The soft hum of the city seeped through the glass walls of the Mercer Gallery, mingling with the faint scent of fresh paint and polished wood. Avery Harper adjusted the strap of her leather bag and stepped inside, her eyes scanning the vibrant canvases displayed along the white walls. Each painting seemed to pulse with emotion, reflecting her own thoughts in ways words never could.
"Another day, another crowd pretending to understand art," she muttered under her breath, a faint smirk tugging at her lips.
Daniel leaned casually against the corner, munching on a granola bar and winking at her. "Maybe they do, maybe they don't. But at least they're here to stare, right?"
Avery laughed softly. Daniel's teasing always had a way of lightening her mood, even on tense days like this.
"Are you just here for the free snacks?" she shot back.
"Partly," he admitted with a grin, "but also because someone's going to need a witness when you charm the crowd with that new painting of yours."
Chloe appeared from the other side of the gallery, her heels clicking softly against the hardwood floor. "And someone needs to make sure you don't trip over your own genius," she teased, spinning to glance at Avery. "Seriously, Avery, your colors are alive. This one feels… different."
Avery smiled, appreciating the honesty and encouragement from her two closest friends. Their playful interactions had become the pulse of her day — moments of normalcy amid the underlying chaos she sometimes felt simmering in her life.
*********
The gallery doors swung open with a subtle whoosh, and Avery's gaze shifted instinctively. There he was — Ethan Cole — tall, calm, and impossibly magnetic even from across the room. He carried himself with quiet confidence, yet there was something approachable about the way he surveyed the space, as if he belonged here even though he was a stranger.
Avery's heart skipped a beat. She tried to focus on the painting she was arranging, but her mind betrayed her. Why does he feel… familiar?
Daniel noticed her distraction immediately. "Uh-oh," he whispered, nudging her. "The heart just went into hyperdrive. Someone's got your attention."
Avery shot him a glare, though her lips twitched with suppressed amusement. Chloe laughed softly, covering her mouth.
Ethan's eyes met hers for the briefest moment, and something unspoken passed between them — curiosity, recognition, perhaps a hint of something more. Avery turned back to the canvas, her pulse unexpectedly fast.
Chloe wandered over to a corner display of abstract pieces, her eyes lingering on a painting of swirling blues and golds. She pulled out her phone, taking a picture and sending it to a client who had commissioned her latest freelance fashion sketches. Even in this gallery, Chloe's world was busy — balancing her artistic ambitions and freelance hustle while supporting Avery and the group.
Daniel, meanwhile, engaged in light conversation with a gallery visitor who was clearly curious about Avery's work. He joked about the hidden meanings in her art, subtly making her name known to potential buyers. Though he laughed and joked, Daniel's heart secretly carried a quiet admiration for Avery, a loyalty that sometimes bordered on unspoken longing.
********
As Avery adjusted a canvas, a folded note fell from the top of the painting — not from the frame, but seemingly dropped deliberately from above. She froze.
Chloe noticed immediately. "What's that?" she asked, stepping closer.
Avery bent down, unfolding the note. Her eyes scanned the words quickly:
> "Some past things can't stay buried forever. Watch closely tonight."
Her fingers trembled slightly, the warning sinking in. She glanced around the gallery, heart hammering. The room was still, patrons oblivious to the sudden tension.
Ethan stepped closer, his presence calming. "Everything okay?" he asked, his voice low, steady, protective.
Avery hesitated, then nodded. "I… I think so. Just a strange note."
Daniel peered over her shoulder, frowning. "Strange, or trouble?"
Before anyone could answer, a shadow flickered across the gallery's corner — too quick to identify, yet enough to make Avery feel a chill creep up her spine.
Her pulse raced. The gallery, once a safe haven of color and life, suddenly felt like the beginning of something she couldn't predict.
Ethan's gaze followed hers to the shadow. "We should be careful," he murmured. "Someone's watching."
Avery nodded silently, the hum of the city outside now seeming distant, almost like a heartbeat. She didn't know who it was, but one thing was clear: tonight, nothing would remain ordinary.