The stadium roared with life—the announcer's voice booming through the speakers, the crowd erupting in cheers, and the rhythmic chant of the game pulsing like a heartbeat through the air. Joanne felt suffocated by the noise, by the weight of too many stares. She needed a moment to breathe.
On her way to the ladies' room, she caught whispers trailing behind her. Some eyes held pity. Others, judgment. A few sneered, relishing whatever gossip surrounded her name.
But then there were those who stopped to talk to her—friends, acquaintances—offering words of comfort, small gestures of kindness. She spoke to them, nodded, thanked them. She appreciated those who cared. As for the rest? They didn't matter.
Inside, the ladies' room was blissfully quiet, the walls thick enough to muffle the chaos outside. It was early in the game—most of the crowd was still glued to their seats. Joanne exhaled.
