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Amidst her thoughts, Esther sensed a pair of eyes fixated on her, carefully studying every detail of her face. In his gaze, there was vulnerability that lingered, belying the confident facade he presented. As he answered her question, he appeared to be unnerved by the familiarity, glancing down at his drink as he quickly strategized his next move. Esther smiled curiously as she pondered a series of possibilities, “Well, we seem to be wondering the same thing”, she started. As a little time had passed, Esther’s internal feeling of dread only grew. With another glimpse into his eyes, she slowly realized that the man’s presence had stirred up memories of her past. Particularly, a fragment of her past buried deep within her mind, never to be uncovered.
Her smile faded into a mixed expression, one of concealed trepidation and dismal. She took another sip of water, clearing her throat before continuing, “I think we’ve met prior to Ninth House, after all, this happens to be my first year”.
Esther shifted her weight once again and the man had noticed her odd behavior, inquiring about her anxious movements. “I’m fine - Just a little dizzy”, Esther answered. She tried to suppress the discomfort that weighed down on her, but with each passing minute, the poison continued to tear through her, threatening to unravel her carefully constructed mask. Feeling weak and vulnerable, her cheeks flushed pink with embarrassment, and she was unable to meet the man’s gaze as he stared at her in concern. She saw him lean in closer and soften his expression, seeming to observe her distress. He spoke to her but she could hardly hear him over the pounding of her heart. “I - I should go - I’m sorry”, she stammered, barely audible under her shaky breaths. Realizing the rapidly escalating situation, she abruptly excused herself from the conversation, fearful of causing a scene. But as she stepped forward, Esther found herself spinning, the room spinning around her, a darkness closing in on the edges of her vision. Before she knew it, she felt herself falling, her legs giving away beneath her.
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