Table for Two

Miriam had begrudgingly accepted, at the behest of her well-meaning mother, Janine's invitation to a house party. Not at all of the extrovert persuasion, she dreaded being swept up in the crowd, noise and smells. Miriam's neurodivergent mind was just not wired to enjoy an excess of stimulation.

"Everyone needs social time, even misanthropes like you." Her, seasoned, social butterfly of a mother had reminded her incessantly with tongue in cheek.

"I'm rather comfortable with my misanthropy influenced social life." She'd retorted with evident irritation.

"You mean, lack of social life." Her mother corrected as she sifted through Miriam's closet for an outfit she seemed acceptable. "I simply do not understand why you don't buy clothes that compliment your beauty. Look at all this black and grey. Where are the colours?"

Miriam rolled her eyes and grumbled as she collapsed backward onto her bed. Selecting outfits was a chore. Having a repetitive selection of attire aided in bypassing the morning frustration of choosing an outfit. There were far better things Miriam could spend time contemplating than those of the fashion world.

"Hang on. I think I have a nice top that might just barely fit you." Yet another, albeit subtle, jab at Miriam's recent weight gain.

"You look great!" Miriam's cousin chimed after she'd changed into the flowy, exuberantly colourful top her mother had returned with.

Janine, Miriam's fashion forward older cousin, was her polar opposite. Two years her senior, Janine was the daughter Miriam's mother had wished for but certainly not gotten. Fun, vibrant, flirtatious, stunningly attractive and adventure loving. Tall with sunkissed skin, bottle blonde hair, slender figure and piercing blue eyes.

Whereas Miriam was content to remain withdrawn and hyperfocused on her latest obsessions. Short with pale skin, natural brown hair, plush figure and hazel eyes. A small, green ribbon tying a high ponytail of brown ringlets being the height of Miriam's sense of fashion.

"You'll have a blast, cuz." Janine's smile was blindingly bright and made Miriam cringe involuntarily.

"Uh-huh." Her tone clearly reflected her lacklustre.

After a brief farewell, the two girls hopped into Janine's car and drove off in silence initially. Silence would have been Miriam's preference to Janine babbling on about who would be there, who to talk to, who to ignore, and all the latest couple drama. As though Miriam had any interest in the personal relations of Janine's vast social network.

By the time they'd arrived and parked, Miriam's reluctance had blossomed into full on anxiety. The idea of having to suffer the grievances of a social setting was no longer an idea; it was now the reality she'd have to oblige. Sickly sweet smells of amateur mixed drinks, toxic fumes of cigarettes and blunts, blasting music (if you could call it that) from scratchy speakers, and self-absorbed people trying to speak over the music.

With a spinning head and an equally unbalanced stomach, Miriam breathed deeply in preparation before making the ten foot march of doom to the ajar house door. Janine, already scuttling off to prattle on with a group standing near the entrance, took no notice of Miriam's countenance. Typical Janine. More concerned with hearing the latest gossip than ensuring her invited guest was, at the very least, comfortable enough at the party to NOT want to vomit from anxiety. That, and Miriam suspected Janine only invited her to parties so she could appear the doting cousin to her socially awkward relative.

Once she was sure she wouldn't stumble and trip, Miriam headed for the door. Only then realizing her cousin and friends were already headed inside. Janine not so much as looking back to see where Miriam was. A soft, almost relieved sigh escaped Miriam as she stopped just before the steps, questioning if she should just go back and sit in the car.

"They go inside yet?" A hushed voice whispered from behind a tall wooden fence to the left of the steps.

"Uhm, yes." She was confused as the whisperer opened the gate and scurried to the front lawn to retrieve a white cord. Looking over at her with an evidently sheepish blush as he stood back up.

"Can't stand my brother's friends so I decided to hang in the backyard. But dropped my charger and phone is right dead." The attractively burly young guy admitted nervously. "Oh fudge. Sorry. I don't mean you. I'm sure you're cool." His hand awkwardly readjusted the seasonally redundant toque he wore over a thick bushel of black hair.

"I have no idea who your brother is. I'm a reluctant tag along." Miriam admitted and he looked surprised; long, thick lashes sweeping up and down in the universal sign for surprise.

There was a brief, not uncomfortable, moment of silence before he spoke again. "I'm Gus. You can duck out in the backyard too if you don't want to go in." He very politely offered and Miriam didn't hesitate to nod in acceptance of the offer.

"This way, mademoiselle." Gus bowed in poor imitation of courtiers of past as he opened the wooden gate to the yard. A gesture Miriam almost chuckled over but nonetheless could appreciate.

"Why thank you, kind sir." She reciprocated with a poor excuse for a curtsey before strolling into the backyard.

Gus led her toward a comfortable looking set of cushioned patio furniture tucked on the side of the house rather than the open backyard. The glass table recently cleaned and adorned with a selection of what Miriam assumed survival supplies. Chips, dips, candies, and refreshments of all sorts. Presumably to enjoy while avoiding his brother's entourage.

"Deal is, I don't tell the 'rents about his parties but side of the house is off limits." Gus smirked and shrugged as he plopped down into a seat. "I still get the raw end but it's better than fighting about it." The second half of his sentence was nearly unintelligible as he tossed a cheese puff into his mouth. "Help yourself to whatever."

Miriam took a seat more tentatively than her host had, uncertain of how much she would sink into the cushion. "Thanks." Although some of her anxiety had subsided, she was not ready to chance upsetting her stomach again.

"You don't look like the party girl type." He blurted out without thought and quickly regretted his choice of words as Miriam lifted a skeptical brow. "I just mean, you look cool. Not like someone that's trying too hard to impress complete strangers." Gus's hand fiddled with the position of his toque again. "Sorry, I'm not known for my tact."

"Evidently not." Miriam chuckled and Gus looked a tad wounded. "It's a good thing I'm fond of tactless speech. Saves me the trouble of having to read between the lines. Something I don't exactly excel in." Miriam's admission seemed to please Gus, a playful smirk hinting at the corners of his lips.

"A fellow neurodivergent, are you?" Something akin to excitement igniting in his dark brown eyes as he asked.

Miriam's answer was clear even without oral affirmation; her own amused smile and excited eyes giving it away. A stifled giggle offered in lieu of a yes, as she reached for a chip.

"Well then, can I interest you in some info dump heavy conversation and possible friendly debate for the night?"

"You'd be remiss if you didn't." She jested and could already feel her anxiety washing away even more.

Miriam spent the next several hours delighting in conversation on a variety of topics, snacking and gradually feeling completely at ease with her new companion. She hadn't realized just how much she'd missed intelligent, challenging conversation. Being able to fluidly transition between topics of philosophy, politics and botany with a single individual provided her a sense of refreshment, of reinvigoration.

"You're a lot of fun to talk to." Gus interjected as Miriam info dumped about one of her favourite plants. His stubble covered cheeks blushing again as he awkwardly looked away.

"Daft bunch of dullards. Time to go, cuz." Janine grumbled as she stomped over from the open backyard. It was clear she'd had another petty tiff with someone.

Both Miriam and Gus nearly jumped out of their seats; having seemingly forgotten other people existed. Miriam's heart both skipped a beat and sunk over her cousin's words. She looked from Janine to Gus. The look on Gus's face mirrored what Miriam was feeling and gave her the confidence to speak.

"You go ahead. I'll call a cab when I'm ready to leave." Miriam smiled brightly, as brightly as Janine had earlier that day. Janine looked something between shocked and insulted. As though she couldn't fathom her socially inept cousin wishing to linger without her presence.

"Ugh, whatever. You do you, cuz." Janine growled and rolled her eyes before kicking a pebble aside and storming off.

"You're a lot of fun to talk to as well." Miriam turned her attention back to Gus, ignoring Janine's childish speech and mannerisms. Gus's eyes went wide in surprise before his cheeks blushed even more deeply. A response that caused Miriam's own cheeks to warm and colour.

Perhaps, Miriam thought, mom was right. Even misanthropes need social time. At least, with their fellow neurodivergent individuals.