I let her pull me along, but as we walked, an odd sensation crept over me. At first, I thought it was just the overwhelming noise of the mall—families with strollers, teenagers laughing, couples holding hands. But it wasn’t that.
It was something else. A prickling at the back of my neck, as though I was being watched.
I glanced over my shoulder, scanning the crowd. Nothing seemed out of place. Just strangers going about their day. A mother was wrangling a screaming toddler near the escalator. A group of teenagers was huddled by a fountain, scrolling through their phones.
*You’re imagining things,* I told myself, but the unease didn’t go away.
“Amber, you’re zoning out again,” Vic said, nudging me with her elbow.
“Sorry,” I said quickly, forcing a smile. “Thought I saw someon
