contact Maya directly tonight.
Gwen replied ten minutes later.
He misunderstood.
I wrote:
Then explain it.
No response.
Maya went upstairs.
I followed.
She was sitting on her bed wearing a sweatshirt.
The yellow dress was on the floor.
That hurt more than anything Gwen had said.
“Maya.”
“I knew it.”
“Knew what?”
“That I looked disgusting.”
“No.”
“She paid someone to take pictures because I looked weird.”
“We do not know why she did it.”
“Why else?”
I sat beside her.
“Look at me.”
She did not.
“Maya.”
Finally, she did.
“Your aunt’s behavior is about your aunt.
It is not evidence about your body.”
Her eyes filled.
“She said the pictures were damaged.”
“I know.”
“What if everyone thinks that?”
“Everyone doesn’t.”
“You don’t know.”
“No.”
I said.
“I don’t know what every person thinks.
And neither does Gwen.
But you do not owe strangers invisibility because some
