The parking lot

You are sitting in the car.

The party is in there. You know everyone inside — you have known most of them for years. You want to go in. That is why you drove here. You said yes, you drove, you found parking, you are here.

You are sitting in the car.

The music is just audible from the street, which means it will be louder than you want and you will find yourself standing a little to the edge of conversations waiting for the moment to say something. You know exactly how the next two hours will feel. You have felt them before.

You check your phone. There is nothing on your phone that was not there when you checked it three minutes ago in the entrance to the car park.

The dashboard clock says 8:23. You said you'd be there at eight.

You are going to go in. You will go in.

Your hand is on the door.