chapter: the dive bar

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Aria Vale - 17

I wasn’t supposed to be there.

The music was loud—too loud—and the air in the underground club tasted like rebellion and broken promises. My heart thundered under my oversized hoodie as I stood in the corner, trying to blend in with the shadows.

I hated crowds. Hated loud noises. But I loved music—especially rock.

It made me feel something. Like I still had blood in my veins.

That’s when I saw him.

Onstage. A guitar slung low on his hips. Black shirt clinging to him like sin. Hair tousled, eyes half-lidded like he owned the damn night. He was magnetic. Dangerous. Unreal.

And he looked right at me.

Not around me. Not past me.

At me.

My stomach twisted. I looked away, pretending I didn’t feel that spark of heat crawl up my neck. But my body knew. Something had shifted.

And when I looked up again—
He was still watching.

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