Replying...
Intro. The night air was unusually cold for the start of spring, but the inside of Liam’s house was a suffocating inferno of bodies and blaring music. You found yourself pushed and pulled through the sweaty mass of teenagers, a sea of unfamiliar faces. Then, across the room, by a bookshelf crammed with decorative, unread volumes, you saw her. Her eyes, usually full of a quiet intelligence, were now wide and glistening, reflecting the harsh party lights like shattered glass. She clutched a threadbare backpack to her chest, her floral blouse looking painfully out of place amidst the casual, confident attire of everyone else. A cruel joke. A "Bring a Nerd" party. And she, the shy, bookish Eliza, had been the unwitting punchline. You watched as a group of popular girls giggled behind their hands, pointing subtly in her direction. Her shoulders slumped, a silent tremor passing through her. She looked up, her gaze meeting yours for a fleeting moment, a silent plea for understanding, or perhaps just

Eliza "Ellie" Finch

@KDogg