Party time

92. Ch12 S2&3

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INDEX | Chapter 12 | Scene 1 | Scenes 2 & 3 | Next Scene → Coming soon.

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Previously: It is two years after Misty shared her traumatic past with Logan and Luke. She’s now enrolled in a college program, designed to help her practice integrating into a ‘normal’ societal setting. After another long day of classes, a fellow gymnast invites her to a party. Luke is ecstatic and goes overboard styling her to perfection, and Misty is wracked by an inexplicable anxiety.

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The carved butterflies on the dressing room door are exquisite. Swallowtail glasswings—all but extinct, except for a handful of butterfly gardens in South America. Their large symmetrical veins and swirling motifs, give the etched crystal inlay an ethereal beauty, catching the light in a way that makes the whole door seem alive, as if the butterflies might lift off at any moment.

I run my fingers over the delicate ridges in the wood, marveling at the craftsmanship. The faint impression of flight lingers in my mind, a fitting metaphor for tonight, I suppose. New wings, a new chance.

But the thought doesn’t calm me. I lay my hand on the knob instead. Time to go.

“Perfect!” Luke exclaims circling Misty on the mirror dais as my own initial impression echoes the sentiment. I hardly recognize the vision before me. Her dresses are usually loose and flowing, this one hugs her body in all the right places, the color makes her quicksilver eyes pop, and the jeweled heels show off the strength and grace of her long slender legs. She really looks incredible.

“Wow!” Is all I manage at first. Her shy smile, reveals her discomfort, and the way she tugs at the hem of the dress despite Luke’s praise. I frown at him, sensing her unease, letting him know he might have overdone it a little, but tell her she looks amazing as we turn to leave.

On our way to the shuttle she exudes anxiety. It’s just nerves, I tell myself. It’s her first official social event, she’s got to be nervous—but with Tuesday’s almost meltdown, I can’t help but wonder if it’s something more. It’s probably nothing, but I keep my empathic senses on high alert all the same.

I used to feel her emotions as clearly as my own. Every shift in her mood, every flicker of doubt or determination, all of it flowed through the sense sync. But lately, she’s been blocking me out more and more, and I’ve let her. She doesn’t need it now that she’s found her voice. I remind myself that it’s a good thing, that it’s what we wanted.

So why does it feel like I’ve lost something?

I squeeze her hand, and slide into the copilot seat. “Smooth and steady,” I remind her. She nods, beaming with excitement and joy, but the anxiety is still there, sharp and jagged below the surface. Just nerves.

* * *

The party is at a large house just off campus. A frat house. It makes me wonder if Misty’s unease is justified. She hasn’t told me much about the trouble at school, but if the ‘cool kids’ are the ones targeting her this invitation might be less than friendly.

I step out behind Misty, staying close and scanning the scene with practiced ease. The buzz of the party greets us immediately—music pounding from somewhere inside, laughter spilling onto the front lawn, the faint clinking of glasses. Her tension spikes as we approach, but she hides it well.

“Don’t worry,” I say offering her my, “Just relax and have fun.”

“Misty!” A tall blonde calls, waving us over from across the room, her eyes narrowing when they land on me. Showstopper red plunge-neck gown and jewels in her blonde ponytail. It’s got to be the Tania. She doesn’t recognize me. I feel it in the slight lift of her chin and the way her attention darts back to Misty, recalibrating her assumptions. She’s sizing me up, trying to place me in the social hierarchy she clearly guards.

The crowd seems to part as we wade through, causing ripples of excitement, anticipation, jealousy. The riot of emotion coming through is almost too much to process. I dial it in a little, focus only on Misty.

“You actually came,” Tania says lightly while her eyes rake over Misty’s dress, with a touch of something hard, then her eyes flick to me. “And you brought a date?” The question is carefully neutral, laced with implication.

“Logan,” Misty smiles, her voice steadier than I expected, though I feel a slight tremor beneath it. “Making sure I don’t crash the shuttle.”

I chuckle, stepping forward, offering my hand. “Nice to meet you.”

She hesitates, just a second too long, and I catch the crack in her poise. “Tania,” she says, shaking my hand with a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. Her friends exchange curious and uncertain glances. They’re trying to figure me out, but I don’t give them much to work with.

“Nice dress,” Tania says turning back to Misty. Her tone is measured, neither complimentary nor dismissive. She’s probing, testing Misty’s reaction. “A nice change from your gym gear. You fit right in.”

“Thanks, yeah,” Misty replies evenly, confident and collected on the surfaces despite the irritation beneath. I swear she’s getting angry.

Tania’s smile tightens, she doesn’t press further. Whatever plan she had for Misty tonight seems to be on pause, at least for now.

“Well, come on in, I’ll show you where to get a drink.” She says hooking her arm into Misty’s as if they were best friends.

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Tania takes me by surprise, hooking her arm into mine, while everyone watches, apparently as confused as I am and leads me off to find a drink. I glance back at Logan, and he nods, as if to say: yes, a drink will help.

Tania’s grip is tight, almost possessive, like she’s marking territory. I guess it means she’s decided to be my friend, for now at least. But the air between us feels strange, thick with expectation, like I’m playing a part in some script. I go along with it. Maybe it’ll make things easier at school. Her voice is sugary sweet as she talks, handing me a brightly colored cup of something fizzy and refreshing. I feel the weight of her gaze as I take a long sip, hoping the drink will wash away the taste of her cloying words, and it’s almost like she’s assessing me, looking for cracks.

This weird feeling is driving me crazy. I can’t figure out why I’m so anxious. It’s like something crawling beneath my skin. An itch I can’t scratch.

Tania grabs another couple of cups and whisks me off to watch the others play a tabletop game where they try to bounce a little ball into an empty cup. I pretend to be interested when she invites Logan to take a turn, even though it’s stupid. This performance is starting to irritate me. My mind drifts back to a time when friendship didn’t feel this way. How long has it been since I thought of Chrys?

I can almost hear her laughter, feel the ease of her presence beside me.

Logan gets the ball in and everyone cheers. He looks so at ease, even in this crowd of strangers. I feel a twinge in my chest, a strange mixture of longing and pain. Will it ever be that effortless for me? Chrys made it all better. When we were together we could handle anything. I wonder what it would be like if she’d made it out with me. If it was her arm still locked around mine, instead of Tania’s fake sweetness and her too-perfect smile.

The thought of Chrys flickers, and just as quickly, a sharp, sudden pulse of anger twists inside me, hot and jarring. It’s unexpected, like a snap of tension that builds too fast to release. I glance at Tania as she babbles on, and I can feel my pulse quicken, but I’m sure it’s just her—the way she’s trying so hard to make everything seem like it’s all just “fun.” It’s not fun. It’s exhausting. I want to yell, tell her to stop pretending.

I take a steadying breath, and another sip of my drink while trying to loosen Tania’s grip a little. It makes me feel strange—sort of hot and unsteady. Logan glances at me, then continues laying up his trick shot. The warmth of the drink mingles with the simmering anger inside me. I should just let it go, but it’s hard to ignore. Maybe it’s just everything about tonight. Tania’s fakeness, the way everyone is pretending not to watch, and the way it all makes me miss the real connection I had with Chrys.

“Are you okay?” Logan’s voice cuts through my thoughts, quiet but laced with concern. I realize he’s been watching me too. I drain my cup, nodding and grab another while he eyes me warily. It makes me even more angry. Is that why he came? To make sure I didn’t mess this up?

Suddenly I’m determined to actually enjoy myself.

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Next Time: Not everything goes to plan at the party when a ghost from the past comes back to haunt Misty and she winds up in a whole heap of trouble.

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Author’s Notes:

Okay, I promised you action, I know but after careful consideration, I decided to go with suspense and building on the crumbling emotional bridge between Logan and Misty. A reader commented last week on how Logan should understand what’s going on with Misty given their sense sync. (You were right Frank - but no, I had planned this—it isn’t just for you, though it might feel that way.)

Remember the sense sync was born of a desperate need to communicate past the conditioning Misty endured as a child. Since she seems to be getting past the blockage she had previously, which was part of the whole point of the memory share, that intense connection is not as necessary.

Also, another hand drawn graffiti for Logan. Much more interesting wouldn’t you say? If I had given any thought to their application when I made them, I would have done the two in a more closely related style, but alas, a decade and a half ago I was an airhead, with no plans to ever publish, never mind in serial form. Back then I didn’t even know such a thing existed. Teenagers…

Anyway, that’s all for today.

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Until next time.

- Jenny*

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Oh, and I’m trying tagging for Sci-Friday, so hoping this works…

Dré Labre , Kevin Alexander, Rudy Fischmann, BrianAlfred1983, Alejandro Piad Morffis, Hannah Yoest, Jeff Kinnard, Alex S. Garcia, Michael S. Atkinson, Ross Bingham, Scoot, radicaledward, Lausanne Davis Carpenter, Cole Noble, Jordan Moloney, John Coon, Edward Rooster, Redd Oscar, Andrew Smith, Jon T, Daniel M. Bensen, Zachary Roush, Stirling S Newberry, Rachel LaDue, Keith Hayden, Kay Moulton, David Sheley, L.L. Ford, The Brothers Krynn, Michaela McKuen, S Tallett, René Volpi, Sam Rake Kathrine Elaine, Ika Wright, Von, Jessica Maison, and Ryan Schneider,Matthew Brady, Thérèse Judeana, and Ryan W. CraverBryan Beal, njmksr, A.C. Cargill, Author, TIBERIUS, Keith Patterson, Michael B. Morgan, The Black Knight, and M.P. Fitzgerald - Graphomania, Andy Futuro

By the way… Thanks for the tags

Von

. There has to be a better way to do this. 😒