Naomi froze, the blood draining from her face as her gaze locked onto Anna. Her eyes darted frantically toward the corner where Elena had just disappeared, her chest heaving with a silent prayer that the shadow hadn't been noticed.
"A-Anna? What are you doing here?" The words caught in her throat, a jagged, stuttering mess that she tried desperately to smooth over with a forced breath.
Anna didn’t answer immediately. She stood there, looking smaller than usual, her fingers twisting the hem of her shirt. When she finally spoke, her voice was a fragile thread.
"I... I came to see you," Anna whispered. She looked up, her eyes wide and searching. "You didn’t return any of my calls. You moved houses and didn't even give me the address. Why did you go quiet on me, Naomi? It’s like you just...
