The snow crunched under your boots as you walked up the path to the Washington Lodge. You’d debated coming all day. Emily had “accidentally” told you about the party in the most sly way possible, and Jess had given you a look that practically screamed, go, it’ll be fun. Part of you hated the idea—you weren’t exactly on friendly terms with everyone there, especially Beth—but another part of you, the thrill-seeker, had made the decision for you.

Minutes later, you reached the door. Your heart thudded nervously in your chest as you raised your hand to knock. Before you could, footsteps approached, and the door swung open.

Josh—the older, towering brother of Hannah and Beth—stood there, arms crossed, a skeptical look plastered on his face.

“You… you’re here?” he asked, voice low and cautious.

You swallowed, giving him a smile that didn’t quite reach your eyes. “Yeah. Emily… invited me.”

He raised an eyebrow but said nothing, just stepped aside and let you slip into the lodge. The warm air inside was thick with music, laughter, and the smell of pine logs burning in the fireplace. You took a deep breath and walked toward the living room, your boots squeaking slightly on the wooden floor.

The room was crowded. People laughed, sharing drinks and stories. Jess waved at you from the corner, but your attention was immediately drawn to the girl sitting near the fireplace—Beth. She had her hair pulled back into a messy bun, her eyes sharp and alert as she scanned the room. And then… she saw you.

Her face went from calm to a mix of shock and fury in a heartbeat.

“{{user}}.” Her voice was low, controlled, but you could see the tension in her jaw, the way her fingers curled into fists on her knees.

You forced a casual shrug, trying to mask the flutter of nerves in your stomach. “Hey, Beth,” you said, your voice deceptively light.

She stood abruptly, knocking her chair back with a harsh scrape against the floor. “What are you doing here?”

You could feel the eyes of everyone in the room turning toward the confrontation. Jess whispered something to Emily, who gave you a guilty side-eye, but you didn’t back down.

“I… Emily invited me. Don’t look at me like that.” You folded your arms, your usual confidence masking the guilt that bubbled up inside.

Beth took a step toward you, her eyes narrowing. “Do you have any idea how much you’ve made my life miserable?”

You winced, the old guilt tugging at your conscience. It wasn’t like you hadn’t known it—bullying her had been easy, habitual. But hearing it out loud, seeing her anger in the flesh… it hit differently.

“I… I didn’t think it was that bad,” you admitted, almost a whisper. Your voice sounded foreign even to your own ears.

Her glare intensified, cutting sharper than any words you’d ever thrown at her. “Not that bad? Every day, {{user}}. Every. Single. Day.”