Tania

episode 5:glow up

Zara raised an eyebrow. “That’s tragic.”

“I didn’t exactly pack for the runway,” Tania said, half-laughing.

Zara rummaged in her closet and pulled out a silky rust-colored crop top and high-waisted black pants. “Try this.”

“And these,” she added, tossing her a pair of gold hoops.

Tania hesitated in front of the mirror, then slipped into the outfit.

Zara gasped. “Hold up. Who gave you that waistline? ”“Girl, you’re 19 with curves like that and no intention to show ‘em off?”

Tania smiled shyly. She’d always liked her shape—strong thighs, defined hips. Not perfect, but good enough.

“Now sit,” Zara ordered. “Let me work my magic.”

---

An hour later, Tania stared at her reflection.

Soft bronzer, glossy lips, eyes that popped just enough. Not too much. Just… enough.

She looked beautiful.

Not in a trying-too-hard way—but in the I’m-here-and-I-belong way.

“Wow,” she whispered.

Zara grinned. “Told you. Tonight’s gonna be fun.”

Tania grabbed her phone and snapped a selfie.

Then, with a quiet breath, she walked out of the dorm, heels clicking against the tile.

She was ready for whatever came next or so she thought.

---The night air was warmer than expected, but Tania’s hands were cold.

As they walked down the path leading to the off-campus house, the bass from the party thumped louder with every step—like a second heartbeat, echoing in her chest.

Her heels clicked nervously on the pavement.

“I feel weird,” Tania muttered. “Like, what do people even do at these things? Am I supposed to dance? Do I just… stand there with a drink and overthink for two hours?”

Zara laughed without looking at her. “Girl, stop. You walk in, act like you own the place, smile like you’re unbothered, and boom—you’re cool.”

Tania gave her a side-eye. “That sounds like a YouTube tutorial.”

Zara rolled her eyes. “You’re not here to survive it, you’re here to live it.”

But the closer they got, the more Tania noticed something—Zara was nervous too. She kept adjusting her top, checking her phone, glancing ahead like she was hoping someone important would spot them.

When they reached the house, it was already buzzing. Warm golden light spilled out the windows. Laughter and music bled into the street. People lounged on porch steps and leaned out of upstairs windows with red plastic cups and loud voices.

Inside, the vibe was low lights, loud music, and too much perfume.

In the living room, clusters of students danced, drank, and snapped selfies. The kind of people who seemed to belong in every room they entered. Cool seniors, effortlessly magnetic.

Tania stuck close to Zara’s side, heart thudding.

“There’s Heather!” Zara said, waving at a girl in oversized hoops and lavender eyeliner.

Heather walked over, sipping from a sleek metal flask. “You made it.”

“Of course,” Zara said. “It’s the party of the semester.”

Heather gave a dry chuckle. “Funny. we only heard about it yesterday from Ezra— the podcast guy.He posted about it in a private Discord. Said it was ‘lowkey but curated.’”

Tania blinked. “Wait… this wasn’t invite-only?”

Heather shook her head. “Nah. You just had to know someone who knew someone.”

Zara hesitated for half a second. “Yeah… that’s what I meant.”

Tania looked at her, amused. “So you’ve never actually been to ton of these?”

Zara took a sip from her cup and gave a lopsided smile. “What matters is—we’re here now.”

They both looked around at the crowd. It was loud, warm, and just a bit overwhelming.

Tania still didn’t feel like she belonged—but it was the first time she realized maybe no one else did either.

They were all just hoping someone would notice them