setting : castro house front yard, post dinner status : closed for @repudiates
half-concealed behind one of the posts at the foot of the castro's front porch steps, kiri brings her third cigarette of the night to her lips and imagines what it would be like to tell her high school self about any of this. back then, she used to shudder at the idea of ever receiving one of amelia's elusive invites, rolling her eyes at lunch as the kids nearby whispered and crossed their fingers that this would be the year they finally got to go to the big, fancy house with the big, fancy pool and the hired wait staff serving a big, fancy cake. thinking of those kids now, kiri wonders how many of them are here tonight, all grown up but just as shallow, each one lying through their teeth as they claim the experience isn't even half of what they hoped it'd be without the birthday girl present. even way back when, watching amelia be used like that almost made kiri feel bad for her. though, maybe it's what she deserved for using others just as much as they used her.
speaking of ... the soft click of the front door draws kiri from their quiet moment of childhood vindications, their head swiveling just in time to watch juniper zao stumble down the stairs towards the lawn. admittedly, their intent is to ignore her, but between the stench of dinner's prosecco wafting off her and the sight of her wobbling heels catching on the wood grain of the stairs, kiri finds their arm instinctively shooting out in an attempt to steady or catch her. when they're sure juniper won't fall, either by her own merit or through kiri's save, they pull their arm back, dark eyes flicking over juniper in a concerned once over. ❝ you good ? ❞ it feels like an absurdly stupid question, but they can't help but ask it regardless.