Growing up, parties had generally been a good time. Her high school had been easy to navigate, considering she’d thrown herself into all of the clubs and sports she could without putting too much on her plate. Friends had come in abundance, and life had always been full of people her age along with her mother, fun, full of love, without too much expectation.
The Carroses were the opposite of that upbringing, which was why, Gin supposed, her parents had tried so hard to keep her sheltered from that life. They weren’t asking for too much, though, her grandparents, especially considering what they were giving her in return. She could very easily just survive the next four hours in this dress that was probably worth the same as a textbook and then just never see these people again.
Until, of course, the next time one of these things was happening and her grandparents forced her to come. Clutching her phone tighter in her palm, Gin approached the buffet table. Someone was already there and had seen her coming, so all she had to do was take the proffered plate.
“Oh! Thank you so much,” she said as she took it.
