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[color=silver][center][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ag1o3koTLWM][sup]aka the pathetic clown[/sup][/url][/center]
[indent][indent]Was it too soon for Willow to feel exhaustion? The night had barely begun, but all she wanted to do was go home to her bed. Let the rest of the class enjoy while she wallows in misery. She thought Grace could save her, but even she couldn't blame the beauty for opting out of the drama and keeping a safe distance away from the explosion zone.
 
It all began with Allison. She physically winced when Allison, despite her offering peace to the grovelling man, quipped bitterly about Adderall. Willow wanted to stop her, but it was too late. With Tessa joining the group shortly after it was obvious that there was no going back.

[color=white]"I mean, it's not his fault you popped pills every day before class, Allison."[/color]
 
She made a pathetic sound of disbelief as Tessa was quick to pick up on Allison's hostility. It took a moment to realise the significance behind the comment, but Willow didn't make it a habit to remember [i]every[/i] reason that the girls had to be hurt by Grayson. Ever the pacifist, Willow meekly tried to interject before Allison and Tessa would say things they regret. [color=9a503d]"Hey, let's not go that fa...-"[/color]
 
Her voice quietened as the woman of the hour joined the volatile group. She looked stunning, of course, and she couldn't help but notice that she looked [i]pissed[/i]. Understandably, of course. Part of Willow was glad for some authoritative backup, while the other was wholly unprepared to see Amanda completely wrap Grayson around her fingers as she had done ten years ago. Willow was certain that while Amanda's presence would work best to quell any rising tensions, she just wasn't ready to see Grayson fall for the married woman's charms.
 
Instead, Amanda stunned the once hopeful Willow with a scathing comment about being mature. It hurt even more as her eyes landed on Willow, before commenting coldly [color=9D3DD0]“Are any of these women bothering you, Grayson?”[/color] It was a slap to the face when Amanda had the [i]gall[/i] to accuse Willow and her friends of bothering Grayson. She [i]didn't[/i] want that drama, all she wanted to do was talk to old friends and [i]maybe[/i] have a good time. She caught the look Amanda gave her and the rest of the girls before she nearly attached herself to Grayson's side. Had she missed something? Perhaps sometime during the ten years, Grayson got his dream girl.
 
When Grayson spoke up, she suddenly found herself in a different setting altogether. She felt like she was eighteen, experiencing her first heartbreak as her crush ogled the star of Kings Academy. She felt like utter [i]shit[/i]. Her voice escaped her as he shot her own words right back at her. The slap continued to burn as all she could do was watch in silent horror as Grayson [i]utterly[/i] ruin any small hope she had for reconciliation. Willow, despite the insincerity, had some hope to keep things pleasant. She was open to forgiveness, had Grayson not completely blindsided her with such a rushed, blanket apology that meant as much as she did to him at prom ten years ago.
 
Like the doormat she is, she let Grayson continue his spiel. Any security she'd built for herself in the last ten years came crashing down, and she felt [i]sick[/i]. By the end of it all, she couldn't even [i]look[/i] him in the eye. Instead, she watched the space between his and Amanda's head, staring away as if that could somehow save her from utterly losing her mind. She couldn't return his gaze, she knew it would hurt.
 
It was no surprise to her when, finally, Grayson had enough. Luckily, he was taking Amanda with him, and she still couldn't watch him just whisk away with Amanda as he won. She was quick to turn her back on him, staring intently down at her glass as if it held all the answers. For all she knew, it did.
 
[i]Just one more hour of this, Wills. Then you can go.[/i]
 
Surely that was an appropriate time to stick around. Any longer and she would drive herself mad watching Grayson prance around with his happy ending. Not long now... not long now. It was a mantra she chanted in her head, counting down the seconds until she could excuse herself from the group and hide away in her room. It couldn't get any worse now.
 
Except, it could.
 
Tara and Allison, both well-meaning, enquired about her husb- [i]ex[/i] husband, reminding her once again that it wouldn't matter where she'd go to hide, she'd just be [i]alone[/i]. She couldn't blame them for their question either. They had no possible way of knowing that it was a question that would hurt, but somehow she wished they did know. At least it would save her the embarrassment of being the Failure of Kings Academy.
 
[color=9a503d]"Lucas... he's doing great."[/color] She responded finally after a long, awkward pause. [color=9a503d]"He's still in love. Granted, not with me, but he's happy."[/color] Suddenly her throat was parched and not even the gulp of her drink could save the word vomit threatening to escape. [color=9a503d]"We divorced. He's with the love of his life now. I think."[/color] Willow truly didn't know the outcome of Lucas and Luisa's relationship. The gloating messages sent by Luisa through Facebook was enough to tell her that they were happy without her.
 
She needed to get away and do it fast. She felt horror washing over her, realising that now they'd [i]pity[/i] her. Distractedly, Willow dropped her glass at the bar (a little too forcefully, but thankfully Rudy didn't comment). [color=9a503d]"I- I should go say hi to Grace,"[/color] Willow, like with Grayson, didn't look at the three girls in the eye. Her primary objective was to just [i]escape[/i]. She didn't want to hear their condolences, she just couldn't hear it now. [color=9a503d]"I-it was great seeing you two- three, shit, the drink is getting to me, ha,"[/color] Her laugh was filled with panic as if getting them to laugh [i]with[/i] her was better than them laughing at her. [color=9a503d]"I'll see you girls around."[/color]
 
Willow escaped quickly, keeping her head down and making a beeline towards Grace. She bumped into many people, but she ignored their calls as she joined Grace at her table. [color=9a503d]"I can't do this anymore, Gracie."[/color] Her voice shook as Willow finally hid her face in her hands. [color=9a503d]"I should have never come. Do you think I can still get a partial refund if I check out now?"[/color] Willow kept talking, anything that was on her mind spilling like a tipped-over glass of misery. She was aware she looked pathetic, but at this point [i]everyone[/i] knew that that was [i]exactly[/i] what she was.[/indent][/indent][/color]