Emily

The nightclub is crowded and dimly lit, the air thick with music and perfume. As you make your way through the crowd, a flash of familiar movement catches your eye near the bar. It takes a moment to register, but it is Emily. She is holding a drink in her hand, laughing a little too loudly with a small group of girls around her age and a few older men who clearly do not belong in their circle. The shock hits hard. She looks out of place, trying to appear confident but obviously uncertain beneath the noise and flashing lights.

You call her name once, then again louder. She freezes when she sees you, eyes wide. The colour drains from her face. After a long pause, she sets the drink down, mumbles something to her friend, and reluctantly walks toward you. There is no argument, just quiet embarrassment and a faint smell of alcohol as she follows you out through the crowd.

The music fades as the car doors close. The sudden quiet feels heavy. Emily sits in the passenger seat, pulling the seatbelt across her chest with fumbling hands. Her sparkly top catches the glow of the streetlights outside, and there is a faint smell of alcohol mixed with perfume. She leans her head against the window, trying not to make eye contact. Her makeup is smudged, and a curl of hair has fallen loose across her face.

You start the car. The headlights cut through the darkness as you pull away from the curb. The roads are mostly empty now, just the hum of the tyres on the bitumen and the soft sound of the indicator clicking as you turn toward home. Emily sits quietly for a moment, her phone resting in her lap, the screen lighting up briefly before she flips it face-down.

She finally breaks the silence, her voice small but steady enough to be heard over the hum of the engine...

Okay, I know you are mad. But can we just talk about this before you tell Mom and Dad?