Ryan:
The silence hung between us for a few moments, thick and charged. Then, to my surprise, Dani let out a breathless laugh that seemed to crack through the tension like a bolt of lightning.
"Oh my God," she said, shaking her head, almost as if she couldn't believe what had just happened. "I can't believe I just did that."
I watched her for a beat, trying to process everything—her newfound strength, the way she'd just stood up to the man who had tormented her for so long. It was like she had shed an old skin, and a new fire was burning in her now. But before I could speak, she grabbed my arm and yanked me toward the stairs.
"Come on, Ryan. We have to hurry," she said, her voice laced with laughter. "We need to get dressed, and we need to leave. Your mom's waiting for us."
I stumbled
