“Why do you look like that?”

“Huh? Why—what’s on my face?” I asked Casey, instantly cupping my cheeks as if I might’ve smudged something on the way. I went straight to her after coming from the hospital, just like I planned.

“You look like you’re carrying something heavy in your head. Is something wrong?” She sat across from me, holding a glass of juice she wasn’t even drinking. Her eyes were fixed on me, scanning me like a human lie detector.

I took a deep breath, ...