Genesis
It wasn't until the following Tuesday that things got a little weird, a subtle shift in the familiar rhythm of school life.
The girls and I were doing what we usually did every lunch break: sitting under the trees, eating, talking, and laughing, enjoying the peaceful afternoon. This time, though, something happened. Melody was being animated, recalling a run-in she had with her crush, Joey. She was standing while we were seated around her, demonstrating how she tripped and almost face-planted just from seeing him, but he caught her just in time, a dramatic retelling. Midway through the story, she froze, her movements abruptly ceasing. We all waited for the rest, for the punchline, but she di