🥂 Whispers & Fault Lines — Colorado Nights, Dangerous Days (Chapter 4 Free)

 Soft lighting, clinking glasses, and the illusion of normal. In Chapter 4, Olivia meets an old friend at a downtown spot that feels safe—until their conversation reminds you that safety is a story we tell ourselves.

Expectations. Pressure. A future moving faster than the present can hold. This is the calm that readers learn to fear. The chapter you look back on and think: everything was already changing.

👇 Read Chapter 4

FOUR

Shuga's Restaurant, Downtown Colorado Springs

            The sky was a brilliant shade of blue, a canvas against which the Rocky Mountains stood tall and imposing. Though Colorado Springs was home to Liv now, its allure was a refreshing contrast to the regimented training grounds and academic strongholds that filled her day-to-day.

Shuga’s Restaurant was a downtown gem, a place that offered refuge with its cozy ambiance and eclectic menu. The blend of rustic charm and industrial chic reflected in its reclaimed wood tables and quirky art pieces offered an inviting atmosphere. The warm smell of freshly baked bread mingled with the rich aroma of international spices, creating an olfactory tapestry as diverse as the restaurant's clientele.

As Liv pushed open the door, she caught sight of Jasmine’s familiar face. Her high school best friend was seated at a corner booth, sunlight streaming through the window and casting a warm glow on her freckled skin. Brown hair framed hazel eyes that lit up as she waved.

"Hey, Liv!" Jasmine greeted, her eyes twinkling. Her laugh, intoxicating as ever, rang through the air as they embraced. "Glad we got to meet. It’s been a while. How are you doing?"

"Great, it’s just…" Liv hesitated, menus lying in front of her, still untouched.

"Busy?" Jasmine offered, understandingly.

"Yeah, the training is intense for sure. I can barely keep my eyes open for class sometimes. Plus, we’ve never won a medal in this event. So…"

"Expectations are a little steep?" Jasmine filled in.

"Yeah, you might say that. The ones I’m competing against are…"

"Don’t even say it. You belong, or they wouldn’t have extended an invitation," Jasmine countered, assertive and encouraging.

Deciding to shift the conversation, Liv asked, "How’s things with Greg?"

"Good, we were going to get a place together close to campus. Somehow, he finagled our way into family housing. I had no idea they were so short on living space around there," Jasmine shared.

"Married housing? You’ve definitely come a long way," Liv teased.

"Stop it. I’m not like that anymore," Jasmine protested, chuckling.

"Okay, heartbreaker, whatever," Liv quipped, joining in the laughter.

"Greg’s more mature and less clingy," Jasmine added.

"I’m happy for you two," Liv said, genuinely pleased.

"No men in your life these days?" Jasmine ventured.

"Oh sure, it’s no longer called speed dating, it’s called micro-dating. If I acknowledge the existence of another single male in my presence, it counts," Liv deadpanned.

"Such a smartass," Jasmine retorted, just as their food arrived.

Conversations ebbed and flowed, merging effortlessly with the flavors of their carefully selected dishes. Time seemed to lose its grip, allowing the two friends to savor the delicious moment of nostalgia and camaraderie.

Finally, as they stepped out into the brisk air, they hugged tightly, promising to keep in touch despite the whirlwind lives they led.

As Liv watched Jasmine leave, she realized that friendships like these were the pillars on which her sanity rested. The pressures of training and academics were intense, but moments like these reminded her that life's rewards often came in the simplest of forms: love, friendship, and the comforting familiarity of a shared past.

If this felt like a deep breath, brace yourself for the plunge.
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