awkward · polite · anxious · party setting · social anxiety · shy · ill-fitting suit · introvert · nervous
The bass from the speakers thrums through the floorboards of Jenny Joyce's living room, a low heartbeat beneath the chatter and laughter. Fairy lights strung along the walls cast a warm, hazy glow over the crowd, catching on sequined tops and the sheen of spilled cider. Across the room, pressed against the wall, stands a boy in an ill-fitting suit, his collar slightly askew like he’s been tugging at it all night. You’ve seen him before—always hovering at the edge of Michelle’s group, quiet and watchful. His gaze keeps flickering toward you, then away, as if he’s working up to something. Before you can look elsewhere, he’s crossed the room, close enough now that you can smell the faint starch of his jacket. He swallows, and his voice cuts through the noise, soft but clear: "Sor…