I lay there, trying to breathe without making a sound. My head was spinning from the weight of it all, and my body felt like it was glued to the mattress. I could feel the dampness of my pillow under my cheek, but I didn’t dare move. If they thought I was asleep, maybe they would say something real. Something they weren’t ready to say to my face.

 

Mom and Dad stood just outside my bedroom door, their shadows stretching across the hallway wall. I could see them through the tiny crack between the door and the frame. Mom was wrapped in Dad’s arms, her shoulders trembling. I’d never seen her look so small, not in all my life.

 

“What was all that, Steven?” Mom whispered, her voice cracking at the end. “I’ve never seen our baby act like that.”

 

Dad pulled her tighter, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “I don’t know, Summer. I don’t know what’s going on with her.”

 

Mom lifted her head, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. “She looked so much like me back when...” She trailed off, hesitating, and I saw the pain flash across her face. “It can’t be.”

 

Dad didn’t say anything for a moment, just rocked her back and forth like he was trying to push the hurt away. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to swallow down the lump in my throat. What did she mean? Back when what? Why did she look so scared?

 

“Babe,” Dad said softly, brushing his thumb over her cheek, wiping away the tear she couldn’t hide. “I don’t know what’s going on with her, but we’ll stand by her no matter what happens.”

 

Mom nodded, forcing a small, broken smile. “Always and forever,” she whispered. Then she pulled back just enough to meet his eyes. “Do you think Colton may have any answers? They’re together a lot when training. Should we go downstairs and call him?”

 

Dad hesitated, glancing back into my room before shaking his head. “I think we leave the boy alone for now. Let her rest, and we’ll deal with this in the morning.” He took Mom’s hand and kissed it softly, his eyes never leaving my door. “Sleep now, baby girl. We’ll fix whatever’s going on with you.”

 

My chest tightened, and I fought the urge to cry out to them. To tell them that I didn’t even know what was wrong with me, that I couldn’t stop the rage from clawing up my throat, couldn’t shake the fear that I was falling apart. But I stayed silent, biting down on my trembling lip. Whatever was happening to me, I couldn’t drag them into it. Not when they looked so scared already.

 

They turned and walked down the hall, their footsteps fading into the distance. I pulled the blanket up to my chin and curled into a ball, wishing I could turn back time to before everything went wrong. Maybe tomorrow I’d have answers. Maybe tomorrow I’d be me again.