After Chapter 30

This scene somehow survived all five million rewrites. There was always going to be a moment where they danced alone together. It felt like such a pivotal turning point in their relationship. A moment where they could stop, slow down, and see each other beyond who they thought they were. Learn about each other.

The original scene was set in the room Amara had been assigned by Vince. In this version of the story, the world was less dystopian and more-so post-apocalyptic. She hadn’t listened to music in years, and she came across an old record player in the cupboard. So she played music, and she danced. A human moment, alone, not meant for anyone else’s eyes.

Except Nathaniel watched her from the doorway, and when she saw him, he asked her to dance with her.

It didn’t work, once the world itself had evolved over drafts, but I could never let go of that scene and that moment. Writing it felt like falling in love, and every single time I rewrote it, that feeling never went away.