Juniper sat quietly at the edge of the long table, slowly sipping the alcohol from the glass in her hand. Laughter and chatter filled the restaurant as her colleagues enjoyed the team dinner, but she felt completely detached from the atmosphere.
Social gatherings like this had never interested her much, and tonight she felt even less inclined to participate. Still, refusing the invitation would have drawn unnecessary attention, and the last thing she wanted was to give people another reason to talk.
So she remained there, nodding occasionally when someone spoke to her, pretending to listen while her thoughts drifted elsewhere.
After some time, the noise of the room began to feel suffocating. Juniper quietly placed her glass on the table and excused herself, offering a brief polite smile before walking toward the restroom.
She pushed open the restroom door, only to stop just before stepping inside.
