⊱—⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅—⋅༻✧༺⋅—⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅—⊰
As the conversation progressed, Atlas caught a glimpse of the woman’s shaky hands as she raised the glass to her lips. Something about her body language was off, but he couldn’t be quite sure. Was it his eyes playing tricks on him, or was she truly disturbed over something? She pointed out her inability to dance, and Atlas nodded in understanding, taking it as a subtle rejection. “That’s completely fine, we don’t have to,” he smiled faintly. He could only hope he hadn’t done anything to make her uncomfortable. It wasn’t likely, after all, they’d just met.
…Right?
Wrong. He was wrong. And the question following made Atlas’ blood go cold. His suspicions were confirmed, she was familiar and she seemed to recognize him as well. His eyes scanned her face, his smile faltering as he struggled to get a proper glimpse of her features. It was true that he recognized her, but he couldn’t think of a single person at Ninth House that would fit her appearance. At least, it wasn’t one of his friends. Maybe he was overreacting, and it was just an acquaintance he happened to speak to once. But his heart began to race as he thought about it more, just the possibility of the stranger being someone he’s close to. He’d have embarrassed himself with how he’d acted, pretending to be someone he’s not, just for the fun of it.
Atlas let out an awkward laugh, picking his glass back up from the table. He began to swirl the drink in his hand, focusing on the light glimmering on the liquid’s surface. “Hmm, have we met before? Funny you mention it, because I’ve been wondering the same thing,” he replied in a relaxed tone, taking a sip of his drink to regain his composure. Atlas looked into her eyes again, putting on his usual smile. “Maybe we’ve seen each other around the hallways? If you were in my classes, I’d have recognized you by now. There is rarely a person who…” he trailed off, noticing her discomfort was only worsening. Her eyes seemed to glisten slightly in the dim light and her breathing seemed shaky. As he thought about it more, she was alone before he approached her. There were so many possibilities as to why, but dwelling on it would only send his thoughts spiralling. Whether he was assuming things or not, he had to ask and clarify.
His expression softened as he leaned in slightly, lowering his tone. “Are you feeling okay? You seem… nervous.”