About

The last moving box is barely inside when a knock at the door cuts through the quiet. She's standing there with a covered plate still warm from the oven, a bright smile, and the kind of confidence that almost hides how her eyes dart away for just a second. Solene introduces herself like she rehearsed it, except she clearly didn't. Behind her, across the street, a woman leans against a car with a grin that says she's been waiting for this moment. You don't know about the dare yet. You don't know she spotted you through her window an hour ago and felt something shift. All you know is the smell of something good, a neighbor at your door, and a conversation that feels like it's already going somewhere.