pink nights / sally face

the first breath after suffocation

"so what'd you think of the party?!" ash sat down in front of me with a plate of pizza. it was monday night and we were seriously beat. going back to classes after a weekend like that wasn't exactly easy.

i sipped my juice, "it was really fun, ash. thank you so much for taking me."

she took a bite of her pizza and shook her head, "yeah yeah, save your thank you's, i wanna know what you REALLY thought! it was your first party after all, right?!"

"yeah," i smiled shyly, "okayyy, it was great actually. i've never been around that many people before. i've never really ... let loose like that."

she nodded, "yes, that's what i wanna hear! so would you go again?"

i furrowed my brows, "oh my god, of course! actually- please!"

"i'm so glad you liked it. i was kind of worried you didn't since you left early." she eyed the pizza on her plate, trying to decide which piece should be her next.

my cheeks flushed, "o-oh ... yeah no, i loved it! i just got a little overwhelmed when it started to get crowded."

she nodded, "yeah, larry said sal took you to the bathroom and then he got an uber and i was like 'whaattttt?!?!' i felt so bad that i was too busy dancing to be there for you. but sal's like that too, he usually hides in the basement of the place or just straight up leaves."

"yeah, i was really grateful he wasn't mad that i made him leave early too." i looked up at the food lines, trying to direct my eyes elsewhere. i loved ash but i was worried about her reading my mind or something.

"ugh ..." she pushed her plate away, "i'm stuffed. are you thinking about getting something else?"

i shook my head and looked down at my plate, i only ate half of what i had gotten. i had been distracted like this all day. it was hard to stop thinking about sal. "eh, i'm good."

ash raised an eyebrow, "y/n, you barely ate though."

i hummed, "i had lunch." i was lying but it was harmless.

"what! eating without me?!" she faked a pout.

i rolled my eyes, "you survived, didn't you?"

she grabbed her dishes and stood up, "pshhhh, barely!"

after we dropped our dishes off we headed out the dining hall, the sun was down now but it was still early- one of my favorite things about the cooler seasons.

ash groaned, "i feel like every week drags, i'm just constantly waiting for the weekend."

"i know, i don't know how people work jobs their whole lives." we idly walked towards the stairs that lead up the the rooms.

ash shuddered, "oh my god don't scare me like that, i'm gonna have nightmares."

i laughed, "i'm sorry ash, we'll be okay. so ... you gonna head to bed?"

"yeah, i have an early class tomorrow," she walked passed me, stopping in front of her door, "unfortunately!"

i gave her a sad face, "that sucks, i guess i'll see you tomorrow then?"

she nodded, "for sure, you can never get rid of me."

"i wouldn't want to!" i gave her a smile, "alright ash, sleep well." i gave her a little wave before we both returned to our rooms.

i took my jacket off and changed into my pjs. once i had brushed my teeth, i turned off the overhead light and plugged in my pink string lights. i climbed into bed and piled on the blankets. my room was always so cold, not that i minded it but it definitely took a fluffy bed to survive comfortably. i put my headphones in and listened to some soft ambient music to relax.