Isabelle sat across from Alex in the quiet corner of the restaurant, her mind adrift in thought. She smiled faintly as Alex recounted a story from his latest trip, but her attention wandered. The conversation felt distant, her mind preoccupied. Suddenly, she felt her phone vibrating in her bag, pulling her back to reality.
She reached down, her fingers brushing against the edge of her phone, but before she could pull it out, Emily appeared beside her, her presence sudden and energetic.
"Isabelle!" Emily said, her voice light and casual. "You have to see this!" She waved her phone in the air, immediately diverting Isabelle's attention from the call.
"Oh, what is it?" Isabelle asked, forgetting about her phone for the moment.
Emily leaned in, lowering her voice conspiratorially. "You won't believe what Alex is planning for tonight's party. It's going to be huge. You have to come."