Cecilia POV
My palms were sweating, and my notes were crumpled in my hand. On the stage, Penny's clear and steady speech echoed through the speakers. I listened quietly for a few minutes, released a sigh of relief, and descended the stairs from the shadows.
Below the stage, Karl withdrew his gaze, brushed past Marilyn and Lynn's shoulders, then followed the queue out. Marilyn and Lynn called after him with furrowed brows, but received no response. Waiting at the stairs connecting the central square to the inner courtyard, I stood there, as if knowing Karl was approaching. I tucked my uniform sleeves into my pockets and gazed ahead with a restrained intensity.
In the distance, the stage lights swayed, penetrating the darkness and casting layers of shimmering shadows. Karl moved through these dazzling lights towards me, step by step, until he blocked out everything in front of me. The echoes of the silent speech lingered around us. Karl looked at me for a long time before speaking.
