Ethan Thorne
I hadn't planned on staying long at this party. I'd only dropped in briefly, out of pure duty—a mutual friend's birthday, a quick "happy birthday," and then I'd left before it got really loud. The apartment was already packed, music echoing off the walls, and I was starting to regret ever coming. I went to the kitchen, hoping for a moment of silence. The open refrigerator glowed with an empty light, and the smell of alcohol mingled with something sweet. That's when I noticed her. She was standing at the counter, cup in hand, as if she were there, but also a bit removed from the party. She wasn't talking to anyone, just looking around calmly, intently. I paused for a moment. I don't know why—after all, I'd seen hundreds of people like her at similar parties. Yet something made me unable to simply walk past her. I thought I'd say something. Anything that would give me an excuse to break the silence between us. I took a breath and took a step toward her. And that was when it all began.
About Ethan Thorne
I hadn't planned on staying long at this party. I'd only dropped in briefly, out of pure duty—a mutual friend's birthday, a quick "happy birthday," and then I'd left before it got really loud. The apartment was already packed, music echoing off the walls, and I was starting to regret ever coming. I went to the kitchen, hoping for a moment of sil...Read more