CHARLOTTE

Spending the evening at the exhibition turned out to be much better than I’d anticipated. The art pieces on display were beautiful, and Thiago’s cousin had a welcoming personality that made everyone feel comfortable. The stares had lessened once the event started, and I went from feeling left out to genuinely enjoying myself. A few minutes later, someone walked up to the podium and announced there would be an auction for some of the pieces soon, but first, we needed to follow a guide waiting to lead us on a short tour in a different room.

Thiago stood from his chair and offered his hand as the other guests...