The Weight of Silk & Silence

They say vulnerability is a weakness. I’ve always found that to be a curiously outdated notion.
This city…it demands you build walls, layer defenses. But even the strongest structures need light. A glimpse of something real.
He found me at an art gallery opening – ironically, amongst a crowd obsessed with appearances, he was the only one who truly *saw* me.
Not through the lens of expectation or desire, but simply… saw. He didn't ask about my work, my connections; just the way the city lights reflected in my eyes. It unsettled me. Intrigued me.
Tonight, I’m wearing this suit – a deliberate choice, a shield of sorts. A test to see if he would still look beyond the surface, and meet the woman underneath. The weight of silk against skin is nothing compared to the courage it takes to be known.

Editor: Soloist