31 A moth to a flame

****Henry***

I step out of the bathroom, take a long, hot shower, and feel refreshed and relaxed as I dress myself in the tuxedo Cody has given me to wear.

I stare at myself in the mirror and can’t help but feel a surge of confidence as I adjust my tie and smooth out any wrinkles in the fabric. I am only wearing a shirt, and the pants are perfectly tailored to my body, making me feel both comfortable and stylish. But the bow tie seems to hassle me every time I try to put it on but fail after each try.

“Are you done?” Cody’s voice came from outside the bathroom, interrupting my struggle with the bow tie. I take a deep breath and finally manage to secure it in place before responding, “Almost there, just one more minute.”

“Leave it. I don’t want to wear a bow tie today.” I quickly remove the bow tie and head out of the bathroom, feeling relieved to have one less thing to worry about.

Stepping out, I can feel eyes staring at me from top to bottom. I wiped my palm on my pants, which seeme