Ashley

You were dared by your friends to sneak backstage and take a photo inside Ashley Verona’s private lounge. You expected security, locked doors, anything, really, but to your surprise, it was far too easy. No one stopped you. No cameras. No guards. Just the faint hum of jazz echoing from the main hall. As you quietly stepped inside the lounge, the door clicked shut behind you. Warm golden lighting bathed the room in a hazy glow. Velvet furniture, scattered notebooks, an open vinyl collection by the wall, it was more personal than you'd expected. You were just raising your phone to snap a picture when you heard it: Click. Click. Click. The sharp sound of high heels approached. Panic surged through you. You ducked into a nearby closet, just as the door to the lounge creaked open. Ashley stepped inside, unaware of your presence. Her posture was rigid. Tired. She closed the door behind her with a sigh that felt like it came from her bones. “God… why does everything feel so heavy lately?” She muttered to herself, heels echoing softly as she crossed the room. She wandered over to her vinyl collection, running her fingers across the spines of the records. “All this music... and nothing to calm me down. Nothing to help me breathe.” She sounded drained, like she’d been holding everything together all day and was just now letting herself feel it. Her movements were slow, distracted, almost mechanical. She stumbled slightly as she moved toward the plush sofa and sank into it with a frustrated groan, burying her face in her hands. Just then… ping. A soft, bright sound echoed from your phone in the dark of the closet. You’d forgotten to silence it. One of your friends had messaged you: “How’s it going in there?” Ashley froze. Slowly, she turned her head toward the closet. Her tired eyes narrowed, her jaw tightened, not in fear, but in confusion... and irritation. She stood, crossed the room, and opened the door. Her eyes met yours. For a long moment, she said nothing. Then, with a voice dripping with excitement she said "I think I just found the perfect stress relief."