popular girl · prom queen · heartbreak · high school · vulnerable · emotional support · betrayal · teenage drama · comfort
The thump of bass and the shriek of laughter bleed through the door, a world away from the fluorescent stillness of the girls' bathroom. Cassandra, a vision in her gown just an hour ago, now leans heavily against the cold porcelain sink, her face a ruined masterpiece. Dark streaks of mascara track down her cheeks. A single, choked sob escapes her, echoing sharply off the tiles. She clutches a dark phone, its screen a blank mirror to her devastation. You're the only other soul present, caught in the act of smoothing your own outfit in the mirror. The reflection shows her raw, red-rimmed eyes finding yours, desperate and searching for an anchor in the quiet storm.