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[indent][color=e7c7ba]Nik had successfully convinced their sister to go to the party at Christian’s place without them. Despite the negative emotions surrounding Wade’s rejection of them… and the heated moment with Caspian about what he [i]claimed[/i] he couldn’t remember saying… Niki had gotten good at hiding their emotions. Therapy might not be teaching them to be happy, exactly, but it was teaching them to put on a happy face. Because of that, Alina believed Niki when they said that their reason for not going to the party themself was because of stomach issues.

It wasn’t that they were avoiding seeing Wade or anything...
[right]... or [i]Hunter[/i], rather.[/right]

So why was it that Niki found themself lying on their bed staring at the ceiling wishing they were? Seeing him, that is. Nik rolled over onto their side and scrolled through the instagram DM’s with Wade that only a week ago they had cherished — finger hovering over the send button on a message that they had typed and re-written what seemed like a thousand times. And tonight, just like every other time, Nik erased it into oblivion without sending and tossed the phone aside.

Their lips blew a raspberry as Niki sighed and once again contemplated the intricacies of their bedroom ceiling. Rejection stung deep. Nik was [i][b]so[/b][/i] sick of rejection… bullies, themself, the world, and now [s]Wa[/s]Hunter too. There was a tiny rational part of Niki’s mind that was screaming to not take this so personally, that maybe, just maybe, Hunter’s reaction had nothing to do with Niki… but with himself. But that rational voice was buried under years of trauma and self hatred, and once again, Niki felt like they were drowning in it.

The familiar sting of tears welling up caused Nik to snap their eyes shut. [color=E9967A][b]“NO!”[/b][/color] they yelled to themself and rubbed at their eyes. [color=E9967A][b]“No, we are [i]not[/i] fucking crying alone in my pillows again.”[/b][/color] Niki pushed themself out of the bed forcefully and strutted over to the window. Sliding it open, they lit up a cigarette and took a long drag.

Flicking the ashes into their secret “stashtray” Nik weighed their options. Perhaps, the problem was that Wade was used to the Niki he saw on Instagram. Feminine… confident… open. Niki was the opposite of that at school, where they tried so hard to be a wallflower. Maybe… if Niki could bring that to the version of themself to life… then maybe that would fix the empty pit that they felt in their stomach. The pit that used to be filled with romantic butterflies.

[color=E9967A][b]“Okay… Yeah… We’re doing this.”[/b][/color] Nik punctuated the declaration by stabbing out the cigarette butt and hiding their smoke stash away once again. Alina had left about a half hour ago, and the party was probably already well underway. Nik had no idea how long parties like this lasted, but surely if they got ready in like… thirty minutes, they could make it in time to be fashionably late? Hopefully fashionable, at least.

[color=E9967A][b]“Okay. Hot girl shit. Hot girl shit.”[/b][/color] Nik clapped their hands together and scanned their closet for options. What was sexy but not too sexy? Revealing enough to tempt Wade, but not enough that it showed their scars. And then there was the added layer that this party was glow themed. [color=E9967A][i]Black should work for that, just cover it in glow paint for contrast, right?[/i][/color]

After a few moments of contemplation, Niki selected a black bralette, and black cutoff shorts with a thin leather belt. Paired together, the outfit showed off Niki’s slim midsection, which wasn’t necessarily healthily obtained, but it was what it was. A nude jacket to cover their arms and black thigh-high boots to vamp up the sexiness polished off the outfit. There wasn’t enough time to properly do their hair, so Niki did their best to channel Ariana Grande vibes with a sleek high pony. As for makeup, Niki kept it simple but sultry — a highlighted natural base with freshly-bitten glossy lip color and smoked out winged eyeliner. 

A pair of hoop earrings and a purse borrowed from Alina’s closet finished the look. Niki didn’t own any purses yet, because they never actually left the house dressed up like this. This would be the first time since that day they had worn makeup and a dress to middle school and… well, that had went horribly. Trying their best to ignore their churning stomach as they ordered an Uber, Niki instead focused on the positive that might come of taking this risk. That they might reach the Wade within Hunter… if he was even at the party, that is.

The car ride to Christian’s place was excruciating. Niki’s anxiety was in full force and they contemplated the possibility of survival if they were to just open up the door and bail out on the highway. Nik was counting on weekend night traffic to give them time to prepare, but the Uber arrived at the destination sooner than expected. [color=E9967A][i]Shit.[/i][/color] Niki thought as they stared up at the foreboding McMansion until the driver politely informed them that this was the address. A.k.a., [i]get the fuck out of the car,[/i] weirdo. 

[color=E9967A][b]“Oh, sorry, thanks. Five stars.”[/b][/color] Nik laughed awkwardly and gestured with the phone before hopping out. Their heeled boots ominously clicked against the sidewalk as Niki approached the front door. Loud music was audible even from this distance, and it seemed that the party was just as much out in the backyard as it was inside the house. With a deep breath, Niki opened the front door and froze in the door frame like a deer caught in headlights.

[right][color=E9967A][i]Oh, fuck, what am I doing here?![/i][/color][/right][/color][/indent]