•••
Angel sat down delicately on the uncomfortable bench as she stared out onto the sea of people dancing carelessly bumping into one another.
She did not understand how they could enjoy such an empty activity and how people counted down to friday where they could partake in messy highs and dancing with strangers.
But maybe that was because she didn't belong here. She did not ever come to bars or anything that involved leaving her house past 9pm. She enjoyed the calm things in life such as reading a book in a hot bath filled to the top with bubbles or going a morning walk down by the ocean as the soft sand cushioned her stroll.
"Come join us!" Her friend squealed "Let loose!"
Angel's eyes glanced upwards towards her friend who was the reasoning for her presence in the less than impressive club complete with sticky floors and music so loud it was impossible to even hear yourself think.
"I'm alright here" She smiled politely "Go have fun"
Her friend gave a shrug and a noticeable eye roll as she floated back to the crowd of people. Luna. Every bit the meaning of her name; madness, crazy. This was her scene, she thrived in the atmosphere of sweaty bodies and dirty rhythms.
It was her birthday and so Angel has once again been annually forced to be present for a night she dreaded every year. Angel couldn't wait until Luna would get to the age where she was sick of partying and decided for a nice casual lunch or dinner instead.
She took a sip of her water not wanting to try any of the brightly coloured beverages her friends had been consuming the whole night. She seen what it did to them and how they changed and she didn't care to end up in the same manner.
Her phone read 11.30pm and she debated if it was still too early to try and escape, silently making her way home and sending a quick text to ensure Luna she was okay. She did it most years, normally with a standard excuse of not feeling well or there being a family emergency.
She decided in her head she would stay until midnight. That was fair, she thought. So she continued to observe the scene in front of her watching as her friends became more and more obliterated.
"Another?"
Angel's head whipped to the side to locate the voice that gave her a small fright. She found an unusual looking boy beside her who also appeared to be here on his lonesome.
"What?" She replied.
"Another?" He repeated pointing to her drink.
She looked down and noticed the glass in her hand was almost empty but she didn't want another because that would only encourage the boy that she intended to stay longer.
"No that's alright thanks" She replied.
He smiled back at her, a small one in which she assumed the interaction was over and she diverted her attention back to the crowds in front of her.
He slid down the bench until he was right beside her and Angel felt herself tense up, not because she was scared but rather because she had never been so close to a man that wasn't a relative. This man was a stranger and she couldn't for the life of her figure out why he was choosing to linger around when he could be out on the dance floor with the rest.
"Now why are you sitting here and not out there having fun?" He asks.
"Trust me I'm having way more fun observing" Angel replies finishing the last of her water.
"Spectating is for boring people" He smirks.
"Precisely" Angel nods.
She was granted a few moments of silence that she relished and wished would remain until the time came for her to leave but she knew that was too good.
