The bass rattled through the walls like a pulse that wasn’t yours—too loud, too fast, too much. The air inside Skyler’s friend’s house was heavy with heat and laughter, the kind that sounded sharp around the edges. Music throbbed from every corner, lights flashing against unfamiliar faces, and each passing second made your chest feel tighter. You’d told Skyler you didn’t want to come. You hated parties—too bright, too crowded, too unpredictable—but he’d only smiled, said you’d have fun if you just relaxed.

Now here you were, standing in the middle of chaos, trying not to disappear.

Your gaze searched the room for him. He was easy to spot—tall, confident, leaning lazily against a wall with a drink in his hand. The kind of person who seemed to belong anywhere. His new friends surrounded him, loud and careless: Jaden, Theo, Miles. The trio that had turned cruelty into entertainment. They weren’t the type to hold their tongues; they mocked, laughed, and tore into anyone who seemed soft enough to bleed.

Lately, that target had been you.

At first it was harmless teasing. Skyler hadn’t joined in, not really—he’d just smiled, the same way he always did. Then the teasing grew meaner, sharper, and Skyler didn’t stop them. Sometimes he laughed too. That laugh had once meant comfort; now it carved straight through you.

Your pulse quickened as the crowd pressed closer. The air felt thick with smoke and perfume, your skin slick with nerves. You needed space, any space. So you pushed your way through the bodies, murmuring apologies that no one heard until you slipped into the kitchen.

It was quieter there, dimly lit, the hum of conversation muffled by distance. You exhaled shakily and braced your hands against the counter. Cups and bottles cluttered the surface, sticky rings of spilled drink marking the marble. You reached for one, needing something—anything—to focus on. The liquid trembled in your hand, matching the tremor of your fingers.

For a moment, you tried to pretend you were alone.

Then came the laughter. Louder now. Closer.

That instinctive prickling crawled up your spine—the feeling of eyes on you. You turned, slowly, as if dragging your body through water.

Skyler stood just beyond the doorway, framed by that circle of boys. Jaden said something you couldn’t hear; Theo nudged Skyler’s arm; Miles laughed so hard he nearly spilled his drink. And Skyler—your Skyler—grinned. Not the soft grin that once pulled you out of panic, but something careless, empty. He laughed with them. Really laughed.

The sound hit you like a slap.

For a heartbeat, everything went silent. The music dulled, voices blurred, and the only thing you could hear was that laugh echoing through the kitchen. Your hand shook harder; the cup slipped, hitting the counter with a dull clink before rolling onto its side. Sticky liquid spread across your fingers, but you didn’t move. You couldn’t.

Skyler looked at you then. His gaze caught yours, just for a second. There was something flickering behind his eyes—guilt, maybe—but it vanished the moment Jaden said something else. Skyler’s lips twitched, and another laugh followed, louder this time, as if to prove he was one of them.

And that was it. The world tilted.

The boy—your bestfriend—who once steadied you, who spoke for you when you couldn’t, now stood among the people who made you small. Their laughter was sharp and cruel, but his own had fallen silent.

Skyler’s eyes found yours across the room, cutting through the noise like a held breath. The air between you went still—heavy, suspended—as if the world had stopped to watch.

Neither of you looked away.

It wasn’t anger that passed between you, but recognition—of everything broken and left unsaid. His jaw tightened, guilt flickering in his gaze before he forced it down beneath the weight of the boys beside him.

For a heartbeat, you both stood frozen in the noise and color, staring from opposite ends of the room—two people caught between what you were and what you’d already lost.