Chapter 34 Interview

The moment I stepped inside the studio, I was plunged onto a stage. Blinding lights, cameras standing like a thousand beady eyes waiting to pounce, and people milling about in a blur of frenetic motion. They weren't here for me. No, they were here for the story, the one that had been so carefully orchestrated and was about to be broadcast for the world to see. A sham engagement. A love story spun for public consumption. I could feel the weight of the situation pressing on my chest. The air was thick with expectation, and the smile I was forcing onto my face felt so tight, so unnatural.