[Human world —]
Music pulsed in the city, specifically from the backyard of a lavish suburban mansion, the kind with polished decks, glistening tiles, and a pool so clear it mirrored the sky. The air smelled of sunscreen, chlorine, and sizzling barbecue. Laughter were rolling like waves, and glasses hitting against each other like swords in the battlefield.
Ava sat near the edge of the pool, swirling her feet lazily through the cool water. She wasn't the kind of girl who liked attention, She just wanted to feel among— so she stayed on the sidelines, watching everyone else enjoy themselves.
"Girl, seriously?" Liz's voice rang out as she climbed out of the pool, flipping her wet hair backwards. Droplets glittered like tiny stars in the dying sunlight. "You've been sitting there since we got here. You're at a pool party, not a funeral."
Ava smiled faintly. "I'm good Liz, really."
