Eleanor stood under the stream of water, her mind racing as the warm droplets cascaded down her body, each one like a tiny hammer tapping at her thoughts.
She could feel the tension in her muscles, the weight of her insecurities bearing down on her more heavily than ever.
Her earlier decision to retreat to her own ship instead of joining Jack, Lyra, and Mary for drinks replayed in her mind like a broken record, each repetition deepening her sense of isolation.
She had wanted to go with them, to be part of the camaraderie they shared. But the invitation, so casually extended, had felt like a lifeline she wasn't worthy of grasping.
The insecurities that gnawed at her had whispered that she didn't belong, that she was an outsider in their tightly-knit group.
They hadn't hesitated to welcome her, yet she had hesitated to accept.
