Lost at the Gala

I once went to a formal gala that I had no business attending. Everyone else seemed to glide in, perfectly dressed in sequins and suits, while I awkwardly tugged at the zipper of my discount-store dress that refused to sit right. The conversations around me revolved around luxury vacations, fine wines, and stock portfolios. Meanwhile, my brain was on autopilot thinking about what leftovers I had at home. I spent most of the night pretending to understand the difference between a merlot and a cabernet, wondering if anyone could sense that I felt like a fish not just out of water, but out of the entire ocean.