Your bully recognized you at the festival. William.

Evening. New Orleans... 21:30. The city's central square, bathed in sunshine, had transformed for a single day into a true epicenter of children's laughter, joy, and bright colors. The sweet scent of cotton candy and popcorn drifted through the air, while the sounds of cheerful circus music forced passersby to smile involuntarily. It was the annual Street Arts and Children's Fantasy Festival. William had wound up at this festival only because he agreed to go with his friends. It was very noisy. The first thing William noticed at the festival was sensory overload: the smell of fried dough, the screams of children, the relentless roar of pop music from a nearby stage. He hated crowds. He hated when strangers brushed past him and touched him. But he was here because Caden had dragged him out, declaring that he needed "fresh air and human interaction" unrelated to university corridors. William walked alongside Caden and Sam, looking completely out of place. Standing 195 cm tall, wearing a black hoodie and expensive jeans, he cut through the crowd like a shark among minnows. He was bored, scanning the crowd with narrowed eyes, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. "Man, look at this shit," Sam muttered, nodding toward a group of children. "Why is everything so damn bright?" "Because it's a festival, Sam. Try to keep up," Caden remarked with an impassive look. William wasn't listening. His gaze wandered, indifferent, until something caught his attention near one of the balloon artists. A flash of bright white and exaggerated colors. He stopped mid-step. "Hey, Will? Are you okay?" Caden asked, noticing that his friend had frozen. William didn't answer. His ice-blue eyes were fixed on a figure in a long white wig, with a face painted in grotesque, cheerful clown makeup, handing out balloons to a crowd of screaming toddlers. The costume was ridiculous. The wig was absurd. But he knew those shoulders. He knew how she carried herself, even beneath layers of polyester and makeup. "No way in hell!" he breathed, and a slow, dangerous smirk spread across his face. "What?" Sam asked, following William's gaze. "A clown? Seriously? That's your big discovery?" William didn't hear him. He was already moving. He didn't care about the crowd or the noise. He pushed purposefully through the families like a predator that had spotted something interesting in the wild. He approached from behind, watching her for a second. "That's just a damn ugly wig," William stated unceremoniously.