Then everything shifted.
A group of girls approached, led by Chloe—a confident, prom-queen type.
She looked Wren up and down and laughed.
“Oh wow. This is actually kind of sad.”
The room went quiet.
“You really made your whole personality about a dead cop?” Chloe sneered.
I clenched my fists.
Wren tried to walk away, but Chloe stepped in front of her.
“You know what’s worse?” Chloe continued. “He’s probably watching you right now… and he’s embarrassed.”
Before I could move, Chloe lifted her drink.
“Let’s fix this.”
She poured the punch directly onto Wren’s chest.
The liquid spread across the navy fabric, soaking into the seams and dripping over the badge.
No one moved.
Then phones came out.
Wren looked down and tried to clean the badge, her hands shaking, silent.
I stepped toward Chloe—
Then the speakers screeched.
Everyone turned.
Susan—Chloe’s mother—stood at the DJ table, gripping a microphone.
“Chloe,” she said, her voice trembling. “Do you even know who that policeman is to you?”
Chloe laughed nervously. “Mom, what are you doing?”
“He would not be ashamed of her,” Susan said. “He would be ashamed of you.”
Chloe’s smile faltered. “What are you talking about?”
“You were too young to remember,” Susan continued. “There was an accident. You were trapped in the back seat. The door was crushed—I couldn’t reach you.”
The room leaned in.
“The car was smoking. They said it could catch fire at any second. He didn’t wait. He broke the window and pulled you out with his bare hands. You were screaming… and he kept saying, ‘You’re safe now.’”
Then she pointed.
At Wren.
At the badge.
“I recognized the badge number immediately. That officer… is the man who saved your life.”
Chloe shook her head. “No.”
“Yes,” Susan said firmly, tears streaming down her face. “The man you just mocked is the reason you’re standing here tonight.”
Silence fell.
Phones lowered.
Wren stopped wiping. Her hand rested over the stained badge.
“I never thought I’d have to tell you this just to teach you respect,” Susan said. “You’ve embarrassed yourself—and our family.”
Chloe looked at Wren, the dress, the stain, the badge.
“I didn’t know,” she whispered. “I’m sorry.”
Wren took a breath.
“You shouldn’t need someone to save your life to respect them.”
She looked around the room.
