“You don’t get it, Ava. You never get it,” I snapped at my best friend, my voice already fraying even though the night hadn’t officially started.Ava Reed didn’t even look up from her phone as I spoke. She just lay sprawled across her bed in her oversized hoodie, hair piled into a careless bun, one sock missing, scrolling like the fate of the universe wasn’t currently pressing down on my chest. Our room smelled like vanilla body spray, instant noodles, and the faint chemical bite of disinfectant wipes the hall porter had overused earlier that afternoon. Outside, someone down the corridor blasted music that vibrated through the thin walls, bass thudding like a that of a baby volcano.“It’s a party, Lila,” she finally said lazily. “ Just a hockey team party. You’ll survive.”I stood in front of the mirror, tugging at the hem of my skirt like it had personally betrayed me. My reflection stared back, too aware, too sharp-eyed, already imagining everything that could go wrong tonight. Th
Last Updated : 2026-02-04 Read more