Erin and Kristie try to mingle

Unsure of what to do, Erin and Kristie just hovered at the edge of the crowd, the bodies and noise pressing in from every side. Even with their hair teased and shoulders padded, they felt exposed, two neon warnings blinking in a sea of body-hugging dresses, crop tops, and high-waisted denim. Their heels stuck a little in the sticky beer film on the floor, the bass thumping hard enough to make Erin’s chest vibrate.

Kristie did her best to fake confidence in Chet’s absence. She grabbed Erin’s wrist, tugging her through a knot of dancers. “Come on, let’s just try to have fun. We didn’t get all dressed up and come here to stand in a corner.”

They tried to join the dancing, but it was clear they weren’t quite in step with the crowd. Kristie swayed to the music, tossing her hair and laughing, but nobody joined in. Erin bobbed awkwardly, feeling every inch of fabric clinging to her body, and every inch of fabric that was missing for her taste.

After a few minutes of effort, they retreated to the kitchen, searching for drinks, anything to do with their hands to help them feel less out of place. As they reached the counter, a group of girls clustered nearby burst into sudden laughter, tossing pointed looks their way.

Elsewhere in the crowd, Chet was having no trouble at all fitting in. He and the girl in the gold mini-dress, Suki, as she’d breathlessly introduced herself, were lost in the middle of the dance floor. She was barely over five feet, but what she lacked in height she made up for in confidence and hips that never stopped moving. Her hands were all over his chest and biceps, her manicured nails digging playfully into his blazer as they spun and ground together.

Chet matched her energy with his own exaggerated moves, rolling his hips in ways that brought on a fresh wave of cheers and wolf-whistles from a nearby group. Suki’s laughter was loud and uninhibited as she threw her head back and pressed even closer. The glitter of her dress shimmered under the lights as she kept up with him.

At one point, she grabbed his hand and spun herself against him, pressing her backside up along his thighs. The top of her head fell just short of his shoulders, but she didn’t let that stop her. She rolled her body against him, making him feel every playful sway, while she felt his groin at the very top of her butt and lower back. She craned her neck, whispering something in his ear. His grin only grew wider.

Without warning, Suki grabbed his hand and pulled him through the crowd, never pausing to look back as she navigated the tangle of bodies and puddles of spilled drinks. Chet followed, never thinking to look for Erin or Kristie since they’d told him to do his own thing. He caught a few jealous stares from frat boys as Suki led him up the stairs, her slender fingers locked around his.

They disappeared down a hall, Suki throwing a wink over her shoulder before pulling Chet into a darkened bedroom, the door closing with a muffled thump and a chorus of “No fuckin’ way!” and “God damn, bro!” that came from some of the guys on the landing.

Downstairs, the party’s energy barely faltered. But with Chet gone, the focus shifted and the crowd’s attention was already turning elsewhere.

That’s when Madison slid into view. She was sorority girl royalty in a black crop top and miniskirt, with perfectly sculpted eyebrows, and her phone already raised for a Snapchat story. She looked the girls up and down, pursed her lips, then broke into a wide, performative smile.

“Well, well. I love the costumes, girls. Did you get lost looking for 80s trivia night?” Her voice carried, pitched for the crowd around her. The girls at her side snickered on cue.

Kristie tried to muster a smile, but the words landed hard. “Funny. We just wanted to liven things up.”

Madison didn’t miss a beat. She leaned in with a syrupy-sweet voice and a condescending look. “Oh, you definitely did that. I mean, I respect the commitment. You really went for it- even the hair. So brave.” She finished with a hand to her chest like she actually felt sorry for them. Another round of laughter.

Before Erin could respond, Madison “accidentally” knocked her cup, sending a splash of sticky, pink liquid right down the front of Erin’s dress. “Oh! I am so sorry!” Madison’s hand flew to her mouth, but her eyes were wicked. “You know, those synthetic fabrics stain like crazy. But… it’s perfect. The dress is already pink anyway, so I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

The crowd around them giggled as some others joined in recording on their phones.

Erin’s face went scarlet. She fumbled for napkins, her hands shaking as she tried to blot her dress. “It’s fine,” she muttered in a small voice.

Kristie glared at Madison, trying to keep her cool. “Yeah, accidents happen, right?”

Madison shrugged, twirling a lock of hair around her finger. “Totally. Anyway, you two have fun, okay? If you need help finding the trivia, it’s back home where you belong.” With a last smirk, she swept away, her entourage in tow, laughter trailing behind.

The silence around the kitchen counter felt suddenly heavy, everyone else drifting away as if embarrassment were contagious.

Kristie did her best to act unfazed, squeezing Erin’s shoulder through the padding of her dress. “Don’t let her get to you. She’s just jealous you’re braver than she is.”

Erin shook her head, still fighting tears. “I want to go home.”

Kristie hesitated, looking back toward the crowd where Chet had vanished. “Let’s just… go find a bathroom and try to get you a minute of privacy. Maybe things will get better. If not, we’ll bail together, okay?”

Erin nodded, but the party’s glow was already starting to dim, as her excitement was replaced by humiliation and the memory of every phone camera pointed their way.

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