Cedric leaned against the doorframe immediately after he came out of the room, eyes heavy, too tired to feel anything at first.
He didn't realize his eyes had gone red, tears mixing with frustration, guilt, something unnamed that clawed at his insides.
Cedric turned away, leaving there at once. Instead, he redirected himself to where he had directed Tommy to.
Shoving open the door with a grunt, his movements mechanical, like he was fighting through a fog. The hallway stretched before him, and each step felt like trudging through thick mud.
When he pushed into the changing room, it was already a mess—clothes scattered, the smell of sweat clinging to the walls.
Tommy had changed, but it wasn't just clothes; the air was thick with something Cedric couldn't quite place, a shift in the room like a rat caught in a trap, scrambling for a way out.
Cedric sneered, "You wanna go outta here, to school looking like that?"
