tell me it's all right

Twenty minutes had never felt so long. Despite the speech from Jennifer about how this party was going to be the best of the year, whispers from the girls about which football players would be there, an unspoken rule to only trust the team -- the only thing Marley could think of while wandering around the stranger’s home was the noise. Shouting, laughing, music, it was surrounding her, but no part of her wanted to join in. Even despite the promise to herself that she’d try to follow the lead of her new team, that she’d try to fit into the role of the normal teenager -- she couldn’t. 

Instead, looking around the party for some chance that she wasn’t the crazy one, hoping to see someone that was thinking what she was thinking. A few awkward gazes with hapless boys wearing varsity jackets, a few encouraging nods from the girls, passing by strangers that were more consumed with their drinks. There was a moment of locking eyes with a blonde, smaller but not in presence. it was the first time since arriving that she felt like she was actually being seen. It did only last a moment, before a surprising arm was wrapped around her and tugging her toward the music. Some guy in a red jacket, grinning too widely at her and smelling way too strongly of sweat and beer. 

The annoyance on her face must’ve been obvious, because she was able to dodge under his arm quickly and slip out the back door without any fight from him. The wind was cold enough to sting her cheeks, but that was more welcome than the headache she was getting inside. “Way to go, Marley”, she muttered, dumping her untouched drink into the grass as she wandered toward the pool chairs.