Pallid

Rita is throwing a party tonight. Celeste is going--and that means I'm going too because I follow her everywhere like some lovelorn puppy--because Ulysses is going and she doesn't think I know.

Which I do.

Everyone knows.

It's pathetic.

That's what everyone says.

Including Celeste.

She glances at me in the mirror, putting on dark red lipstick, blinking slowly. I wrap my arms around her bony frame and she keeps going on like I'm not even there, pouting at the mirror a little, fixing an almost invisible smudge on her lips with her thumb. Celeste widens her eyes and runs an eyeliner pencil on the lid, then sets it down, sighing quietly. She runs a hand through her hair and looks at me again.

We're quiet.

The train ride is silent too, mostly because it's practically empty at this time of night. She's staring at me from across the train, propping her head up with her hand. We play a staring game.

She wins.

The party is in fulls wing when we arrive and she's quickly lost in the throng of people, a drink in her hands. It was probably Ulysses' doing and for all I know, I'm probably right. I see her, dancing with him and she stares at me while he touches her and kisses her neck, her blue eyes questioning.

I want to leave. I know I should leave. Why am I still here? But I can't leave, I can't leave her with him because I love her and he doesn't and she doesn't understand that he only wants her for the--

"Rhys!" Rita exclaims, throwing herself on me. She's come out of nowhere. I look at her, then over at where Celeste was, only to see that she's disappeared for the night.