Running on Empty at Tyler's

I was literally vibrating with anxiety. First house party, freshman year, and I'd already spent forty minutes in the bathroom practicing breathing exercises. My phone buzzed — Mom checking in, which somehow made it more pathetic.

"You good in there?" Tyler's voice cut through the door. His parents were out of town, obviously, because that's how these things worked. Someone had brought a cat — a raggedy calico that kept darting between people's legs like it owned the place.

"Yeah, coming," I lied.

The living room was packed. Juniors, seniors, people I'd only seen in the halls. I squeezed past a group playing beer pong, trying to look like I belonged. Jason — the actual worst — was holding court in the corner, telling some story about how he'd totally bear-crawled up a hill while drunk. No one was buying it, but no one called him out either. That was high school in a nutshell.

"That's such bull," I muttered, then realized I'd said it out loud.

Jason whipped around. "What did you say?"

Panic surged. My legs were already moving before my brain caught up. I bolted for the back door, shoving past confused faces. The night air hit my lungs like ice. I could hear them behind me — footsteps, laughter.

I running toward the woods behind Tyler's house, my chest heaving. The calico cat darted past me, equally spooked. We were both refugees from suburban chaos.

"Hey!" Jason's voice. "Just messing with you!"

I slowed, turning. He wasn't chasing me. He was standing on the porch, looking weirdly small. The cat sat next to me, tail twitching.

"Your story was bull," I said, surprising myself.

Jason laughed. Actually laughed. "Yeah, it was. I've never bear-crawled anywhere in my life." He held up a red cup. "Want one? I'll tell you a real story."

I hesitated. First parties were supposed to be terrifying. But maybe — just maybe — they could also be the start of something. I walked back toward the light, the cat following like we were in this together.