The Girl in Pink

A few months passed.

Then came July 12.

Another house party.

I walked into the house.

The noise of people talking filled the room.

I looked ahead.

And then I saw her.

Everything else became quiet.

She was in the middle of the living room.

A long pink dress flowed around her as she slowly spun.

The fabric moved with every turn, following her like it was part of her.

Her hair moved with her.

Her smile was the same one I had noticed when I first saw her at school.

The same smile that made her different from everyone else.

She wasn't trying to get anyone's attention.

She was just there.

Spinning.

Laughing.

Being herself.

But for some reason, I couldn't look away.

It was strange.

I had seen her before.

Many times.

In hallways.

In classrooms.

At my house.

But this felt different.

Maybe because I wasn't seeing her as just the odd girl anymore.

Maybe because, for the first time, I actually noticed her.

I had just finished taking a test for college applications.

I came straight to the party.

My mind was still stuck on the test.

I wasn't thinking about anything else.

Until I saw her.

She was talking with my parents.

I stood there for a moment, unsure if I should walk away or stay.

Then my parents mentioned that I had just taken the test.

She looked at me.

"How was it?"

A simple question.

"Good," I answered.

She nodded.

"Who was there?"

I started naming some of my friends.

Then she asked:

"Was he there?"

She mentioned a name.

I knew exactly who she meant.

The same guy.

The guy I first noticed her following back when I first saw her at school.

"Yeah, he was there," I said. "But I didn't see him."

That was it.

A normal conversation.

A few words.

Nothing special.

But for some reason, standing there in front of my parents, looking at her while answering her questions...

I felt uncomfortable.

Not because she did anything wrong.

I just wasn't used to this.

Talking to a girl.

Especially one I already noticed more than I wanted to admit.

After that conversation, everyone started walking around the house.

The hosts were showing people different rooms.

I followed along.

Then I noticed something.

She was behind me.

Not talking.

Not saying anything.

Just walking.

Every room I entered, she was there.

At least, that's how it felt.

I didn't understand why it bothered me.

Maybe because I wasn't used to it.

Maybe because it was her.

I started thinking too much.

Was she doing it on purpose?

Was she trying to tease me?

I didn't know.

I just knew I felt awkward.

So I kept walking.

Trying not to think about it.

Trying not to look back.

After a while, she stopped following.

And strangely...

I noticed that too.

Later, I was standing in the kitchen.

People were getting food and drinks.

She was sitting on a chair beside the island.

I was standing near the trash can.

She finished her drink and looked at me.

"Can you throw this away?"

I reached out and grabbed the cup.

I wasn't looking closely.

I just took it from her hand and threw it away.

A few seconds passed.

Then my mind started thinking.

Did she turn the cup?

Did I touch the side she drank from?

I didn't know.

Maybe I did.

Maybe I didn't.

But the thought stayed.

It was such a small thing.

Something that shouldn't have mattered.

Yet it bothered me.

Not because of the cup.

Because it was her.

And I didn't understand why something so small could affect me so much.

Downstairs, there were a few younger kids playing.

She called everyone over.

They started setting up a game.

Everyone sat in a circle.

I stayed standing.

I wasn't sure if I wanted to play.

Then I noticed the only empty spot.

Right next to her.

My mind immediately went back to January.

That one accidental touch.

That moment I tried so hard to forget.

I didn't want that to happen again.

Not because I disliked her.

I just didn't know how to handle it.

I slowly started moving away.

But she noticed.

"Come on."

I stopped.

Before I could say anything, she grabbed a younger kid nearby and placed him between us.

I felt relieved.

She didn't say anything about it.

She just continued the game.

Maybe she didn't even notice.

Maybe she understood.

I didn't know.

I sat down beside the younger kid.

Not beside her.

And somehow...

That small distance made me feel safe.

After a while, I found myself near the basement door.

I don't know why I went there.

Maybe I was just walking around.

Maybe I was trying to get away from everyone.

The door opened.

She appeared.

I stopped.

I wasn't expecting her.

Not at all.

She turned towards me.

"Hi."

I looked at her.

"Do you want to do something?"

Normally, whenever someone asked me something, the first thing I said was "What?"

But without thinking, I answered her immediately.

"No."

She looked at me.

"Okay..."

A few seconds passed.

Our eyes locked on each other.

"Do you want to do something?"

Again.

"No."

I thought that would be the end of it.

But then she asked again.

"Okay... do you want to do something?"

I froze.

Why did she keep asking?

I was the only one around my age at the party.

I didn't want to say no again.

It felt rude.

"Sure."

The word came out before I could think.

She smiled.

Then we went downstairs.

I didn't know it at the time.

But that small decision...

That one word...

Would become the moment I remembered the most.

Downstairs, there were a few younger kids.

They were laughing and playing.

I barely paid attention.

My mind was somewhere else.

She started singing.

Everyone laughed.

Everyone was enjoying it.

But I was just waiting for it to end.

I didn't know why.

I just wanted the feeling to stop.

The game ended.

Everyone started talking again.

I slowly moved away.

I thought I could finally disappear.

Then I heard it.

My name.

"_____!"

I stopped.

My heart jumped.

I hated it.

I don't know why.

It was just my name.

A normal word.

Something people had called me my whole life.

But the way she said it...

It felt horrible.

Too much.

Too noticeable.

I didn't like it.

I didn't like the feeling it gave me.

My heart was beating faster, and I didn't even know why.

The younger kids started calling my name too.

But I didn't answer.

I just walked away.

Slowly.

Quietly.

With her voice echoing in my ears.

I went upstairs.

Trying to convince myself that it didn't matter.

That she didn't matter.

I stayed there for a while.

I thought the feeling would disappear.

It didn't.

Eventually, it was time to leave.

I walked toward the exit.

Then I saw her again.

Through the mirror.

She was spinning.

Again.

The same way I saw her when I first entered.

The pink dress moved around her as she turned.

Slowly.

Gracefully.

Like she belonged in that moment.

Everyone around her was talking.

Laughing.

Enjoying the night.

But I wasn't.

I just stood there.

Watching.

And I hated it.

I hated that I noticed her.

I hated that something so simple could stay in my mind.

I hated that my heart reacted before I could control it.

I hated that she could make me feel something when she wasn't even doing anything.

So I told myself the only thing that made sense.

I hated her.

It was easier that way.

Because admitting anything else...

Was impossible.