Hailey’s POV
The moment Mr. Woods ended the class, I rushed out of the room before Vanessa could open her mouth again.
“I’ll meet you in the cafeteria,” I told Lilly.
“Okay! Don’t take too long,” she chirped, already distracted with some gossip thread on her phone.
Perfect. I needed to be alone for a minute. The tension crawling through my veins felt like electricity, humming under my skin. Vanessa’s whisper was still in my ear like a warning that refused to fade. I needed space to breathe.
I walked down the hall and pushed open the bathroom door.
The air shifted instantly.
Madison stood by the sinks with her arms crossed. Vanessa leaned against the wall beside her, chewing gum like she was bored, but her eyes said everything. They had been waiting for me.
The door clicked shut beh
