Alone in a crowd

Before meeting Sara in the bazaar, I went to the party at Carinelle's place. It started pretty well, and quickly became crowded.

There was a lot of history in the room. It felt like half the room had been in a relationship with one another at some stage, and not all the breakups had been amicable.

Brooding brutor on the fringes, glaring at the crowd.

I found myself avoiding the center of the room once Rocius arrived. I was circling talking to people I knew well enough to greet. One was Anuko. Another was Cia.

Anuko was standing near the bar, filling up regularly. I took the opportunity to say hello when I was getting a drink. We haven't really talked since the day she walked out of the shuttle bay without looking back. She still seems bitter. But she talked to me.

Anuko asked me how my relationship was going. I think she meant Cia. She had a strange look on her face when I told her that it had crashed and burned the same weekend that I took her to Matar. She talked to me a little more but after she's had a few drinks, she has difficulty being non-confrontational. She eventually decided there were too many people and left. She may have overheard me telling Cia that I had invited Amieta on a sailing trip. That was the first trip I took Anuko on - to see a planet from the waves.

Cia was standing in the corner looking alone. She wasn't looking well. She had a nose bleed, and had to rush into Carinelle's bathroom a couple of times. Carinelle was quite concerned, and had a quiet chat to me. Cia left early, looking sick.

One of Elsebeth's cousins was there; Alyssa. I think it's been since announced that Alyssa and Teo Keish are getting married. I don't really know either of them. Alyssa just joined the alliance as a Gradient rep on the executor corp board.

Cierelle showed up; Rocius' wife. She seemed to be proudly pregnant. Rocius doted on her, in between doting on Carinelle. Mata was sitting on the couch in the middle of the room, and Cierelle ended up there too. I was avoiding it after Rocius arrived. KJ showed up looking pretty pleased with himself, and there were some conversations going on there.

Gradually people left. With each person or couple leaving, it became more difficult to avoid Rocius, so I decided to leave too. Mata called on me to wait for her. KJ, Mata and I left together. There was a bit of an after-party going on at the Shackled Amarr, but I skipped it. I heard later that Veren had got in a fight with someone, so perhaps that was for the best.

I was looking forward to the party. I was hoping for some music and some dancing, but I felt awkward and uncomfortable watching people renewing old relationships.

Maybe I understand more what Sara said about being alone in a crowd.