I pushed past people, my vision blurred from the hot tears streaming down my face. The laughter, the stares, the hollers—it all felt suffocating, echoing in my mind. The red-and-blue club lights were now disorienting flashes, amplifying the mortification and shame twisting inside me. The restroom door came into view, and I darted toward it, desperate for an escape from the crowd and the humiliation clinging to me.
Clarissa’s voice cut through the noise as she chased after me. "Madeleine, wait! Don’t make this such a big deal!" Her tone was frustrated, almost dismissive, but I kept moving, determined not to let her see me break.
Behind me, I caught Drey’s mocking voice, adding fuel to the fire. “Didn’t know your cousin was such a lame ass!”
A pang of anger flared through my chest. But be
