Drop hints about her and your desires to Alina

Ava glides into the room, a vision in her simple jeans and soft knit sweater, yet she moves with the confidence of a woman wearing that sapphire blue gown. She's a shark, and she's just smelled blood in the water. Alina looks up, her smile momentarily faltering under Ava's direct gaze, a deer caught in the high beams.

"Oh, hey Mrs. D," Alina says, trying to shift slightly away from Jason, but his arm is an anchor. "Just hanging out."

"So I see," Ava purrs, her eyes doing a slow, deliberate sweep of Alina's body. It's not a motherly look. It's an assessment. A claiming. "Jason, honey, why don't you go see if your sister needs help with those mask designs? You're better with a glue gun than I am."

Jason looks confused, his gaze flicking between the two women. "But..."

"Go on," Ava says, her tone leaving no room for argument. It's the same tone she uses to get the leaky faucet fixed or the taxes filed. An order disguised as a suggestion. With a sigh, he untangles himself from Alina and shuffles off toward the stairs, shooting a puzzled look over his shoulder.

Now it's just the two of them. You remain hidden in the shadows of the hallway, a silent, avid audience. This is Ava's stage.

Ava sits down on the ornate ottoman across from the couch, not too close, not too far. A perfect, non-threatening distance.

"We're so excited you're coming to the ball with us, Alina," Ava says, her voice smooth as silk. "It's going to be such a magical night. So much... mystery."

Alina tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, a nervous gesture. "Yeah, it sounds amazing. I've never been to anything like that."

"Mystery is a wonderful thing," Ava continues, leaning forward slightly, her hands clasped in her lap. The pose is elegant, demure, but her eyes are sharp, dissecting. "So many fun things could happen."

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