"The snow muffled everything except us."
The aftermath of Eli's intervention had left the formal hall feeling suffocating despite its soaring Gothic arches and elaborate decorations. Silver could still feel the weight of hundreds of stares following their dramatic confrontation, the whispered conversations that would undoubtedly fuel residential college gossip for weeks to come. The glittering chandeliers that had seemed magical at the evening's beginning now felt harsh and revealing, illuminating every detail of whatever personal crisis was unfolding between her, Eli, and Carroway for the entertainment of Yale's social elite.
