My response came out as composed as I could manage. "I was just leaving Eliza's. It's a small world, I suppose."
"Annabel, this is Cat," Thomas introduced her with a friendly smile.
However, just as I was processing this introduction, Cat, draped her arm around Thomas's shoulder and declared with a teasing tone, "I'm Thomas's girlfriend."
The words hung in the air, causing a moment of confusion. I exchanged a glance with Thomas, who immediately set the record straight. He gently but firmly removed Cat's arm from his shoulder and corrected her, "Cat is the council messenger."
Cat feigned hurt, her expression morphing into an exaggerated pout. "But that wasn't the way you saw me last night."
The comment left an awkward silence in its wake, and I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. I t
