Dinner without him was awful.

I felt isolated and puzzled about the food, with no one to assist me. Being not much of a social person, unfamiliar gatherings weren't my strong suit.

Those girls from earlier were mean; they kept asking where Kent had gone. They threw questions at me about things I'd never experienced, making me feel like a loser in front of others.

His mom looked anxious, as if she might be the reason he'd vanished. His dad appeared unfazed, which made me ...