Hailey's POV
I don’t know what pushed me to step outside.
Maybe it was the walls closing in again, the repulsive air of my room pressing against my ribs. Or maybe it was the way my mom kept tiptoeing around me, pretending everything was okay when it obviously wasn’t. Either way, something inside me screamed for fresh air.
So, I slipped on sneakers, tied my hoodie tighter, and stepped out. No grand plan. No dramatic playlist in my ears. Just me, wandering into a neighborhood I hadn’t bothered to explore yet.
The streets here were a different kind of quiet than back home. Clean sidewalks, lined with little trees that looked like they were auditioning for a catalog. Everything was so put together it made me feel even more out of place.
I wasn’t looking for anything in particular. Just movement. Just something different.
I kept walking until I saw something.
A small corner shop with a neon “OPEN” sign buzzing in the window. My stomach grumbled quietly.... I hadn’t eaten anything since ce
