Lila
I sat at the edge of Shawn’s bed, my knees pulled up to my chest, staring at the floor. The voices from the living room had stopped, but they were still echoing in my head.
Angela Boutros’ words.
Mrs. Mathews’ worried eyes.
Shawn’s arms around me.
It all felt like a blur — like I had been standing in the middle of a room when suddenly a hundred people started talking at once, each one louder than the other.
I wiped at my face with my sleeve, but the tears kept coming. My stomach twisted into tight, painful knots.
If my mom ever found out what happened tonight…
My chest seized at the thought.
If she even suspected that people were talking about her, about how she treats me, she’d go ballistic. Not screaming-ballistic, not at first. She’d go quiet. She’d get that look on her fa
