As Daniel reluctantly sank into the chair, the weight of the situation seemed to press down on him. The grin that had danced on his face moments ago was now replaced with an expression of disbelief mixed with fear. His eyes darted frantically between the familiar faces seated around the table, searching for any hint of softness or leniency.
Pastor Harris, ever the embodiment of calm, began softly, “Daniel, we’re here because we love you. What happened last night is not something we can ignore. It’s time to face the consequences of your actions and seek a path towards healing.”
Daniel shifted uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact. His bravado from earlier was nowhere in sight, replaced instead by the vulnerability of a child caught doing something wrong. “I didn’t mean to… it just happened,” he mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper.
