This was a mistake. Coming here was a mistake. Parties has too much noise, too many people, too much happening at once, and without her meds she knew she was playing with fire. But she had to do this. She owed it to Jude, to Maggie, to herself to make an appearance, to try and act like a normal college student. Well, dropout, but the point was the same. It was time to put on her game face and convince all of creation that she could still function as a person.
And so here she was, showered and dressed in something approximating clean clothing, sitting in her car on the curb outside. She rubbed at her eyes, then moved her hands out to rub her face instead. She looked at herself in the rear view mirror, hair down, hands over her mouth, and sighed heavily. Then she opened the car door and stepped out.
She could see lights flashing from the windows, could feel the bass pumping even though she stood on the sidewalk twenty feet from the front door. She saw a guy with messy blond hair sitting outside, but no sign of Maggie, Jude or Oliver. Was Oliver even here? Somehow she doubted it, and she'd never replied to Maggie's last text so she doubted Maggie would be actively waiting for her to make an appearance.
Maybe I'll see you there.
"Like yeah, sure, I guess you could come. If you want." Very noncommittal. She tugged at the sleeves of her plain blue hoodie, her eyes moving to the guy outside again. He looked familiar, somehow, though she couldn't quite... wait.
"Spence?" She said his name before she could catch herself, and her reflex was to pretend she hadn't said anything and go inside. Instead she walked over. May as well say hello, right? Even though she hadn't seen him since he started high school. "Spencer Heath, right?" He looked different. She almost hadn't been able to recognize him. Couldn't recognize Maggie though, could you?
"Um. Annie, I mean Anne Preacher." She gestured vaguely to herself. "Do you remember me? I mean it's been a while, and last time I saw you, you were..." ...Shorter.