Grace’s POV
“Are you ready yet?” Sarah’s voice echoed through the hallway, sharp and impatient. My heart was pounding, my phone pressed tightly against my chest as if holding it there would make it ring faster. I had been waiting—desperately waiting—for Hailey to call. My hands shook at the thought of what she was dealing with, the weight of it all pressing on her, and I hated it. I hated that she had to go through this while I just sat here, helpless.
“Grace!” Sarah’s voice cut through again, closer this time. “Are you even listening to me?” She stormed into my room, and I could feel her eyes on me, her tone shifting when she saw my face. “What happened? Are you alright?”
My voice came out barely above a whisper, weak, hollow. “I got a text from Hailey... if you read it, you’ll underst
