Xin wiped at her face and neck with her silk handkerchief. “Oh my stars,” she wheezed, “I haven’t danced like that in years.”

Leanne’s water bottle imploded as she sucked out the last drops. “Here,” she passed an unopened bottle to Xin. After tossing her empty in the bin, Leanne gave Xin a friendly shove. “It’s water. You drink it.”

Too exhausted for any witty rejoinder, Xin fumbled with the bottlecap. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d sweated so much. Did she need to step up her gym regimen? When was the last time she’d been to the gym?

The two of them stood on the sidelines. The DJ had drifted to fewer beats per minute. Neither Leanne nor Xin felt they wanted to move back onto the floor. The deep bass resonated all around them. They could feel the beat in their ribs.

Leanne elbowed Xin. “What’s up? You look a little lost.”

Xin’s eyes focused as she came back to reality. “I look a little fat.” She frowned, this dress used to be the one she wore when she was feeling heavy, and now it barely fit.

Leanne ran her fingertip along Xin’s horn. “You don’t have to say anything.”

Xin snorted, her barbels flouncing. “That never stopped me from saying anything, before.”

Leanne adjusted her headphones, they were getting tangled up in her hair again. “No. But you don’t have to.”

Xin said nothing. She stared off into the flashing lights and thumping noise, too happy to smile.

For ❚🔴 Xinjinmeng's Patreon
Streamed on Picarto.tv