"You there," his voice boomed through the microphone. "Yes, you. The lady in the grey
sweater. Come down here."
Maya froze. The crowd murmured, six hundred pairs of eyes turning toward her. She shook
her head politely, mouthing a gentle 'no thank you,' but Vance was not accustomed to being
denied.
"I insist," he mocked, a cruel smirk playing on his lips. "Unless, of course, you're too afraid
to face reality. Come down and learn what true strength looks like."
The peer pressure was immense. The crowd began a rhythmic, mocking clap. Seeing her
nephew's worried face, Maya didn't want to make a scene or humiliate Leo. Taking a deep
breath, she stood up and made her way down the wooden bleachers.
Every step felt like walking through molasses. The gym was suddenly entirely too quiet,