Aren't You Quite the Talker?

Emma Hart followed the path illuminated by streetlights, occasionally glancing at the malls lining the streets. 

Now and then, she saw women, arms laden with shopping bags, exiting the malls with smiles. 

Couples licked ice cream, hand in hand, exuding affection. 

Vehicles on the road moved in an orderly fashion, and despite everyone's eagerness to return home, there was a calm wait. 

Everything around her seemed beautiful, lifting her spirits inexplicably. 

Perhaps, releasing pent-up frustrations in front of Damien Sterling had finally allowed her heart to revel in such unbridled joy and pleasure. 

The evening breeze felt cold. The rustling of leaves from the roadside trees signaled the chill in the air, and Emma, clad only in a cardigan, felt a bit cold. 

She instinctively shrank into herself, crossing her arms in front of her chest to ward off the cold.