My 11-year-old yanked me behind a pillar at the mall. “Don’t move,” she whispered. I looked out and FROZE….

Lily didn’t smile back. She didn’t run down the stairs. She walked slowly, hugging the wall.

“Are they coming back?” Lily asked.

“Tonight,” Claire said. “But we have the whole day. We can go to the mall. Get your notebooks. maybe an ice cream?”

Lily flinched. “The mall? Can we… can we go to the one across town? The one they never go to?”

“Why?” Claire laughed, trying to lighten the mood. “Are you hiding from boys?”