“idk girl 💫 ,” it said.

She looked at the message in frustration and agreement, her crooked nod making her ponytail fall to her left shoulder - the carefully careless look she’d assembled for days when nothing made sense. Without realizing it, her mind knew how to dress for uncertainty.

Earlier that morning she’d done what she always did… she wandered. Trying to process the previous night, reliving it within her mind, all while the competing thoughts of the case kept pulling her off balance.

She couldn’t help but think how much she needed Sophia to hurry back, one of the only comfortable, normal things in the city… a place in her universe for the contents to collapse into.

The office hallway buzzed with an unusual energy for this early hour, the aroma of the café already wafting through the air and occupancy sensors glowing hot far down the hall. Strutting toward her desk, her just-above-the-knees button-up gave her the armor of professionalism she needed - grace and presence cutting through the chaos.