1. Faye stood at a museum gallery with a theater mask, listening to a speech about responsibility. 2. They nodded along, taking notes they would never read. 3. Faye felt split between what was expected and what they wanted, like a rope pulled from both ends. 4. The air held cool marble and quiet footsteps, and the crowd's applause rose and fell. 5. When it was time to speak, Faye cleared their throat and swallowed the first sentence.