"Hello," Kelvin greeted softly, his hand raised for a handshake.
Sarah, still too shy to look up, missed the gesture. "Hello," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper, shaky and unsure.
Stella glanced at her friend, surprised. She had never seen Sarah like this—so nervous, almost frozen. It was clear Sarah was struggling to keep her emotions together, and Stella's mind raced, searching for a way to bring her back to focus. If Sarah kept acting this way, their whole plan might fall apart.
Before Stella could speak, Victor's voice came from behind.
"Hello, guys!" he said brightly, sounding casual—like he hadn't just dropped into an unexpected moment.
"Hey, buddy," Kelvin replied, giving him a quick nod.
Stella turned and saw Victor standing behind her. "Hi," she said, her voice polite but laced with concern. Her eyes questioned him silently: What's going on? Why is a hip-hop artist suddenly here with us? Was this all planned?
