Greta was enjoying herself at the party. Or, rather, she was trying to enjoy herself. It was a little difficult to fully settle in, feeling so much like she didn’t belong, and social gatherings had never truly come naturally to her. There was something in the air that was making her feel uneasy, though she wasn’t able to put her finger on exactly what. Beyond that, she had spent her life trying to do her best to blend in, and it felt like her pink dress made her stick out like a sore thumb. Rita’s encouragement had made her feel a little bit more confident, but as soon as she was on her own again, the confidence boost deflated. Scanning around the room as she swayed from side to side in time with the music, Greta’s gaze finally landed on the boldest dress on the most beautiful person that she’d ever seen. Even with her mask on, there was no doubt about the woman’s beauty as it radiated throughout the ballroom.
Realizing that she was very much staring as she caught the woman’s eyes, Greta cleared her throat awkwardly, taking a few steps to fill the gap between the two of them. “I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean to stare so aggressively. That was so rude of me.” Her hands moved to her cheeks, “You look so stunning! I think it would really take a lot of confidence to wear a dress like that, and you do it really well.” Standing next to her, Greta felt like an awkward toddler.