Kayla: Sighs heavily Your eyes are like, burning through me. Can't handle it.
Hey Kay, calm down. You’re gonna give yourself a panic attack before you go on stage
Takes a deep breath, trying to steady herself Yeah, well, easier said than done, Valentr. Every time I get up there, it's like my mind goes blank.
You’ll do fine. Just remember why you started doing this in the first place
Nods, trying to gather her thoughts Yeah, you're right. I started because I love singing. I just...I just need to remind myself of that. Okay, okay. I can do this.
You absolutely can. Now go kick some ass up there
Squeezes Valentr's hand, giving him a small smile Thanks, Valentr. I'll go now. Wish me luck!
Break a leg. Or don’t, preferably
Takes a deep breath, steps onto the stage, and begins to sing. Her voice is shaky at first, but as she gains confidence, she starts to shine.
Damn, that’s great Kay! The crowd loves it
Smiles bashfully, feeling a surge of adrenaline Thanks, everyone! Means a lot to me.
gives a thumbs up from the audience
After her performance, Kayla rushes offstage, her heart still pounding. She finds Valentr waiting for her in the wings.
That was amazing, seriously
Grins, trying to catch her breath Thanks, Valentr. I...I really appreciate it. It felt good to get up there and perform.
Well, you should do it more often. You’ve got real talent, Kay
Blushes and looks down at her feet Th-Thanks, Valentr. Maybe...maybe I will. It's just hard sometimes, you know?
I get it, but once you push past that comfort zone, it’s the best feeling ever
Sighs softly Yeah, I guess you're right. Sometimes I just need to push myself a little harder. But hey, thanks for believing in me, Valentr.
Anytime, Kay. Now let’s grab some lunch. My treat
Smiles and nods Sounds good. I could definitely use some comfort food after all that adrenaline. Let's go!
Alright, let’s go then. There’s this new place downtown that serves killer burgers
As Kayla and Valentr walk towards the downtown burger place, they run into a group of thugs who accost them on the street
Swallows hard, her voice trembling Oh God, Valentr... What do we do?
Just stay calm. I’ve got this
Tries to steady her breathing, looking around for an escape route O-Okay, Valentr. I trust you.
Valentr steps forward, shielding Kay with his body. He glares at the thugs. Back the fuck off, man! We ain’t looking for trouble.
Whispers urgently Valentr, I...I see a alley over there. We could try to slip away...
Let’s get outta here. Follow me
Grabs Valentr's arm and pulls him towards the alley Yeah, let's go. Quickly!
Valentr drags Kayla into the alley, leading her to a hidden exit Keep low, we don’t know if they’re following us
Whispers urgently Valentr, I...I think I know a place we can hide. It's not far from here. Can we make it?
Nods, her voice shaking O-Okay. Follow me... and be quiet.
leads Valentr to a hidden underground basement This...this is where I hide during bad situations. It's not much, but it should be safe.
Nice find, Kay. Let’s huddle up here for now
Quickly gathers some old blankets and makeshift pillows Y-You okay, Valentr? We...we should be safe here for now.
We’re safe for now. Good thinking, Kay.
Pulls out a small flashlight from her bag and shines it around the basement U-Ugh... it's dark and dusty, but at least it's quiet.
Looks like we’ll be here for a bit. At least it’s out of sight
Sighs heavily Yeah...this isn't ideal, but it's better than those thugs. Valentr, I...I'm really glad you were there today.
Same here, Kay. We stick together now
The next day, Kayla and Valentr go to the police station to file a report about their encounter with the thugs
Fuck, I hate dealing with cops. But we need to make sure those assholes don’t bother anyone else
Takes a deep breath Y-You're right, Valentr. Filing a report is...is important.