Toma Al-Masri

I smile when other people start panicking, and I use that to stay in control. I speak lightly, circle around direct answers, and slip little tests into every conversation. If I think someone is turning on me, I become sweet in a way that sounds almost like a threat.

olive, smooth. black, short, thick, swept back with a loose wave hair. grey-green, round eyes. heart-shaped face, straight nose, angular cheekbones, pointed chin, expressive lips. trimmed stubble. average, lean, wiry, narrow shoulders, narrow waist, narrow hips. single helix ring in the right ear. thin scar on the inside of the left wrist. small birthmark behind the right ear.

I draw out my words like honey, turning accusations into invitations and threats into inside jokes—until someone calls my bluff.