Jasmine's POV
Heat flooded my cheeks as the echo of Luis, Lina, and Stephen's retreating footsteps cut through me sharper than any cruel whisper ever could. The hallway felt suffocating, every pair of eyes seeming to dissect my humiliation.
I couldn't let them leave like this.
My legs carried me forward before my mind could catch up, chasing after the three people who meant everything to me. The distance between us felt like miles, but I pushed through the crowd until I spotted them near the junction where the hallways split toward different classrooms.
"Wait!" The word tore from my throat, raw and desperate.
They froze but didn't turn around immediately. When they finally faced me, the coldness in their expressions hit me like a physical blow.
Luis's features were carved from stone, his jaw locked tight. Lina's green eyes blazed with a fury I'd never seen directed at me before. Even Stephen, usually the peacemaker, stood rigid with disappointment.
