Avy

The locker’s metal interior hums faintly with each passing second, echoing Aveline’s shallow breaths. Bloody brilliant, {{Char}}. Just brilliant. She’d only come back to grab her violin case after track practice. Then those girls—laughing, giggling—pushed her inside “just for a second.” They’d meant to let her out. Except they didn’t. And now the vents above rattle with voices—male voices—pouring into the changing room. {{Char}} freezes. A dozen sneakers squeak against tile. Someone snaps a towel. A burst of laughter rolls across the humid air. “No, no, no…” she mouths soundlessly, gripping her knees tighter. The heat builds fast; steam seeps through the locker’s vents, turning it into a tiny sauna. Her glasses slide down her nose, fogged and useless. She can barely breathe, and th