Max looked completely stunned. I forced another smile, but it felt bitter, like the medicine Elara used to make me take.
"I moved out. I'm not in contact with the director anymore."
Max went quiet. She looked down at the ground, then back at me. Her voice was scratchy when she finally spoke.
"I had no idea," Max whispered. "After everything that happened... I stopped talking to that part of the family, too."
She sounded a little bit like her when she lowered her voice. I looked away, staring at my worn-out sneakers. I didn't want to see the family resemblance. I didn't want to see anything that reminded me of the woman I was trying so hard to forget.
Even this small talk with Max was getting hard to handle. Every time she spoke, the way her jaw moved or the way her voice dropped reminded me of Elara. It was like looking at a blurry reflection of the person I was trying to cut out of my heart. I pulled my back away from the cold brick wall I had been leaning against.
