Kaija's body began to move across the chair in slow, sensual motions, each shift of her hips and shoulders flowing seamlessly with the music. The intro was soft and inviting, weaving through the hall like a whispered invitation.
Every eye in the room settled on her.
The audience tracked every movement, every graceful line of her body. Her expression was utterly immersed in the atmosphere of the song, as though she had stepped inside its world and become part of it. Despite being only a trainee, her presence was commanding. There was a confidence in the way she occupied the stage that made it difficult to look anywhere else.
Then the intro ended.
More instrumental layers gradually built beneath the melody, tension winding tighter and tighter through the hall. The audience leaned forward unconsciously, waiting for something they could not yet name.
Without warning, the beat dropped.
The dimly lit stage exploded into life.
