Amber chewed on the end of her pencil as she considered and discarded each plan. How would she help Krystal? How could she when she had just turned eighteen and barely had anything saved in her bank account? It’s not like she could buy her a car and an apartment somewhere and ship her off. That would be kidnapping and she was old enough to go to jail for it. 

She grimaced. Too young to be helpful and too old to do something really stupid. 

She couldn’t take it much longer though. The girl Amber knew was slowly disappearing before her eyes. That last act of rebellion two weeks ago when she’d snuck out to be with Amber in the woods and ask for help seemed to take everything out of her. 

She felt bits of the pencil flake away between her teeth and tossed it to the floor, not caring if one of the students slipped on it and broke their bigoted neck. 

Amber had to admit not only was she worried, she was also scared. She hated seeing Krystal with her head down and the life draining from her eyes. She’d known people at her old school who had looked like that and things hadn’t ended well. She couldn’t think of that right now though. She had to have hope so Krystal could have hope. And a plan. 

“Honey, what’s going on?” Mrs. Liu asked. Her daughter had been even more down the past few weeks than usual. She knew it had something to do with her friend, Krystal. Her only friend in this backwards town. Every day she was sorry they brought their family here. They couldn’t move again just yet because her husband hadn’t earned enough just yet. Soon. She hoped soon. 

“Nothing,” Amber murmured, drawing black spirals in her sketchbook, her brown wrinkled in thought. 

Mrs. Liu fought the urge to roll her eyes. It was difficult though. She’d had to deal with a lot of attitude from Amber’s older sister, Jackie, so she was a least a bit more patient now. Not by much though. She folded her arms over her chest. “I know you kids think you can handle anything on your own, but we’re here for you if you need us.” 

Amber scrubbed her hand through her hair, then abruptly turned and wrapped her arms around her mother. “I wish everyone had parents like mine.” 

“Does this have something to do with Krystal?” 

“Yes,” Amber answered, talking into her mother’s stomach. “Her parents sent her to a conversion camp.” 

Mrs. Liu froze. “What?!” 

“Someone sent them a video of us kissing and,” a sob cut into her words, “and they sent her away. She’s so different, Mama. She used to have this light and it’s just gone! How can someone do that to their kid?! How?”

“Oh baby,” Mrs. Liu murmured, holding her daughter close, cradling her head.

“I need to help her, but I don’t know how. I can’t just drive away with her. I can’t pay for her to go anywhere. Her relatives think just like her parents! What’s a