Abigail arrived home, but as usual, no one was there. Her stepmother was always busy, and her birth mother had died during childbirth, while her father passed away when she was only four.
"Argh, I'm so hungry," she muttered, heading to the kitchen — only to find it empty.
"As expected," she said with a sigh, about to leave, when her phone rang.
"Hello?" Ann answered cheerfully.
"Do you have food at home?" Abigail asked.
"Yes… why?"
"I'm coming over," Abigail replied, grabbing her bag and driving off to Ann's place.
At Ann's House
The doorbell rang. "I'm coming!" Ann shouted as she opened the door.
"Abi!" she exclaimed, ready to hug her.
"Where's the food?" Abigail asked, heading straight inside.
Ann rolled her eyes. "Are you serious? I was worried sick, and the only thing you ask is food?"
"Let's talk over food," Abigail said, giving a small smile.
Soon, Ann returned with hot steamed fried rice and chicken. Abigail dug in happily.
"You never disappoint," she said, patting Ann's shoulder.
"May I ask you something?" Ann began.
"When did you start needing my permission to talk?" Abigail replied with her mouth full.
"Where were you yesterday?" Ann asked, and Abigail froze, memories of the night before flooding back.
"Let's not talk about it," she said finally.
The Next Day
"By the way, our final exams are tomorrow. Hope you didn't forget," Ann reminded her.
"What?!" Abigail exclaimed, choking on her food.
"Don't tell me you forgot," Ann said, incredulous.
"I… actually did," Abigail admitted.
"You are unbelievable," Ann sighed.
"I'll stay at your place until nightfall," Abigail said, smiling as she continued eating.
By Nightfall
"Abi?" Ann called softly, noticing Abigail asleep.
"Mmm," she murmured.
"It's 10 already," Ann said.
"What?!" Abigail shot upright.
"I'm joking. It's just 9, but I think you should head home. Your phone has been buzzing nonstop," Ann explained.
"Okay… I'll go," Abigail said, standing and leaving quietly.
At Home
When she arrived, Mrs. Wen was seated on the couch.
"Where have you been?" she asked.
"When did you start caring about my whereabouts?" Abigail replied, walking past her to her room.
"I've been transferred," Mrs. Wen said.
"Congrats," Abigail replied flatly.
"We're leaving tomorrow," Mrs. Wen added.
"What? Who's 'we'?" Abigail asked.
"You're coming with me," her stepmother said firmly.
"No way! I have exams tomorrow," Abigail protested.
"I can't change that. Start packing. We leave first thing in the morning," Mrs. Wen said and went upstairs.
Frustrated, Abigail buried her face in her pillow.
"Why am I crying? For Kiel, who doesn't even love me? For exams I'm going to miss? For friends I'll leave behind?" she whispered to herself. "Maybe this trip is what I need… a fresh start. Time to leave the past behind."
The Next Morning
By 7:00 a.m., they were at the airport.
"Wait here, I'll be right back," Mrs. Wen said at the counter.
Abigail pulled out her phone to text Ann, only to find it dead.
"What the hell! I forgot to charge it!" she muttered.
"I've got our tickets. Let's go," Mrs. Wen said. Abigail swallowed a lump in her throat and boarded the plane, feeling the weight of leaving everything behind.
At School
The exams had started, but Abigail was nowhere to be found. Ann and Juliet worried, knowing she wouldn't joke with her grades.
"Where is Abigail?" Ezekiel asked, anxious.
"She didn't say," Ann replied.
"Have you tried calling her?" he asked.
"Her phone is off," Ann said.
The exam continued, but Ezekiel couldn't focus. After school, he searched for her, with Ann and Juliet following. At her old home, neighbors told them that Abigail and Mrs. Wen had relocated.
"What? Relocated? How?" Ann asked.
"I saw them leaving this morning," the neighbor replied.
Ann immediately called Ezekiel. "They've moved. That's all we know."
"What? Relocated? Where?!" Ezekiel shouted, worry sharpening his voice.
"Unknown," Ann said. "We'll keep searching."
Ezekiel clenched his fists. "Abigail… where are you?"