Then I tap her on the cheek once. Her pale skin immediately reddens at the impact, and I didn’t even put force behind it. Still no response. My hand splays out on her skin, on the redness that spreads all over her cheek and neck. Then I stroke it, sliding my fingers over the tiny freckles beneath her eyes. “Cecily, can you hear me?” No reply. I rummage through her bag and retrieve her packet of sugar-free mint gum. I’ve often seen her crunch on these, even during her zoning-out states. The moment I place two pieces at her lips, she gobbles them inside and chews them. Maybe it’s a sense of
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