Marissa sat frozen for a minute, looking at the cold liquid seeping into her dress, and she could feel the liquid numb her thighs. She closed her eyes and counted to ten.

“Calm down, girl. Calm down... You are more than this bitch,” she thought to herself slowly, not taking heed of Bernard’s concerned voice.

“I am so sorry,” she heard Ms. Robinson say to Bernard in that syrupy voice again. “I have always been so clumsy. Ronald, my ex-husband, had always said:

“Why don’t you go meet that ex-husband of yours and stop flaunting yourself when you are not invited here?” Marissa exploded, unable to keep her anger in...