Travis’s Lame Joke
Travis, noticing Jake needed backup, tried to toss out a quick joke to ease the tension. “Hey, maybe he’s too chicken to say anything!” he called out, his voice lacking the usual confidence. The words hung in the air but fell with a thud, like a poorly timed punchline. There was a long, awkward silence that followed, heavier than anything Travis could have said. It was almost as if the silence itself became the response, louder and more damning than any comeback.
The crowd, unmoved by Travis’s feeble attempt, stared back in cold silence. Even Jake, who had been the one to start the whole mockery, didn’t seem to buy it anymore. The cracks in their facade were starting to show, and Travis, for all his bravado, knew deep down that he wasn’t going to get the reaction he was hoping for. The shift in the air was palpable, and both of them seemed to realize they were losing control of the situation.
