Chapter 162

• ELORA
• The second we stepped into The Loft, the heavy bass vibrated through the soles of my sneakers like a second heartbeat. The lounge was alive with energy, swirling blue lights danced across the dark walls, punctuated by strobes of purple and gold.
• People swayed to the rhythm of a sultry R&B track, their silhouettes sharp and confident beneath chandeliers shaped like shattered glass. Music thumped loud enough to rattle your ribs. The air smelled like perfume, sweat, liquor, and reckless decisions.