I froze at her question, my heart hammering in my chest. Did she know? Could she see right through me? I forced a smile, hoping it didn’t betray the panic rising inside me. “I don’t know what you mean,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.
Stella looked at me, her gaze sharp, and for the first time, I was really scared about what she knew, or suspected. “I’ve known you for a while, Melissa. And right now, you’re not yourself. Something’s wrong.”
I opened my mouth to deny it, but the words wouldn’t come. Instead, I stared down at the table, my mind racing, trying to figure out how to salvage the moment. She was too close to the truth, and I couldn’t afford for her to find out everything—not now.
“I…I’ve just been going through a lot,” I finally said, my voice barely above a whisper. “
