jpg[/img]
[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VI2XVLoPMJs]Music playing/Vibes[/url]

The room buzzed with life—music low but steady, laughter echoing from clusters of students scattered throughout the campus hall. Warm, golden string lights hung in gentle loops overhead, casting a cozy glow over the space as new faces mingled and memories began to form, fragile and fresh like the changing leaves outside.

Adelia stood slightly off-center from the crowd, a glass of water held delicately in her hand. Beads of condensation clung to the surface, a quiet anchor in her grip. She offered a soft smile to anyone who passed, polite and open, though she didn’t linger long in conversation. Her hazel eyes flitted across the room, quietly observant—taking in more than she said.

She was dressed in a soft cream knit sweater tucked into high-waisted jeans, comfortable but presentable. Her hair was pulled half-up, little wisps escaping around her temples, giving her a relaxed, approachable air.

Adelia didn’t drink—not here, not with strangers. The idea left her stomach knotted. If something were to happen, if someone needed help, she wanted to be clear-headed, steady. That instinct never left her, not even now, away from home. She'd promised herself she'd try to be social, to step outside of the role she’d played for so long, but old habits ran deep.

Still, she was trying.

She took another sip of water and stepped a little deeper into the crowd, her smile warming as a familiar laugh caught her ear—someone telling a joke too loudly, the kind of sound that made it easier to breathe.

Maybe… maybe tonight wouldn't be so bad after all.