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. My inebriation was but a part of the equation, the rest being a testament to hours of frenetic 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. Drawing me close, her exhilarating laughter rippled through me. "How are you so good at this?"

I laughed along. "You being sober might've been an extra advantage. 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 vibrant 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, rendering conversations 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.

But amidst the happy glow of our interactions, a whisper of guilt nipped at the edge of my consciousness, spurred on by my habitual distance from others. I had grown accustomed to shallow friendships and fleeting interactions as brief as the flicker of a flame 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. But as Sophia slowly carved a niche in my heart, a sense of wrongdoing gnawed at me. 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.

Even with my inner conflict pestering me, I tried to cast aside such musings and spend the night in laughter and high spirits. The sight of them alone was enough to draw chuckles and glances—Lucas in his wig and sleek black dress, its hem flirting with the tips of his 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.

As we swayed and twirled, basking in our shared victory, the rhythm was suddenly broken. Sophia froze, her eyes anchored to her phone, each pixel reflecting a dawning alarm 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 nocturnal 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.

Clad in her comically absurd costume, her antics rendered my every falter a fit of giggles. I deliberately shuffled beneath the intensity of her stride—with far more effort than it demanded. But the amusement was soon repunctuated by an undercurrent of urgency when she glimpsed at her phone and was off like a shot from a gun.

I frantically trailed behind her, muffled chuckles still simmering in my chest, hindering my pursuit. The trailing hem of my white dress became a treacherous snare around my legs, so I bunched it up around my waist.

But my efforts quickly went awry, and rather than being entangled in mere fabric, I felt ensnared by the very 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 it echoed back from the silent streets.