Chapter 5
650 Words
The house felt different.
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Too normal.
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Queen stood at the gate for a moment, her heart pounding as she stared at the familiar compound.
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“Act normal,” she whispered to herself.
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As if anything about her life was still normal.
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She took a deep breath and walked in.
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“Queen!” her mother’s voice called immediately.
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She froze.
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“Where have you been?” her mother asked, stepping closer with a frown. “We came back, and the house was empty.”
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Queen forced a small smile.
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“I… I went out for a while,” she replied.
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Her father looked up from where he sat.
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“For a while?” he repeated. “You were gone all night.”
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Her heart skipped.
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“I lost track of time,” she said quickly. “I went to see a friend.”
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“What friend?” her mother asked immediately.
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Queen hesitated.
Just for a second—
But it was enough.
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Her father noticed.
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“Queen,” he said slowly, “look at me.”
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She raised her eyes.
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“Are you hiding something?” he asked.
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Her chest tightened.
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“No,” she said quickly. “Why would I?”
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Her mother folded her arms.
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“Because this is not like you,” she said. “You just disappeared without telling anyone?”
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“I’m sorry,” Queen said softly. “It won’t happen again.”
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Silence.
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Her parents exchanged a look.
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Finally, her father sighed.
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“We’ve been trying to trust you again,” he said. “Don’t make us regret it.”
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The words hit deep.
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“I won’t,” she replied quietly.
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But inside—
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She already had.
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That night, Queen lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling.
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Her parents’ voices echoed in her mind.
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“Don’t make us regret it.”
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Tears slid down her cheeks.
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“I’m sorry…” she whispered.
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But the apology wasn’t enough.
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Because somewhere else—
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Her baby was crying.
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And she wasn’t there.
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The next morning, the house was quiet again.
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Her mother had gone to the market.
Her father had stepped out.
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Queen stood alone in the living room.
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Her eyes slowly moved toward the table.
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Her mother’s purse.
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She froze.
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“No…” she whispered, shaking her head. “I can’t do that.”
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But then—
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Darren’s voice echoed in her mind.
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“I don’t have money, Queen… I don’t even know how I’m going to manage.”
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Her chest tightened.
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“And the baby…” she whispered.
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Her hands began to shake.
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“I just need a little,” she said to herself. “I’ll replace it later…”
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Silence filled the room.
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Then slowly—
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She walked toward the purse.
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Each step heavier than the last.
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Her hand hovered over it.
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“This is wrong,” she whispered.
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But still—
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She opened it.
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Her fingers trembled as she took the money.
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Not too much.
Just enough.
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Her heart pounded wildly.
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“I’ll return it,” she said quickly. “I promise…”
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But deep down—
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She knew.
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This was how it started.
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One lie.
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One secret.
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One wrong choice.
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Queen closed the purse and stepped back.
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Her breathing uneven.
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Her heart is heavy.
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For the first time—
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She wasn’t just hiding the truth.
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She was becoming someone she didn’t recognize.
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And it scared her.
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More than anything else.
- Writer
