The rest of the week passed in a haze of nervous anticipation, each second dragging on with a palpable tension.
Every breath I took felt heavier, weighed down by the impending confrontation with my parents and the hope that Karim's presence would somehow make it all right.
The mornings were a blur of work and worry, the evenings a restless contemplation of what lay ahead.
Karim called me in the morning, his voice a lifeline in the storm of my anxiety. "I'm coming to Lunaris City today," he said, and a flood of relief washed over me.
I watched the live news of his conference, feeling a mix of pride and anxiety.
His composed demeanor on screen was a stark contrast to the storm brewing within me.
Night fell, and I heard the knock I had been waiting for.
I rushed to the door, my heart pounding in my chest.
As I opened it, there stood Karim, his presence like a balm to my frayed nerves.
