disastrous dinner party

r, more attentive than

at the dinner, blaming the

id, his eyes sincere. "You're no

e public humiliation and the fresh remi

s felt like

g time together, j

, conversations that stre

ly listened, in a way C

feel seen,

me fee

y, I let myself be

connection

"boyfriend," and I let t

ere ecstatic

an Cartwright was everyt

, it was about Julian, about the way he

osed to be a charity gal

asked me to

ing, a new dress, a sen

as the fallen Thompson girl, but

rty at my house for Julian, a ge

smiling, and for a moment

eo walked in, un

his eyes glinting. "Looks like o

ongrats, man. Y

od ran

spered, look

ed, replaced by

can ex

lking, his voice loud, c

'rehabilitate' the fallen Ava Thompso

he small crowd of Julian's

l, "He said you'd be easy, after ever

rd was

ulian, my hea

tiveness, the understan

n't meet

who had comforted me through the cybe

nse, a crushing w

trembling but firm. "All o

rprised, then

me's over

r laughter echo

ined, looki

arted as a bet, but

w. "More humiliation for me? More

, I was too nu

I said, the words fi

r me, but I f

he aftermath of the cyberbullying was a p

ding before me, a partic