The Secret of Aerythyka

The Pity Party

              The music is loud, heavy and screaming - nothing like the music played in Tolerance. The lights are dim and the air is thick with smoke. Defying Tex seemed like a good idea but after forty-five minutes of standing alone in a corner all I want to do is go home.

          "Fifteen more minutes" I tell myself. Fifteen more minutes of standing in this ridiculously tight outfit and choking down the rest of this warm beer and I will leave. A solid hour is a sufficient amount of time to be able to respond wholeheartedly, 'No, I don't like parties,' should anyone ask my opinion of them in the future.

          "Asher?" The sound of my name spoken in a deep voice surprises me and I jump. I look up and see a familiar face.

          "Hi Robby." I say pathetically enthusiastic. Robby is Meg's oldest brother. He is tall with dark skin and eyes to match. He shaves his head but lets his facial hair grow, perfectly trimmed, down both sides of his jaw. Robby is kind and can make anyone feel comfortable anywhere.

          "Not gonna lie, I am surprised to see you." He says. "I almost didn't recognize you." This is because I do not look like my usual self. My auburn hair is actually brushed, styled and running down my back instead of heaped on top of my head. My face, normally devoid of unnatural color, is caked in make-up. I have minimal experience with full faced make-up and applying it is harder than it looks. It took a couple tries for me not to look like some confused clown – My large mouth didn't help. When I was younger my lips took up ninety percent of my face but my head eventually grew into them around the age of fourteen. The biggest change in my appearance though, is my outfit. It's small and constricting and, well, small. It shows way more of my body than I've ever allowed.

          "Did Meg come too?" He asks suspiciously as he looks around. He waves his friends on and stays to talk.

          "No, not her scene. You know Meg." I reply

          "Yes, yes I do. I know you too, somewhat, so again I am surprised to see you. Does Tex know where you are?" This question is asked with a knowing grin and a raised eyebrow.

          "Um, no. And I would like to keep it that way." I say

         Robby laughs with a shrug of his giant shoulders. "Tex will find out, that I know, but I promise he won't find out about the dancing from me."

         I look around but no one is dancing. "Dancing?"

         "I thought you'd never ask." Robby says and gestures to an empty clearing in the room.

         "I'm not dancing in front of people to this music."

         "Good point." Robby walks to the stereo and changes the music unchallenged. He turns and waves me over and I begrudgingly oblige.

         Jumping and dancing around a stranger's house is a bit embarrassing but it's also the most fun I've had in years. Half-way into the second song Robby shouts that he is going to get another drink. By this time the once empty space is full of fellow dancers and I don't want another drink so I continue to dance by myself when I get a sharp pull on my right arm and spun around harshly. I catch my breath and find myself looking into gorgeous blues eyes, clear and sharp like stained glass. The eyes that belong to the boy I almost forgot I followed here.

        "What the hell do you think you're doing?" He asks as he pushes me out of the crowed and into a hallway.

         "Moving rhythmically to music. They call it dancing." I say, sweeping a hand out in front of me.

         "Are you trying to get me fired? It's like your one ambition in life is to ruin mine." He throws my arm away from him and takes a step back putting more space between us than I would like but I am sure not enough to make him comfortable.