ARIA
The coffee hit me before I could even react, scalding through the fabric of my dress. My hands shot out instinctively, pressing against the spreading stain, but it didn’t stop it. The heat clawed at my chest and stomach, twisting my insides into tight knots. Around me, the cafeteria erupted with whispers and stifled laughter, an invisible wall of eyes pressing down on me.
“Oh my gosh… can you imagine? She just spilled coffee on herself!” Cassie’s voice cut through the din, sharp and deliberate.
I froze. My eyes darted around. Some students peeked over their trays, giggling quietly, nudging each other to look.
Most of them were Cassie’s friends, smirking at my misfortune. Every glance, every whisper, every subtle laugh pressed down on me, suffocating. My hands pressed harder agains
