As I turned to leave, the whispers began.
“She calls herself a city girl? She doesn’t even know basic manners. Even my dog barks to greet people when they come over, but she acts like we’re invisible!”
I paused mid-step, my fists clenching at my sides. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm. It wasn’t worth it. All I had to do was wait for David to finish eating, and then we could leave.
But then another voice chimed in, sharper and more cutting than the last.
“You don’t get it, do you? She’s doing it on purpose—giving us the cold shoulder because she looks down on us country folk. Bet you didn’t know that!”
That was it. I couldn’t help but laugh out loud—not because I found it funny, but because I was so done.
Where did these people even come from?
They were masters at turning nothing into the most dramatic soap opera imaginable.
I turned and started heading upstairs, determined to ignore them. But then, out of nowhere, I felt a hard shove from behind. Before I knew it, I was falling.
The force sent me stumbling forward, my feet slipping out from under me as I tumbled onto the stairs.