Lily's voice rang out behind her—deliberately loud, laced with mock innocence and sweet malice.
"Jenny, it must be tough being friends with a gold digger, huh?" she said in a tone so light and curious, it almost sounded sincere—almost.
The cafeteria grew quieter around them, ears subtly tuning in to the drama, gazes turning—some openly disdainful, others malicious, and a few simply gawking for entertainment.
Melisa stopped mid-step. Her spine straightened, and her fingers curled slightly at her sides. When she turned around, she didn't look at Lily—not even once. Her eyes swept over the crowd instead, meeting the ones who watched with judgment, with ridicule, with thinly veiled amusement.
Then, her gaze settled on Jenny.
And what she saw made her chest ache more than Lily's cruelty ever could. Because no matter how much she told herself they weren't that close… Jenny had been her only friend here. How could she not get attached to her bright, chaotic warmth?
