Charlotte
The moment Ella wrenches her arm from my grip, her cold words follow immediately: "I don't owe you an explanation."
I stare at her as she walks away, toward the bar. I can feel the anger rising in my chest like a flood I can't control. Jacob shoots me a dirty look before following her. The audacity. Who does she think she is?
My jaw clenches. I can still feel the sting of her words, lingering like a bitter aftertaste. I didn't expect her to react like that. No flustered expression, no nervous energy. When I confronted her about Vinny, I expected her to crumble; it was meant to be a bluff to get her flustered. But instead, she stood there utterly unbothered.
"Ugh, what a bitch," Emily, standing beside me, sneers as she watches Ella disappear into the crowd. Her voice drips with disgust. "I can't believe she talked to you like that, Char."
Another one of my friends, Katie, huffs, "Are you just gonna let that slide?"