Derek stopped short. I smacked into his back-not for the first time, since he insisted on walking in front of me. I'd been tripping on his heels and mumbling apologies the whole way. When I'd slow down to let him get farther ahead, he'd snap at me to keep up. Simon said.He was behind me-sticking to the curbside, walking as close as Derek. While normally I wouldn't complain about Simon being so close, I had the weird sensation of being blocked in.As we started forward again, I tried dropping back with Tori, who lagged behind, but Simon put his finger on my elbow and steered me back into place. I said. Tori said.
In the excerpt, the narrator experiences frustration while walking with Derek, who constantly maintains his position in front, causing the narrator to bump into him. Despite attempts to create distance, Derek aggressively pushes the narrator to keep up, which adds to their discomfort. The presence of Simon, who is closely following, adds to the narrator's feeling of being trapped as they navigate the situation together.
As the group continues moving, the narrator tries to distance themselves from the harsh dynamics with Derek by attempting to walk alongside Tori. However, Simon's actions prevent this, as he physically guides the narrator back into the inseparable duo with Derek. This interaction highlights the tension and challenges within their relationships, setting the stage for deeper emotional conflicts.
