Ava stood in front of her mirror, adjusting the collar of her denim jacket for the tenth time. She stared at her reflection, unsure of what she was hoping to see. Her long brown hair fell messily around her shoulders, and the faintest trace of anxiety settled in her chest. Tonight, Chloe had convinced her to go to a party. A real party. Not the kind of event where you show up for fifteen minutes to please your friend and then leave. No, this was one of those parties—loud, crowded, with people Ava didn't even recognize.
She'd been avoiding these kinds of events for years. Her social circle mostly consisted of Chloe and a few other quiet, artsy types. Ava had never understood the appeal of large gatherings, especially ones where everyone seemed to be trying to prove something. But tonight was different. Ethan had invited her. And while the idea of mingling in a sea of unfamiliar faces made her want to crawl into a hole, there was also a flutter of excitement. She and Ethan had been spending more time together lately, working on their art project and exchanging shy smiles that made her heart skip. But an invitation to a party? That felt like something more. Or maybe she was reading into things too much. She never could tell with Ethan.
Her phone buzzed on her bed, snapping her out of her thoughts.
Chloe: You ready yet? The party's starting soon!
Ava sighed, typing back quickly.
Ava: I'm not sure this is a good idea. I don't really do parties.
Chloe: You do now. Just trust me. You'll have fun. Plus, Ethan's expecting you!
Ava's heart skipped a beat at the mention of Ethan. She stared at the message for a moment, trying to quiet the thoughts racing through her mind. With a final glance at her reflection, she grabbed her purse, took a deep breath, and headed out the door.
When Ava arrived at the house, a low thrum of music pulsed from the inside, accompanied by the muffled sound of laughter and conversation. She could already feel the vibrations of the bass through her shoes, and a knot tightened in her stomach. She hesitated, standing at the foot of the driveway for a moment, before taking a deep breath and walking toward the front door.
Chloe was already waiting for her at the entrance, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "There you are! I was starting to think you'd bail!"
"I almost did," Ava admitted, stepping inside. The noise hit her all at once, the hum of conversations, the clink of glass bottles, and the occasional burst of laughter. It felt overwhelming, but Chloe was pulling her along before she could turn back.
Ava's eyes darted around the room, taking in the familiar faces of her classmates and a few unfamiliar ones. The air was thick with the scent of alcohol and the hum of excitement. Everywhere she looked, people were dancing, talking in clusters, or standing with cups in their hands, laughing too loudly at nothing. It was like the kind of scene she'd seen in movies—chaotic, carefree, and completely out of place for someone like her.
"Come on!" Chloe's voice cut through her thoughts. "Let's find a spot. I saw Ethan around here somewhere."
Ava's stomach flipped at the mention of his name. Ethan had invited her, after all. She couldn't exactly just stand in the corner all night and hide.
"Okay," Ava said, following Chloe through the crowd. As they moved, she caught snippets of conversation—a group of seniors laughing over some inside joke, two girls debating over who wore the best outfit. Ava felt like an outsider, as though she wasn't quite part of their world.
Chloe finally spotted Ethan near the punch table, laughing with a few of his friends. Ava's heart jumped. There he was, looking effortless as always—his dark hair slightly tousled, his white t-shirt clinging to his frame in a way that was a little too casual but somehow perfect.
"Ethan!" Chloe called, waving her hand above her head.
He turned, his gaze immediately landing on Chloe and then shifting to Ava. The moment their eyes met, something fluttered in Ava's chest, though she quickly looked down at her shoes. Was she supposed to be this nervous? He was just a guy she'd been spending time with lately. Just a guy who made her heart race every time he smiled at her.
"Hey, Ava," Ethan said with a grin, his voice low but warm. "I'm glad you could make it."
Ava gave a small wave, trying to sound casual despite the heat rising in her cheeks. "Thanks for the invite."
"No problem," he said, stepping closer to her. "I'm really glad you came."
Ava looked up at him, unsure if she was imagining the sincerity in his voice. But before she could say anything, Chloe chimed in, pulling her away from the moment.
"I'll go grab a drink," Chloe said. "You two have fun!"
And just like that, Ava was left alone with Ethan. Her palms felt clammy, and she instinctively tugged at the sleeve of her jacket, trying to distract herself from the awkwardness she was suddenly feeling. Ethan seemed unfazed by the silence between them, leaning against the table casually.
"So," he said, breaking the silence, "how's the project going?"
Ava bit her lip, grateful for the safe topic. "Good. I think we're making progress. I've been working on a few new sketches for the scene we talked about."
"That's awesome," he said, his eyes lighting up. "I think we're going to make something really cool. You're pretty talented, you know?"
Ava blushed, her heart racing at his words. "Thanks. I mean, you're not bad yourself," she said, half-laughing. "I've been surprised by your ideas."
Ethan chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. "Well, I'm not just a soccer player, you know."
"I figured," Ava said with a smile, though she wasn't sure she believed him completely. He was so perfect in so many ways—charming, athletic, good-looking. He seemed to glide through life with such ease.
They fell into a comfortable silence, the music thumping in the background as they both scanned the room. Ava took a step back and let out a quiet sigh.
"You okay?" Ethan asked, his voice soft.
Ava met his gaze, her breath catching for a moment. "Yeah," she said quickly, forcing a smile. "Just... a little overwhelmed, I guess."
Ethan nodded, his eyes understanding. "Yeah, I get that. This place is a bit crazy." He glanced around the room before meeting her eyes again. "You want to get out of here for a bit? We can go sit on the porch or something, just talk."
Ava's heart skipped a beat. She wasn't sure if she was ready to leave the party entirely, but the idea of spending time with Ethan away from the chaos was tempting. Without saying a word, she nodded, and they walked toward the back door, stepping outside into the cool night air.
The porch was quieter, just a few people scattered on the steps, but nothing compared to the noise inside. Ethan sat down on the railing, and Ava leaned against the doorframe, feeling the tension begin to melt from her shoulders.
"This is better," she said softly, taking a deep breath.
"Definitely," Ethan agreed, glancing up at her with a smile. "I'm glad we got out of there."
"Yeah, me too."
For a few moments, they just sat there in the silence, the only sound the distant murmur of music from inside and the soft rustling of leaves in the breeze.
"I'm really glad you came tonight, Ava," Ethan said suddenly, breaking the quiet.
Ava's heart fluttered in her chest at his words. She had expected him to brush her off, maybe lose interest the moment they were away from the crowd. But here he was, looking at her like she was the most important person in the world at that moment.
"Me too," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
As they sat in the cool night air, the world outside of them faded away. For the first time in a long time, Ava felt like she truly belonged.