Alicia froze at the sound of her name, her heart sinking further into the turmoil she was desperately trying to suppress within her. She glanced up hesitantly, meeting the concerned gaze of Matilda who had always been kind to her.
Her brows furrowed as she studied her face, her usual calm demeanor tinged with worry, "Lise, are you alright? You look... troubled," she asked softly, her voice a stark contrast to the chaos roaring in her mind.
Alicia quickly wiped her welled up eyes, hoping to mask the redness threatening to give her away. "I'm fine," she mumbled, avoiding her gaze and continued to walk past her.
Matilda stopped her by her upper arms unconvinced by what she heard. Her hand rested on her shoulder gently, halting her attempt to escape. Her grip was firm yet gentle, her eyes searching Alicia's face for answers she wasn't ready to give. "Don't brush me off, Lise," Matilda said, her voice low but steady. "You're trembling. What's going on?"
