The tiny, cramped apartment felt even smaller now. Sarah kicked off her shoes, sending one skittering across the worn linoleum. She slammed the door harder than strictly necessary. Inside, the stale air hung heavy with the scent of microwaved leftovers and unspoken disappointment. This was supposed to be her night. Her friends, her favorite band, the rented-out karaoke room… now, all gone. She’d overheard a hushed conversation about it at work earlier. Something about her boss, a last-minute cancellation.
A knot tightened in her stomach. She pictured Emily, her best friend, laughing and joking with the others. She imagined the elaborate decorations, the carefully chosen cake. Was it going to be a good cake? The kind that was rich and chocolatey? She hadn't been informed. She hadn't even been consulted. Now, instead of singing badly in front of them all, she was alone with a bag of chips and the quiet thrum of the refrigerator.
She grabbed the remote, flicking through channels with brutal speed, stopping only when she found a cheesy reality show. The smiling faces on screen, the manufactured drama, all grated on her already frayed nerves. She needed to know the details. She needed to understand why her party was more easily discarded than yesterday's newspaper.