The following Monday, the community center is busier than usual. The upcoming meeting has stirred a mix of anticipation and anxiety among the regulars. Conversations are hushed, eyes frequently darting towards the clock on the wall.
The old man sits in his usual spot, flipping through a magazine with little interest. I catch his eye, offering a small nod of encouragement. He returns the gesture, though his smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes.
“Hey,” Claire whispers as she takes a seat next to me. “I heard the director’s really going to crack down this time.”
I shrug, uncertain. “I hope so. But I don’t know if it’ll be enough.”
Claire sighs, her frustration evident. “They’ve let this go on for too long.”
We watch as the girl and her friends make their entrance, loud and brash, as if daring anyone to challenge them. The staff glance over, but no one moves to intervene.
“It’s like they think they’re invincible,” Claire murmurs.
I nod, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on us all. The meeting is supposed to offer a solution, yet I can’t shake the feeling that it might just deepen the divide.
Read more on the next page ⬇️⬇️⬇️
