#Chapter 79: Balancing Acts

Almara Chapter Seven: Balancing Acts The scent of fresh paint mingled with the subtle aroma of aging wood as I stepped into the gallery. I hadn’t been expecting that. No one was working on new pieces. Not when the exhibit was only days away. We were all solely focused on preparing for that. So imagine my surprise when I entered the workshop to find Noah sitting behind a canvas. He hadn’t mentioned any new pieces, but apparently he had decided something was missing from the exhibit. I watched him with a mixture of concern and admiration. His passion was boundless, but I couldn't help but feel a twinge of worry for him. He had definitely been more agitated lately and I wasn’t sure creating new pieces was the right way to go. Not when he was so obviously stressed out. "Are you sure you're alright, Noah?" I asked softly, not wanting to startle him. He still hadn’t noticed that I was there. He shot me a quick glance, eyes wide and gleaming with a strange blend of determination and ex