I let out a sigh,

"Jackie's having a party tonight,"

"She asked if you wanted to come."

"I probably won't be there, don't wait for me."

As the night approached, I couldn't shake off the feeling of disappointment. Jackie's parties were known to be some of the biggest events of the year, and I had been looking forward to going with her. Still, I understood that parties just weren't her scene, and I didn't want to push her into doing something she wasn't comfortable with.

Trying to distract myself, I decided to go to the party alone. As I arrived at Jackie's house, the lively atmosphere engulfed me. Laughter, music, and chatter filled the air, but there was a part of me that still felt bored.

As the night went on, I mingled with friends, old and new, momentarily forgetting my disappointment. However, I couldn't help but wonder how she was doing. I imagined she was probably having a quiet night, doing something she enjoyed, like sleeping or whatever she liked.

Just as I was about to call it a night, I spotted a familiar figure in the distance. It was her, standing at the edge of the crowd with an anxious smile on her face. But there was someone next to her,

Travis.

I was surprised to see her there, with him, after she had declined to come initially.

Approaching her with a warm smile, I said, "Hey, you made it!"

She looked a bit sheepish but replied, "Yeah, I changed my mind. Thought I'd drop by for a little while."

"I hope it's okay, I brought Travis, he asked if I wanted to stop by."

I felt a mix of emotions—anxious, annoyed, and even angry.

Then, there was a gentle tug on my shirt, and I turned to see Laura Lee, who I hadn't seen in over two months.

"Hey Lots, missed me?" she asked.

"Oh my god? Where have you been!?" I exclaimed, genuinely happy to see her.

She explained, "We had to go to Maine. My parents wanted to go on vacation."

During our conversation, I realized how relieving it was to have someone else to talk to other than Natalie and her new 'boyfriend.' I couldn't contain my excitement and gave Laura Lee a tight hug; I truly missed her.

"I did miss you, you know."

"I missed you too! How has practice been without me?" she asked.

"Eventful," I replied, pulling up my shirt slightly to show her my wrapped-up stomach.

Concerned, she gasped, "Oh my goodness, what happened?"

Trying to downplay it, I said, "It's just a scratch."

Just a scratch?

It felt like I was dying.

Why would I say that?