She was curled in a ball, still holding that collar.
“I’m so sorry,” I gasped through my tears. “Maya, I was so wrong. I was so scared of not fitting in that I didn’t even see you trying to pull me in.
Please… please forgive me.”

She didn’t answer for a long time. Then, she slowly sat up and looked at the scrapbook in my hand. The hardness in her face continue reading …