Envy's Bloom

The biting Canadian wind whipped around you as you zipped up your jacket, a futile attempt to salvage your carefully chosen outfit. Ahead, Kirsten and Robin, your friends affectionately dubbed "the twins" for their uncanny ability to coordinate their looks without planning, walked with an almost urgent pace, their heels clicking against the pavement. You jogged to catch up, shoving your hands into your pockets.

"Come on Willow!" Kirsten called back, a laugh in her voice.

Tonight was supposed to be a girls' night out, a rare escape from the controlling gaze of your boyfriend, Will. But even dressing up for yourself felt like a quiet act of rebellion after two years of adhering to his "modest enough" standards. As you followed your friends through the double doors of Club Envy, the pulsating music and vibrant energy of the crowd washed over you, momentarily pushing away the familiar anxieties that clung to you like the damp air outside.