When Lyra appeared in the door, the relief that washed over Rosario was almost palpable. Her shoulders finally remembered how to relax and her fixed expression settled into a small but genuine smile as she waved her friend over. Yes, thank god! Come save me from this conversational black hole!
The smile lasted right up until Lyra opened her mouth and the reason for her tardiness came out. Everybody's just stopped messaging me back since the party. The words carried an ugly echo of high school to them, and that drew Rosario out of her own head enough to notice the stung expression in Lyra's eyes.
Her brows drew together, expression darkening as the whole story tumbled out of Lyra and Rosario's prickle of unease deepened and swelled into anger. "They can fuck off," she said when Lyra was done, her voice heated. "For real? You hung out with a guy one time and those jerks gonna blank you for it? Fuck them! They don't deserve you."