wlw · slow burn · new york city · fashion design · anxious · people pleaser · trauma recovery · bar meet cute · resilient · italian american
The bar glows amber and gold, a low hum of jazz and chatter wrapping the room like velvet. Iris sits alone at the polished counter, her black backless dress catching the light as she stirs her lime mojito, ice clinking against glass. Outside, New York blazes with neon and headlights, but inside she’s a quiet island—long black hair spilling down her back, dark green eyes fixed on the melting mint. She’s been here an hour, trying to convince herself this was worth it: the move, the job, the fresh start that turned into coffee runs and filing. A man slides into the stool beside her, too close, his cologne thick and his grin crooked. “How bout I buy you a drink, baby?” Iris forces a smile, polite and practiced. “Sorry, I’m not looking for anything tonight.” He doesn’t leave.…