Zara’s eyes snapped open in the dim motel room. The digital clock on the bedside table glowed 5:40 a.m. Her body felt heavy, her head still fuzzy from the long night and the alcohol.
Riley was snoring beside her, one arm thrown over the pillow. Zara sat up, careful not to wake her friend. The memory of what she and Riley had seen through the wall hit her again, Mr. Ramirez and his friend taking turns with Ms. Elena Voss, the moans, the sight of his thick, veiny c**k. She pushed the thought away and slipped out of bed.
Knowing the type of parents she had, Zara had no choice but to leave now. She dressed quickly in the clothes she had worn the night before, grabbed her bag, and tiptoed out of the room. The walk back home felt endless. She moved like a shadow, sticking to quiet side street
