Amber’s jaw tightened as she scanned the faces around her, trying to find the loyalty she once took for granted. It wasn’t there. Richard stepped back, not to retreat, but to end the moment on his terms. “Don’t worry,” he said softly. “I’m not here to ruin anyone’s night. I just wanted you to understand something. You don’t get to decide who matters.”
And then he turned away, leaving them standing alone in the dim gym lights, exposed in a way neither of them had ever experienced. Shirley watched them, stunned. It wasn’t anger that weighed on their faces now, it was recognition. They weren’t the center anymore. They weren’t untouchable. They weren’t admired.