He watched Sohalia go with a twist in his gut that was as familiar as it was unpleasant, like a wedgie from his past. She flitted off to swirl around the other popular kids, dropping her troubles on him and then abandoning him at the bat of some pretty, broody eyes. He wouldn't lie. It hurt and for a long moment he sat with the pain, the masochistic part of him savoring the bitter memories of always being the weird little quiet kid who had never fit in. Who had only ever been of interest to the CoOl KidZ when he had something they wanted.
He had never thought that Soh would treat him like that, though. There had been a time she'd called him her best friend, hadn't there?
...Tal took a slow breath in, feeling the tightness in his throat and the thorns in his heart.
And then he exhaled, letting them go.
Flora was gone from her own party but she'd figure out who the box of booze on the Sugar Tide was from when she read the note he'd tucked into it. No one else here needed him, but there was someone back on the Peregrine who did. Pushing away from the bar, still empty-handed since his drinks had apparently gotten lost in the excitement over some kids taking their first shots, Tal slipped back out the way he'd come. Unnoticed and unremarked through the server's door and out the back into the sweltering night, where he could breathe freely and not feel like the weight of all those bodies was crushing his ribs.
He was getting too old for these parties, anyways.
Tal out!
He had never thought that Soh would treat him like that, though. There had been a time she'd called him her best friend, hadn't there?
...Tal took a slow breath in, feeling the tightness in his throat and the thorns in his heart.
And then he exhaled, letting them go.
Flora was gone from her own party but she'd figure out who the box of booze on the Sugar Tide was from when she read the note he'd tucked into it. No one else here needed him, but there was someone back on the Peregrine who did. Pushing away from the bar, still empty-handed since his drinks had apparently gotten lost in the excitement over some kids taking their first shots, Tal slipped back out the way he'd come. Unnoticed and unremarked through the server's door and out the back into the sweltering night, where he could breathe freely and not feel like the weight of all those bodies was crushing his ribs.
He was getting too old for these parties, anyways.
Tal out!
