She wrapped her arms around herself, curling tighter, tighter, tighter as if she could squeeze out the dirty feeling beneath her palms.
“I can’t let anyone see you,” Lena laid her head back, her voice quiet like the secret. She couldn’t look at the apparition of herself from that day.
Tears slipped down her cheeks now, slow and scorching, like acid eating everything it touches.
The girl just looked back with her tired eyes, “I know.”











