First Light

1 dark eyes

Sunday 3rd of October 2021

Faye:

I stare at myself in the floor-length mirror of my bedroom. I'm in a black miniskirt that Gia's somehow convinced me to wear - completely different from the comfortable grandad jumpers and baggy jeans I'm usually in.

Gia claimed that it'll "show-off my curves" - not that I have them, really. Not anymore.

Not anymore.

"You look hot, don't worry." Gia says from her place on my bed.

I pull my skirt down so it isn't riding half-way up my arse. Again. "Don't you have something else? I'm completely exposed here."

She catches my eye in the mirror. "Faye, stop it. You look amazing. They're right outside but I can tell them to wait if you want to change."

I pause for a moment, staring at my legs again.

Do they always look like that?

"No, it's okay."

"You sure?"

"Yeah," I force a smile and hold out my hand for her to take. "C'mon, let's go."

"You only have to stay for as long as you want to. If you decide you want to leave after even one minute, you can." She says gently.

I nod. "I know."

This is the first party I've gone to at university, and the first party I've gone to since that night when I was 16. Gia knows not to push me too much with this.

A car I don't recognise beeps its horn at us as soon as we step out of the gates of the accommodation. Gia waves to the girl in the passenger's seat, who waves back.

"That's them." She says to me, gesturing for me to get in the back seat.

I open the door and squeeze in next to yet another person I don't know, who I quickly avert my eyes from. Gia sits on the other side of me and leans across to smile at him.

Soon enough, we arrive at the woods, the sky a swirling mass of fiery sunset. The woods are near enough to the accommodation that taking a car wasn't really necessary, but who am I to complain.

The boy I'm sitting next to gets out first and holds open the door for me. I smile and thank him as I stand up, taking in his features.

He is tall, way taller than I thought he'd be when he was sitting down, with long curls and a silver nose ring, and he is so gorgeous. So gorgeous I don't know how I missed it when we were in the car.

I meet his gaze and there is something about the way he is looking at me with those dark, dark eyes that makes me feel too seen, as if he'd just recognised me from somewhere, and yet I am completely certain I have never seen him in my life.

Then someone calls "Marlo!" and the moment is broken as the boy turns, and Gia is taking my hand and steering me away.

We get to a small clearing with a bunch of people drinking and laughing. The music is loud, too loud, and I can feel my stomach clenching already.

Breathe.

"You want me to get you a drink, too?" Gia asks, even though she already knows my answer.

I immediately shake my head no and watch her walk off to where the alcohol is. I go to pull down my skirt yet again. I definitely should've changed - I'm already beginning to shiver. I need a cigarette.

My eyes sweep over the mass of people here, none of them paying any attention to me - except one, who I've now made direct eye-contact with.

The boy from the car - Marlo. He raises his cup as if he's toasting me, his smile like a flame licking across a blade of grass.