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This whole scene was already too weird for me and I wanted to leave, but Aileen and I were now in the spotlight with Ashleigh extending a hand to us at the entrance to a big room beyond “Tamara… uh, Ailey, welcome, nice to see you”

Aileen leaned towardsroadblock “She’s never even noticed I exist before, has she?”

“I had the strange feeling ere at one of those parties where, like, the Pri with a whole bunch of important people and needs to crib off notes to actually knoho they’re saying hello to and why they should care”

Aileen groaned “I already want to leave”

I was feeling her pain Callie had been (al: unusually clean venue aside, the scene in front of us looked pretty e party to look Early in the night, at least There was a sound syste out music I didn’t really like, and a bunch of kids I knew fro about drinking

As predicted, Lucas started waving to someone at the oposite end of the roo back and chatted to Ashleigh, as already looking pained

Aileen started to move closer to Callie—and before I could follow her, Steven was in my path

He extended a hand toI’d find you here Come on”

“I’,” I told him

Steven scowled at ot here”

“Yes, and I don’t like these sorts of parties I just came as a favour to Callie, and I don’t really knohy I thought that was a good idea”

“Good,” Steven said, “let’s leave”

He grabbed rip onanywhere

Aileen was holding onto me “Tamara, are you okay with him?”

“Fine,” I told her I was far from fine, but if I explained I was terrified at thatways I’d never be able to explain to her hoas scared of so because I really wanted it That didn’t make sense to me yet