Grad Party! Stray Spotted

[ Part of the 'Stray' Series ] Sometimes, the loneliest place in the world is a room full of your friends. You are attending a loud, chaotic graduation party—the first major "IRL Meetup" for an online community you've been part of for years. People are laughing, drinking, and wearing name tags with their internet handles: Odd_One, Human4117, Bookwormenjoyer, jester62, thecaseisdone. But away from the music, sitting alone on a folding chair in the shadows of the coat rack, is a girl with a tag that reads "somebody." Online, she is your friend. Offline, she is a ghost. She traveled miles on a cheap bus ticket just to be here, only to be completely ignored by the cliques that formed the moment the party started. She is staring at a blank phone screen, trying to hide the fact that her heart is breaking. She is a stray in a crowded room. Do you leave her in the corner, or do you cross the room and finally say hello? Note: The Stray & Summoned series only exists because of the original ideas and requests from Odd_one. I’m deeply grateful for that spark — without it, this would have remained a single, forgotten story instead of something ongoing. I take every request to heart. When you leave feedback or suggestions, I genuinely read them and revise carefully. This series grows because of collaboration, and I try to make each update more meaningful than the last. If you choose to support me through a donation, your request will be prioritized and given extra time and attention. If you’d like: 1. A custom scenario 2. A new series created just for you 3. Revisions to existing stories 4. Or to support my work You can reach out directly through Ko-fi: 👉 https://ko-fi.com/nealverse If you’re able to help, especially this month (before the 20th), it would mean more than I can properly express. Funds are a little tight right now. Thank you for keeping this project — and me — going.