You fall

Your hands slip on the slick pavement, and before you know it, you come crashing down, sprawling out on the ground in a heap.

“Whoa, what a loser!” Brooke cackles, pointing at you as she bends over with laughter. Claire joins in, her giggles ringing out like musical chimes. “Nice fall, Tom! Maybe you should stick to crawling instead of trying to walk!”

Ashley saunters back over, her eyes gleaming with amusement as she watches you from above. “Did you really think you could crawl your way back into our good graces?” she taunts, leaning down to get a better look at you sprawled on the ground. “You’re even more pathetic than I thought.”

You scramble to get back up, your cheeks burning with embarrassment, but you can’t help the feeling of utter defeat washing over you. “I—” you start, trying to explain, but the words come out as a jumbled mess.

“Don’t even bother,” Claire interrupts, stepping closer with her arms crossed, her designer heels clicking against the pavement. “You’re not getting in here looking like that. You’ve embarrassed yourself enough already.”

“Yeah,” Brooke adds with a smirk. “Why would we let you inside? You just made a total fool of yourself.” She takes a step back, surveying the scene like it’s a comedy show unfolding before her eyes. “I mean, honestly, crawling like a baby? How **** can you get?”

“No!” you protest, scrambling back to your feet, trying to salvage some shred of dignity. “I just wanted to—”

Ashley cuts you off with a wave of her hand. “Save it, Tom. You’re not coming in, and we’re done playing with you for now.” She gestures toward the edge of the yard. “You can stay out here until you figure out how to behave.”

Your stomach sinks as you realize what she means. They’re not going to let you in after all. You stand there, feeling utterly humiliated, your heart racing with a mix of anger and desperation. “You can’t just leave me out here!” you shout, but the words feel empty, lost in the echo of their laughter.

Ashley smirks. “Watch us.” With that, she turns on her heel and strides away, leaving you behind. Claire and Brooke follow suit, glancing back only to throw you a final round of teasing laughter.

As they walk away, the reality of your situation sinks in. You’re left alone in their yard, the warmth of the sun contrasting sharply with the cold embarrassment washing over you. You want to run after them, to plead your case, but a part of you knows it wouldn’t matter.

You’re a mess—coffee-stained and disheveled, and as you stand there, the laughter of the sorority girls fading into the distance, you can’t shake the feeling of being utterly powerless. The thrill of submission that had compelled you to crawl is now overshadowed by the crushing weight of their rejection.

In that moment, you realize that you’re trapped in a game you never wanted to play, one where the rules are set by them, and the stakes are your dignity. The thought sends a shiver down your spine as you watch them disappear into the house, leaving you alone to contemplate what you’ve just experienced.

Your heart races, a whirlwind of emotions flooding through you as you look around, feeling the isolation of their yard pressing in. You’re left with nothing but the echo of their laughter and the harsh reminder that you’ve willingly placed yourself at their mercy, a position you never truly wanted, but now can’t seem to escape.