Lily didn’t smile back. She didn’t run down the stairs. She walked slowly, hugging the wall.
“Are they coming back?” Lily asked.
“Tonight,” Claire said. “But we have the whole day. We can go to the mall. Get your notebooks. maybe an ice cream?”
Lily flinched. “The mall? Can we… can we go to the one across town? The one they never go to?”
“Why?” Claire laughed, trying to lighten the mood. “Are you hiding from boys?”
Lily looked at her mother. Her eyes were dark, haunted circles in a pale face.
“No,” Lily whispered. “I just don’t want to see her.”
Chapter 2: The Shattered Lens
The mall was crowded. It was Black Friday, a chaotic swarm of shoppers hunting for deals. Claire held Lily’s hand tightly, navigating the sea of people.
“Okay, we got the pencils, the binders, and the backpack,” Claire checked her list. “We have twenty dollars left. Ice cream?”
Lily nodded, but her eyes were darting around, scanning the crowd like a soldier in enemy territory.
