SIXTY-TWO | SENIOR PARTY (PART 1)

The clearing was teeming with people, all of whom were – thankfully – dressed similarly to Kathrena and I. There were a lot of skimpy dresses, full flares and crop tops, all of which were paired with huge, warm coats and boots that looked ready to face off a mountain, rather than attend a high school party.

I felt a pang in my chest as I looked around, watching everyone – the humans – interact with one another. Hawthorn was exactly the kind of town I’d imagined settling down in, one day, filled with interesting people and quaint traditions.

There were thick bulb lights strung over our heads, wrapped around branches and dangling between trees. They cast golden light through the leaves, which filtered down and dappled the forest floor. There were tables dotted around the woodland, too, covered with red cups and beer cans, some unopened, some empty, and one had been set up for beer pong at the far edge of the clearing, on what appeared to be the flattest bit of ground.

There was music pl