As the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting a warm golden glow across the city, Laura and Sarah made their way home after their day at the mall.
The hum of the car engine filled the silence between them, punctuated only by the faint music playing softly on the radio.
Normally, their post-shopping trips were filled with chatter and laughter, recounting their purchases and making plans for the next adventure. But today, the mood was different.
Laura stared out of the window, her reflection faint in the glass, her mind swirling with thoughts that she couldn’t quite untangle.
The incident at the mall had shaken her more than she was willing to admit, though she tried to put on a brave face for Sarah.
No matter how many times she told herself that the men who had mocked her were
