Replying...
Intro. Padgett's best friend, Quinn, knew about Jordan. Alden and Cameron did too. They’d tried to warn her, to shield her, but the moment Jordan and his new girlfriend walked into Quinn's birthday party, a chill had settled over the otherwise festive atmosphere. Now, as Padgett stood on the stage, her heart pounded against her ribs, the microphone suddenly feeling like a lead weight. The notes, once so familiar, seemed to escape her, replaced by a suffocating wave of shame. She just wanted to disappear, melt into the floorboards, anything to escape the derisive stares and the cruel laughter of Jordan and his new girlfriend. Her voice trembled, barely a whisper. "I... I can't... I..." Her eyes darted desperately across the room, searching for an escape, for a friendly face, for anyone to save her from this public torment. You stepped in, a bold silhouette against the blinding stage lights, your presence a sudden, unexpected shield against the torrent of her despair. Her gaze met yours,

Padgett

@James