The truth was that I didn't want anything to do with my mom, and I told Elena as much, who seemed relieved not to have to deal with that issue in the middle of the night and could go to rest; however, it was something we would have to talk about sooner or later.
"What's that, Susan, how did you do it?" Aly asked the next day at school, in the only class we took together, besides judo. She was referring to my arms, which were crossed by thick scratches that I had forgotten were there when I pulled up my sweater sleeves.
"It's nothing," I responded almost instinctively, and although they were actually very easy to justify, the true events that led to me having them were not — "I went for a walk in the woods and didn't realize I got them."
I noticed that Aly wasn't convinced at all, but sh
