Miss, Do I Know You?

11 - Saturday, October 31

The beer pong tournament was drawing to its climactic end, and my legs felt like rubber beneath me. Inebriation was but a part of the equation, the rest being a sign of the hours I'd spent dancing. I had already forgotten why I had agreed to enter that ridiculous contest in the first place.

"Fuck yes!" Sophia's triumphant yell pierced through the ambient noise as the last ball clattered into the cup and she drew me close, laughing. "How are you so good at this?"

I laughed along. "You being sober might've helped. Now apologize to Lucas for making him drink your cups. Poor guy looks like he's about to throw up."

Lucas shot a dark look in her direction, though it bounced off her shield of giggles. "He'll be fine."

With an enthusiastic grip, Sophia whisked me away from the table and back to the dance floor. Though the night had begun with Olivia by my side, I found her circle of friends less engaging as they seemed to lack any substance that turned conversations into more a chore than a delight. Their energies felt mismatched to mine. But Sophia and Lucas were the greatest time, so naturally, I gravitated toward them, even with the whisper of guilt that nipped at my consciousness probably spurred on by my habitual distance from others.

I had grown accustomed to shallow friendships and fleeting interactions that faded with the morning light, all except for Olivia. Not many people of any genuine importance had ever breezed into my life, except her. And as Sophia carved her spot in my heart, there also grew a strange sense of wrongdoing, a nagging suspicion that I had somehow betrayed someone and upset the order of things. It was a peculiar feeling, for enjoying the company of others had never been a source of guilt before, and it was hard to cast these intrusive thoughts aside. 

But some people simply work as great distractions. The sight of them alone was enough to draw chuckles and glances—Lucas in his wig and sleek black dress he'd stolen from his aunt's closet along with the heels which lent even more stature to his already impressive height, and Sophia in her frumpy suit and a moustache scrawled onto her face. Apparently, some movie characters I knew nothing about. I thought it was brilliantly hilarious.

The night came to an end only when Sophia pulled her phone out and froze, alarm dawning in her gaze. "Shit," she breathed with a nervous laugh. "My mom's coming home. I have to go. But I had an amazing time, really."

I fell into a quick step beside her. "I'll walk with you."

"You sure?"

"My ear is starting to fall off. When the costume starts to break, it's time to go."

Above, in the crisp night air, stars shimmered as if the heavens had been dusted with the finest of crushed diamonds, casting a gentle glow on our path as we ambled down the moonlit road. And my legs felt like overcooked noodles wobbling with every step. Only Sophia's infectious presence pulled me forward and stopped me from melting into the pavement simply from exhaustion.

In her comically absurd costume, her antics had me shuffling behind her with far more effort than it demanded in a constant fit of giggles that only slowed me down. But the amusement was soon repunctuated by an undercurrent of urgency when Sophia glimpsed at her phone again and was off like a shot from a gun.

I bunched my white dress up around my waist and tried to keep up, muffled laughter still simmering in my chest and wanting out. But my efforts quickly went awry, and rather than being entangled in mere fabric, I felt ensnared by the air itself. The sting on my exposed knees and palms meeting the coarse ground hand-first mingled with the swell of laughter that rose even louder, so hearty that I could hear its echo in the otherwise silent streets.

Still breathless, Sophia rushed over. "Oh, my god. Are you okay?"

Entwined in a mess of limbs and fabric, every chuckle made my sides ache more. The alcohol did little to steady me. "Oh, I'm great," I managed to say. "Just a bit further from the pavement than I was aiming for. Honestly, why am I like this?"