These Lying Eyes by Amanda A. Allen Page B

recovered freedom to your advantage. If you do not go back to normal soon, they will watch you closely.”
    “But if I act like all is well…” Mina said, tapping her heels against the bed in her agitation.
    “And that you believe in whatever story they give you…” Zizi placed a hand on Mina’s thumb.
    “And then I wait until Erik gets in trouble or the triplets get sick.”
    “Unobserved freedom.” Zizi finished.
    But Mina thought about what the doctor had said the night before. She was too thin. Her lips were dry. She finally stood and walked into the bathroom staring at her face, surprised by it. Her skin was pale. Her lips were as cracked as the doctor had said. Her dual-colored hair, with some locks golden and some red, was dry and split. But Mina actually tried to take care of herself. She used good products; she applied thick healing lip balm, she used the repair conditioner for damage she never inflicted.
    What were her parents so afraid of? How was this better?
     
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 7
     
     
     
     
    When Mina was sent home, it was with a mom who carefully, gently led Mina to the car. With a mom who wiped tears from her eyes as she drove home. With a mom who apologized again and again, but never elaborated.
    Mina stared out the window and promised herself that as soon as the pending over-attention from her parents passed, she’d figure out what was going on. Even now, she wanted to shake her mom’s slender shoulders. She wanted to plead that they just tell her the big secret.
    But the weirdest thing of all was how Dad was all nice. He had been so…angry with her for so long she almost forgot this version of Dad. The one who came to the car, wrapped her in his arms, and then lead her inside as if she were unable to walk. The one who seemed happy to see her, who talked softly to her, and kissed her brow.
    Mina slumped onto a chair next to Dad and let the triplets cover her in hugs, thrust crayon drawings into her face, and babble incoherently over the top of each other. But it wasn’t just the little ones, Sarah had a gift bag filled with chocolate and apple chips, and she had too-big, sympathetic eyes.
    Erik, at least, examined her, stone-faced and silent.
    “Mina, you really worried me.” Dad’s eyes were shiny. Under his thick red beard, he was almost as pale as her. He squeezed her shoulder, saying, “I’m sorry we scared you; I’m sorry we made you feel that you had to run.”
    He swallowed, and his fingers dug into her shoulder. It didn’t hurt, but it wasn’t like her Dad. Then he said in a choked voice, “Please don’t ever do that again.”
    Mina pet Ams’ hair, hugged Annie close, and didn’t reply to the half plea, half order.
    “I’m sorry.” Mina finally whispered, pressing her face into Ams’ little blonde head.
    Covered in triplets as she was, Dad had to hug her again from the side. Mina looked over the three small blonde heads and found Sarah and Erik watching. With the weight of their eyes, Mina didn’t need to ask if they’d also seen the video. She could almost see the youTube symbol in the glint of their eyes.
    Erik left the room as soon as Dad was distracted. Without his usual verbal jab and half-punch. She’d never enjoyed Erik’s teasing. She barely even missed her other brother, Jase, though he’d left right after school ended last year—he never let up on the teasing, but she found that she missed the old Erik. The one trained up by Jase to never let her be fully comfortable, the one for whom using grade-school insults was almost affectionate. This silent Erik with the heavy gaze and cold face was a stranger she wasn’t prepared to deal with.
    And then, her parents let her escape to her room with barely a word. It was eerie. It was as if they were acting like she’d just been slightly hurt. As if her crazy episode had never happened.
    * * *
    “This is the time to ask for something expensive,” Sarah said without preamble as she