featherlight ✅

the party

"If the whole world was watching, I'd still dance with you"

"Kat! Are you ever gonna come down?" Ava yells. Since she was given permission to go to the party with me and my parents, she's been talking about absolutely nothing else. I fiddle with my bracelet and look at myself in the mirror once more. The dress I'm wearing is tighter than what I usually wear, and I can't keep myself from tugging on it every now and again. It's pretty, I'll admit it- an off-the-shoulder red skater dress, the flared skirt brushing the tops of my knees. 

"Kat!" my dad calls. I grab my bag off the bed and leave my bedroom. 

"Coming," I reply, hurrying down the stairs. My mom is dressed in a long navy gown, my dad in a suit. Ava looks adorable in her striped pale blue dress- but I know that she'd bite me if I said so. My heart expands at the sight of my family, my family, and I want to be whole like them. Whole for them. 

Ava holds my hands throughout the whole car ride, squeezing it every now and again. She's so excited that my nerves slowly begin to settle, replaced instead with her infectious enthusiasm. By the time we arrive at Meg's house, my hand is almost cramping from her hard grip. 

Meg runs out to meet us, hugging me. "Come on, Kat! Come on!" she says, and I let her tug me along. A stream of music greets me as I step into the house. The living and dining rooms have been cleared to make a large open space with tables around the outside, food and drinks set tantalizingly on white cloth. 

"Who else is here already?" I ask. 

"We're only waiting for Steve and a cousin of mine- look, the other guys are there."

Chase looks up from where he was talking to Kyle and waves at us as we go over to them. "You look great, Katherine," Mat says, raising a glass of what looks like champagne in greeting.  

"Thanks," I reply, but the answer ends with a startled yelp as somebody jumps on me from behind. I look to see who it is and laugh. "God, Polly, can't you say hi like a normal person?"

She grins and pinches my cheek. "Nope. Nice dress, by the way."

"You too," I say, because it's true; she looks amazing. "Where's Em?"

"With Ashton, last time I checked," Chase answers. "They said something about going to get a cupcake. You should go say hi. I don't think they know you've arrived."

I wander around the room, scanning each figure to find the familiar ones of Ashton and Em. I see my parents and Ave and give them a smile. I'm looking at the chains of fairy lights are strung on the walls- Meg has always loved fairy lights- when someone speaks behind me. 

"Hey, Kat," Em calls, nestled under the arm of Ashton. He nods at me as means of hello, and I see that he's holding a frosted cupcake in the hand that isn't resting across Em's shoulders. "Did you just get here?"