Check out a club

There were few things more out of character for Jenna than the club scene. She had a tendency to be quiet and reserved in the best of times, definitely was not a dancer or a partier, and felt awkward in large groups. She didn't drink, or smoke, or get invited out anywhere that wasn't an obligation. But tonight, she didn't want to be her usual self. She wanted to be better than that. Stronger. Bolder. She wanted to try and get out of her uncomfortable, anxious rut and explore, to be someone other than the mousy homebody that couldn't stand up for herself.

The first step toward that was done: she barely recognized the image in the mirror looking back at her. Dark, sparkly purple makeup around her eyes from a video tutorial she'd managed not to butcher, a matching lipstick without the sparkles, makeup to highlight what few good things she could see in her face and mask the bad. A dark top and matching dark skirt, both revealing more skin than she'd ever felt comfortable with in public before; even stockings to go along with the short heels that completed the rest of the outfit.

If she didn't look like herself, maybe she didn't have to act like herself either.

She took a deep breath to collect herself, then took off her glasses to get a picture to commemorate the occasion. She knew this promised to be a night she was never going to forget, and she wanted to be able to relive the moment - and the outfit - for as long as she could. Then she put her glasses back on, smiled - genuinely smiled - at how she looked, and grabbed her bag.

She drove to the club. It took even longer than she expected; she'd intentionally picked a club pretty far from her house as an extra layer of protection from anyone who might know or recognize her, but with the traffic and parking she felt like she was running late even though no one was actually expecting her. Jenna took off her glasses after she parked, leaving them in the car: she could mostly see without them as long as she didn't need to read anything far away, and didn't want her geekiness to spoil what could be an incredible and life-changing evening.

And then she was in the line. Jittery, nervous but trying not to show it, with a bunch of strangers around her who barely noticed her. Except one.