Something Different - Skitscape and Fawdz

The Party

I try to stay next to Dan, but we get separated by the crowd. This is a bit big deal for me because I don't know anyone here and I'm terrified of being the center of attention. As if I'll get that here. Still, I can't convince my mind to calm down. Social anxiety much?

"Where are you?" I text Dan after a while.

"Drinks," he replies, and I inch my way through the crowd towards the refreshments.

I see Dan talking to someone, and I'm relieved to find him again. He hands me a red Solo cup full of something. I look inquisitively at him. "It's punch," he answers, and I take a sip. It's fruity. No alcohol. Good.

We go back to the crowd, and I make sure to stay close to Dan. He talks to some friends, and whenever he tries to introduce me I shy away. It's not that I have anything against Dan's friends, I just don't like meeting people.

At one point, we break away from the crowd and find our way outside. The brisk night air is chilly, but I feel okay. I welcome it, actually; it was unbelievably hot back there. Another reason is because of that warm, tingly feeling I get when I'm with Dan.

Dan wraps his arms around me to shield me from the cold night air as we walk. I don't know where we're going, but I don't really care.

We end up sitting on a bench between some trees on campus. We can see the lights from the party and hear the rhythm of the music-the beating matches my heart. We sit there for a while, gazing at the campus at night. We can barely see any stars from the light pollution coming from Chicago, but some are there.

"Nice party," Dan remarks, and I'm snapped out of my trance. "I guess," I reply. "Hey Lily," he starts, and my name on his lips makes me feel... amazing. "If you don't mind me asking, why are you so shy?" I take a deep breath. "I don't know, really. It's just who I am. I'm really shy around people I don't know, I don't like being the center of attention, I'm not outgoing, I don't like meeting people, and..." I mumble the last part: "I'm kind of insecure." "What?" Dan asks. "Nothing," I reply quickly. "Okay, I get that you're shy. But why?" "Again, I don't know. It's just a part of me. I grew up without a mom... Maybe it's because of her. Or lack of her, I guess. I don't want to be this way. I want to be fun and outgoing and unafraid," I confess.

"I'm sorry to hear that," he says, referring to my mom. "But if you're shy around people you don't know, why are you so comfortable around me?"

"I... don't know, really." I squeeze every ounce of courage out of me to tell him, "I like you a lot." It comes out as more of a question.

"I like you a lot, too." He says, and I smile.

We continue to stare at nothing for a while. I feel unusually happy when I'm with Dan, and I enjoy every second we spend together.

Eventually, we decide it's time to head back home. We stop by my door again, and with a fleeting kiss, we part ways.