The Night of the Party

Night had fallen when Miria arrived at Diana's house. Music and laughter filled the air. As soon as she stepped inside, Diana greeted her with a bright smile.

— Miria! You came, I'm so happy! Come on in, the others are over there.

Diana led her to a group where Marlie was chatting cheerfully with other guests. Miria forced a smile and tried to blend into the conversation. Yet, an odd feeling of unease lingered.

As the party reached full swing, an unexpected comment cut through the noise.

— Hey, look at that—Isabella and Ray in the same room! a young man joked. Must be awkward, huh?

A brief silence fell over the group. Isabella, Ray's ex-girlfriend, stiffened slightly, while Miria felt a wave of irritation rising. Why did these kinds of remarks always have to surface?

Ray, standing a few steps away, shot the guy a cold look before choosing to ignore the jab. But Miria couldn't just brush it off. She'd had enough of this kind of situation.

Taking a deep breath, she turned on her heels and walked out of the house. Marlie, noticing her leave, rushed after her.

— Miria, wait! Why are you leaving?

— I've had enough, Marlie. The same stories, the same insinuations… I don't want to be here anymore.

— But don't let one comment ruin your night!

— It's not just one comment, Marlie. It's everything piling up.

Marlie wanted to argue, but Miria wasn't listening anymore. She quickened her pace.

Just as she reached the gate, Ray caught up with her.

— Miria, wait for me.

She didn't slow down, crossing her arms.

— Leave me alone, Ray.

— I just wanted to apologize for what happened…

She stopped abruptly and glared at him, exasperated.

— What happened? You mean this stupid situation that keeps happening over and over? I'm sick of it, Ray.

— Miria…

— No, forget it. I just need to be alone.

Without another glance, she walked away.

As she moved through the night, a cold sweat ran down her neck. Voices… She could hear faint whispers echoing in her head.

— Not now… not again…

Her breathing quickened, and she picked up her pace until she reached home. Once inside, she locked the door, trembling.

— I'm going crazy…

She closed her eyes for a moment, then headed to the bathroom for a shower. Maybe some cold water would help her calm down.