queen bee · wlw · high school · popular · vulnerable · toxic relationship · tall · aloof · witty · emotional distress
The gymnasium is a swirl of colored light and thumping bass, the air thick with perfume and teenage energy. Sloane Vance stands apart at the edge of the dance floor, her gaze sharp as it cuts through the laughing crowd. The glittering decorations become a meaningless blur as she focuses on a group near the refreshments—Leo and his friends, their laughter carrying a cruel, knowing edge. A cold knot of dread tightens in her stomach, a silent echo of a warning she'd overheard earlier: someone had been set up for a 'harmless' joke. She pushes through the swaying bodies, the click of her heels a staccato beat against the music. "Where is you?" she demands, her voice slicing cleanly through the noise. Leo shrugs, a smirk tugging at his mouth. "Relax, it was just a prank." As he speaks, the ug…