“Once more!” he shouted.
I dove back in, my limbs trembling uncontrollably. The cold seeped into my bones and each breath felt like a battle. I struggled to climb out, but someone pushed me back into the water every time.
The laughter around me grew louder.
"Look at Lily Rose flailing in the water like a toad. It is too funny!"
"And she had the audacity to mock Nora’s acting? Just quit already—she’s disgusting."
Their taunts rang in my ears, growing sharper until my vision blurred. The world spun and I felt my strength leave me.
The last thing I heard was the splash of water before everything went dark. The director and the others then panicked and rushed to have someone scoop me up.
Asher entered the room, his expression unreadable. David stood quietly behind him, no longer wearing the smug grin he always had.
"Why didn’t you tell me you were on your period?" Asher’s first words were accusatory, his tone sharp.
I let out a weak laugh, bitter and hollow. "Would it have mattered? Would you have stopped them from making me do the scene if I'd told you?"
Asher frowned, his hand reaching out to hold mine.