Not every door takes you somewhere.
Sometimes it simply offers you a different version of yourself.
The evening of Saturday came quicker than Loid would have imagined.
He was in front of his mirror for a time longer than he could admit.
A simple black jacket outside
And a T-shirt of white color underneath.
Dark jeans.
Nothing especial.
Just some neatness.
Loid still looked like Loid Ainsworth.
But not the boy who always sat at the back of the class.
His phone went off.
Jay: "I'm waiting for you."
Loid smiled to himself and put on his jacket.
The music became audible even before reaching Shaw Donovan's place.
Cars were parked on both sides of the street.
Students were laughing on the lawn by the house.
Someone made some warm lights around their territory that made it look warm and friendly instead of noisy and chaotic.
"Feeling nervous!" asked Jay.
"A little."
"That's good."
Loid looked at Jay again.
"It means you are having a new experience."
They went inside.
For just a moment everything was as usual.
Then people noticed Loid.
"Hey, Loid!"
"Nice to see you!"
"You came!"
Simple greetings one after another.
Yet enough to let him understand he was where he belonged more than he had thought.
Charlotte was helping Ava lay out snacks on a table.
Then she lifted her head.
They locked their gazes.
For a moment everything around them was silent.
Charlotte was the first one to smile.
"You made it."
"I said I could."
She chuckled softly.
"I assume I managed to persuade you."
"Possibly."
The dialogue unfolded easily enough.
Until they were interrupted.
"Didn't think that you would come."
Shaw.
He was standing beside them, a drink in his hand, smiling his usual way.
"Hey, welcome. Have fun."
His words were polite.
His tone wasn't.
Loid nodded.
"Thank you."
For a few seconds no one said a word.
Then Shaw turned to Charlotte.
"Could you give me a hand with something in the back?"
Charlotte hesitated.
"Sure."
Carrying her bowl she turned to Loid.
"I'll be back soon."
As they were leaving, Jay showed up with two cans of soda in his hands.
"When you said that guy was creepy, you meant it."
Loid's eyes were on Shaw, who was leaving through the back door.
"Yeah."
During the night the party got noisier.
There were people gathered around card games, music, and chats.
Loid was talking to Noah, Ethan, and Aria.
But of course.
At some moment, Aria jabbed him with her elbow.
"You look more relaxed now."
"I suppose."
"Excellent."
She grinned.
"You finally seem to be enjoying yourself."
Loid cast a glance around.
And it was true.
He was indeed.
For a change, he was not calculating at every word before opening his mouth.
He experienced the moment.
Charlotte saw it in the garden as well.
Loid was laughing.
It was heartfelt laughter.
Not that courteous smile she had seen at school.
It was something warmer.
The sight made Charlotte smile unconsciously.
Ava was quick to notice it.
"Found it again!"
"Found what?"
"That look."
Charlotte turned away.
"I don't get what you mean."
Ava chuckled.
As the evening went on, Shaw was watching everything from a distance, and he was especially focused on every glance Charlotte and Loid exchanged.
His smile vanished gradually.
For the first time that night, he felt something was wrong.
Loid was not aware of it.
Charlotte was not aware of it, either.
But Jay was.
He glanced at Shaw and then shifted his eyes back toward Loid.
Something told him that the night was not over yet, and he could be wrong.