My stomach churned. Time seemed to slow down, each second dragging on as she approached. Without saying a 3, 2, 1, or a warning, she moved toward me with the syringe. My heart pounded, my hands clenched into tight fists, my knuckles turned white. I didn’t want to make a scene. At the end of the day, I was the one who asked for this. The needle pierced my gum, and hot, searing pain spread through my mouth. A single tear escaped, slipping down my cheek.