Cy tapped her foot nervously, watching the throngs of people pass by. Malls made her nervous, with so many people in there, people who she just knew were judging her harshly. Yet, she’d forced herself to enter one, not for herself, but for Ophelia, who she’d hoped to surprise with the shoes she’d admired the other day.

I should have just sucked it up and walked straight to the car, Cy thought. As if in response, another jolt of pain shot up from her feet, making her flinch slightly. Come on, Cy. It’s not that bad of a walk. You can do it. Just… after your feet stop aching so much. I swear, I’m the one who needs to buy new shoes, not Lia.

Once again, Cy looked at her surroundings, still feeling nervous. Did those women look at her strangely as they passed? Were those teenagers laughing about some quietly made snide remark about her? Cy fidgeted with her bracelet, not wanting to meet any of those stares. Those horrible, accusing stares. Cy knew that she was blowing things out of proportion, that it was nowhere near as bad as she thought it was; Ophelia and Valo had both cited all sorts of psychological information. “It’s probably social anxiety disorder,” Valo had said. “You really need to see a therapist and try to get some help. It’s affecting your life.” Easy for you to say, Cy had thought bitterly. You’re not the one who deals with this. Still, it was instances like these that made Cy think that perhaps she was right.

Cy swallowed hard, trying to control the feeling of nausea that was growing in her. Have to get out of here. I just need to get on my feet and move, she thought.


“Hi,” a small voice said beside her. Cy slowly looked over at the speaker: a young girl of about six or seven with pigtails and a friendly smile.

“H-hi,” Cy stammered, smiling awkwardly. “Where’s your parents? Are you lost?”

“Nuh-uh. Daddy’s in there, buying a present for Mommy. It’s her birthday next week,” she said, pointing in the direction of the Victoria’s Secret right in front of them. She made a face and added, “I don’t know what’s so great about getting underwear as a present.”

Cy chuckled and replied, “Me either.”

“I wish I had pretty red hair like you,” the girl remarked. “I really like your clothes, too. You look like a model or something!”


“Maddie, get away from that… that person!” a man exclaimed, hurrying over. He grabbed the girl and pulled her close, protectively. “I don’t want you talking to freaks like that,” he added, looking at Cy with disgust.

“But, Daddy, she was--”

“People like you make me sick,” the man growled at Cy.

“People like me?” Cy replied, terrified but not about to let this pass. “I was just sitting here. You left a young child alone; she could have been kidnapped. What have I done that’s so horrible?”

“Dressing like that. Come on, Maddie, we’re getting out of here,” he replied angrily, leading the girl away. She looked back at Cy sadly and waved her hand a little as she nearly ran to keep up with her father’s pace.



“Never again. Never, ever again,” Cy babbled.

“Shh, calm down, sweetheart,” Ophelia said softly, squeezing Cy’s hand. “It’s okay now. You’re home. You’re not in that terrible place.”

Cy had hidden herself in the mall bathroom after the altercation and had called Ophelia, terrified that the man might be waiting for her if she left the building. Hiding behind Lia… I’m a terrible person, Cy thought, scolding herself, as they’d walked out of the mall, one of Ophelia’s hands firmly gripping Cy’s, the other ready to ward off any attacks. Luckily, there had been none. Ophelia had to help Cy into the passenger seat of the car. “You’re in no mental state to drive right now,” Ophelia had said firmly, taking the keys from Cy. When Cy tried to apologize, Ophelia had replied, “I entered this relationship, knowing that it would entail taking up for you. I wouldn’t be much of a girlfriend if I just sat around, letting you suffer. I swear, it was nothing short of a miracle that I was just around the corner from the mall. Dad and I were buying snacks at Wally World.”

Now, Cy was back at her home-- well, the Marlow home, which she’d considered “home” for several years now-- with Ophelia watching her worriedly.

“It’s just…” Cy began.

“Hm?”

“The way that guy acted, it reminded me…”

“Of what? Who?”

“My parents. Before they knew, they would act that way about every ’offensive’ person and thing they saw. ‘That’s disgusting, don’t be like that,’ they’d tell me. Fat lot of good that did, right? And then, after they found out, they said all kinds of horrible stuff to me, and then gave the ‘Don’t end up like this’ speech to my younger brother and sister.”

“That’s really bad,” Ophelia remarked. “I mean, I knew about your family kicking you out-- I was the one who got Uncle Preston to let you live here-- but I didn’t know just how bad things were.”

“Now you see why?” Cy asked.

“Maybe it’ll help if you tell me about it. Get all of that off your chest.”

Cy sighed and replied, “You’re probably right. Okay, I’ll tell you…”