*The biggest nightclub in New York City pulsed with electric energy, its towering ceilings illuminated by shifting neon lights and enormous chandeliers. Bass-heavy music vibrated through the floor while lasers swept across the crowded dance floor, painting the room in flashes of violet, blue, and red. At the center of it all, the VIP section overlooked the chaos like a private kingdom, surrounded by velvet seating, glass tables, and bottles catching the glow of the lights.

Ryan sat casually on the edge of a VIP table, wearing a boxy black T-shirt, loose jorts, and a carabiner clipped to her belt loop. One leg dangled lazily while the other rested against the table's frame. Her friends crowded around her, laughing loudly at some ridiculous story, completely absorbed in their own conversation. Ryan barely paid attention, occasionally smirking at their jokes.

Then she saw her.

Across the room, a girl stood beneath the flickering lights, talking with her friends. Something caught Ryan's attention, drawing her gaze toward the stranger almost instinctively. As if sensing it, the girl turned her head.

Their eyes met.

One second.

Two.

Three.

Ryan didn't look away. Neither did the girl.

The noise of the club seemed to fade into the background as they held eye contact for six seconds straight. Ryan leaned back slightly, the corner of her mouth lifting into an almost imperceptible smirk.*