Iris walked into school with her scarf pulled tightly around her neck, hiding the bruises. She thought she was doing a good job concealing her pain until she spotted Mia, who was watching her with concerned eyes.
Mia stepped forward, her voice low. “Iris, are you okay?”
Iris forced a smile, though she could feel her nerves tightening. “Yeah, I’m fine. I just… I don’t want people to see the bruises.”
Mia’s eyes narrowed, her concern shifting to determination. “You need to call the police, Iris. This isn’t okay.”
“I can’t,” Iris whispered, her voice trembling. “He’ll just get angrier. He’ll hurt me more.”
Mia’s shoulders drooped in frustration. “Isn’t there anything I can do? This can’t keep going on like this.”
“I know,” Iris admitted, the weight of her words almost too much to bear.
