Work Text:
The Keaton house pulses with an awkward, forced cheer. Jen's thirteenth birthday party is in full, disastrous swing. The living room, usually a chaotic haven of homework and board games, now feels like a sterile, brightly lit stage under the unforgiving glow of the overhead light. Streamers, hastily taped by Steven, sag like tired smiles from the ceiling. A lopsided "Happy Birthday Jen!" banner, written in glitter glue that already flakes onto the carpet, completes the scene.
Mallory, perched on the arm of the worn floral couch, watches the unfolding train wreck with a growing cringe. Her sixteen-year-old eyes dart between Jen, who hovers anxiously near the front door, and the trio of popular girls – Stacie, Brooke, and Holly – who stand huddled by the snack table, their whispers punctuated by snorts of laughter. They pick at the store-bought cake with the tips of their fingers, their expressions a mix of disdain and morbid curiosity. Alex, nineteen and usually oblivious, even senses the tension. He leans against the doorframe, arms crossed, a furrow in his brow as he observes his youngest sister's desperate attempts to impress.
The real trouble begins when Steven, beaming with misguided enthusiasm, announces the "special entertainment." A homemade puppet theater, cobbled together from an old refrigerator box and construction paper, is wheeled into the center of the room.
Steven, with a goofy grin, introduces "The Adventures of Sir Reginald and the Grumpy Dragon." The popular girls exchange wide-eyed glances, then erupt into barely suppressed giggles. Jen's face flushes a deep, mortified red. She glances at Chrissy, who mirrors her horror.
"This is so lame," Stacie whispers loudly enough for everyone to hear, her voice dripping with contempt.
Brooke snickers, covering her mouth with a perfectly manicured hand. Holly rolls her eyes dramatically.
Jen's friend, Beth, oblivious and genuinely enjoying the puppet show, claps politely. Jen shoots her a look that could curdle milk. The chasm between Jen's old life and her desired new one yawns wide.
Jen grabs Chrissy's arm. "Let's go," she mutters, her voice barely audible.
The two girls, propelled by a desperate need to escape the suffocating embarrassment, practically bolt for the front door, leaving the puppet show, the saggy streamers, a truly bewildered set of parents, and a confused Beth behind. Alex and Mallory, though inwardly cringing, understand the desperate flight, while baby Andrew remains blissfully unaware of the social catastrophe. The girls follow Stacie, Brooke, and Holly out into the cool November evening, abandoning the party and maybe a part of themselves.