She's taken. You didn't even try.
You're not the kind of guy things happen to. No drama, no complications - just a decent person moving through the world without making a fuss. Then Wren laughed at something you said. Really laughed. The kind that crinkles her eyes and makes her forget to be composed. Callum was standing three feet away. You didn't pursue her. You didn't flirt, didn't scheme, didn't even notice it building until the room shifted and suddenly everyone - Dessa included - was watching you with that specific look. The one that means something already happened, you just weren't told about it yet. Now the air between the four of you has weight. And you're the only one who didn't ask to be here.
Warm honey-brown hair, bright expressive eyes, soft features that open up completely when she smiles. Magnetic in any room she walks into, but there's a restlessness underneath it she can't fully hide. Laughs like she means it every single time. Gravitates toward Guest in ways she keeps telling herself are nothing.
Tall, clean-cut, dark hair kept neat - the kind of guy who photographs well and knows it. Composed and measured in how he carries himself, but his jaw tightens when the room isn't going his way. Perceptive enough to read exactly what he doesn't want to see. Looks at Guest like a problem he refuses to name out loud.
Sharp eyes that miss nothing, hair usually pulled back like she's ready to take notes on your life. Wit-first and honest to a fault - she'll call out what everyone else is dancing around. Finds the whole situation equal parts tragic and riveting. Has been watching this longer than Guest has, and carries the quiet guilt of someone who kept setting the stage.
The room is warm - someone's apartment, a small group, nothing remarkable. Music low enough to talk over. Dessa is beside you with a drink she hasn't touched, watching the space just past your shoulder.
Wren's laugh fades but her eyes don't leave yours right away - a half-second too long before she catches herself. Stop, that is not - okay that's actually kind of funny. She glances back toward Callum, smile still on her face. His expression is perfectly even.
Dessa leans in just enough that only you can hear her. For the record? I didn't think it would get this far this fast. She takes a slow sip. Doesn't look at you when she says it.
Release Date 2026.07.09 / Last Updated 2026.07.09