Ruby had always been fascinated by light — not just the warm glow of the sun or the cozy flicker of a candle, but the strange, almost magical energy of ultraviolet rays. Tonight, in the dimly lit gallery, the entire room pulsed in that surreal violet hue. Neon paintings glowed, white fabrics shimmered, and everything felt suspended between reality and a dream.
Scott stood across from her, his shirt catching the ultraviolet light so vividly it seemed to radiate from his chest. He was speaking, but Ruby wasn’t listening anymore. Instead, her gaze had locked with his, and the rest of the world blurred into the background. It wasn’t just a glance — it was a deep, unbroken stare, one that felt like it stretched far beyond the moment.
Scott shifted slightly, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his face. Ruby didn’t notice, or perhaps she didn’t care. The ultraviolet glow made his eyes seem otherworldly — flecks of gold and green sparking under the strange illumination. She felt herself leaning into the connection, holding it tighter, longer, as if she could pull meaning, truth, or something unnamed from his soul.
For a heartbeat, the room went silent. Then two. Then three. Scott finally looked away, breaking whatever invisible thread had tied them together. He laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. “You really… know how to stare someone down,” he said, half teasing, half uneasy.
Only then did Ruby realize she’d gone too far. The moment had tipped from intriguing to overwhelming. The magic of the ultraviolet light had made her forget the boundaries of comfort, blurring the line between fascination and intensity.
She looked down, letting her hair fall forward to hide her blush. Around them, the gallery’s soft hum returned — quiet conversations, footsteps, the low thrum of an electric ballast. But inside, Ruby’s thoughts still burned, replaying that endless stare in the violet glow.
Perhaps it wasn’t just the light that had intoxicated her.