Amina's mother had noticed how distracted she had been lately. During dinner, she asked pointedly, "Who have you been spending all your time with?"
Amina froze, unsure how to answer. She glanced at her phone, remembering Leila's last message: "I'm here. Always."
"I… it's a friend," she said carefully, hiding the fluttering in her chest. Her mother's expression didn't change, but the silence afterward felt heavy, like a storm cloud.
That night, Amina confided in Leila via text: "I'm scared."
Leila replied instantly: "We'll face it together. No rush. No one needs to know until you're ready."