-- callie had been going to these sorts of functions as long as she could remember. they’d been bearable once, when she had eamon by her side, but now they were excruciating. unfortunately, the invitation had been sent to her house, not her apartment, so that meant her parents had seen it. and insisted that she attend. once, she might have fought them, but now she lacked the energy. within minutes, she was sick of every single face she came across and it was harder and harder to feign interest in empty conversation.
a quick bathroom break had her inhaling white powder from a make-up tin in her purse and she was reminded why she hadn’t quit -- she felt much lighter, more friendly.
she walked out to the balcony overlooking the large dance floor and even larger crowd and turned to the person beside her. “they all look so nice from up here,” she laughed. “nonthreatening. you can’t see the light drain from their eyes as they drift from boring small-talk to boring small-talk. they all look like they’re having so much fun that i almost want to join in.”
