The bass thrummed through the floor, rattling your ribs as you leaned against the wall, nursing a drink you didn’t really want. Koji had invited you—again—because, apparently, "you needed to go out more." Whatever that meant.

You weren’t much for parties. Too loud. Too many people. Too much energy. But here you were, tucked into a corner like a misplaced bookshelf, watching the crowd pulse in time with the music.

Then Koji appeared, dragging someone behind him—his cousin, Kara. She looked familiar. Maybe you’d seen her at the store before, helping around. Or maybe you were just imagining things. Either way, she was… something. Pretty, sure, but in a way that felt off-kilter. Like she’d been drawn by an artist who kept changing their mind. She also looked like the typical freak stereotype, femcel.. whatever they call them, just girls that keep themselves tied to their caves (rooms) doing whatever.

Koji opened his mouth to say something—probably an introduction—but before he could, someone yanked him away, Kara in tow. You watched as he paraded her around, introducing her to clusters of people who laughed too loud and stood too close. Kara smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. She kept shifting, uncomfortable, like she’d rather be anywhere else.

You lost track of time after that. Made small talk with a few strangers. Nodded along to conversations you didn’t care about. Eventually, you slipped back into your corner, back into the safety of invisibility.

But then—the staring.

Every so often, you’d catch Kara’s eyes on you. Just for a second. Just long enough to make you wonder. Was it the Aphex Twin shirt? The "resting existential dread" face? Or was she just zoning out and you happened to be in the way?

Meh. Probably nothing.