PMS

The afternoon sun filtered through the trees, painting the sidewalk in golden hues as Tracy, Monica, and I walked up to Aunt Helen's house. Tracy and Monica were laughing, and I tried to force a smile, though my heart raced with anxiety.

"Come on, Heather, admit it," Tracy teased, giving me a playful nudge. "Hiking up our skirts a little was a good idea, right? All the girls are doing it, and you've got the legs for it."

Monica giggled. "Seriously, you look so cute today. I bet James wouldn't keep his eyes off you."

I felt my face flush, tugging nervously at the hem of my skirt, which I'd reluctantly rolled up to show a bit more leg. It felt wrong, but I'd gone along with it anyway, just like I had with so many other things recently. The worst part was how easily I'd adapted, how seamlessly Heather had become my reality.

We reached the driveway, still giggling, but the sight that met us wiped the smiles from our faces. A police cruiser was parked in front of the house, and two officers—a man and a woman—stood on the porch, talking to Aunt Helen. My heart thudded painfully in my chest, and Tracy's laughter abruptly died. Monica glanced between us, confused.

"What's going on?" Monica whispered, but Tracy and I were already tense, frozen in place.

The policewoman noticed us first and gave us a small, professional smile. The policeman, however, looked more serious. My stomach twisted in knots, and a cold sweat broke out on the back of my neck.

"Heather, Tracy, Monica, come here," Aunt Helen called, her voice calm and steady. I tried to take a breath, but it felt like there wasn't enough air in the world. My pulse roared in my ears as we approached, my legs shaking despite the supportive heels I'd been forced to wear for school.

The policeman cleared his throat. "Miss Perkins, are these your daughters?" He looked at us closely, his gaze lingering on me, and I felt my throat constrict.

Aunt Helen nodded, her smile serene. "Well, yes, this is my daughter Tracy and my friend's niece, Heather. Monica is a friend of the family" She gestured toward me, and I swallowed hard, forcing a weak smile. "Girls, this is Officer Williams and Officer Perez."

The policewoman, Officer Perez, gave me a gentle nod. "Nice to meet you, Heather," she said, her voice kind. "We're here to ask a few questions about John Higgins. Have you heard from him recently?"

My vision blurred slightly, and my hands grew clammy. John Higgins. Me. They were looking for me. The world seemed to spin, and I could barely breathe. The headache came out of nowhere, a sudden, pounding pain that made me wince.

I felt Tracy's hand squeeze mine, a silent warning to hold it together. I tried, but the panic was overwhelming. Every nerve in my body screamed with the urge to run, to hide, to do anything to get away from the police. The headache grew worse, making me feel dizzy and sick.

"Oh, honey," Aunt Helen said suddenly, her voice filled with concern. She stepped forward and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "PMS, right? You're having your period, aren't you?" Her words were casual, almost conspiratorial, like it was a secret between women.

I stared at her, my eyes wide with shock, but I managed to nod, clutching my stomach as if the pain was coming from there instead of my pounding head.

The male officer looked incredibly uncomfortable, his face turning slightly red. He didn't know where to look or what to say. The policewoman, however, gave me a sympathetic smile, her expression softening. "Oh, poor thing," she said. "I know how that can be. We'll keep this brief."

I tried to focus, but the pain and anxiety made it almost impossible. I forced myself to nod again, my eyes stinging with unshed tears. Aunt Helen's quick thinking had bought us some time, but I couldn't shake the fear that they would see right through the disguise.

The male officer cleared his throat awkwardly. "Right, well, thank you for your time," he said, clearly eager to leave. "If you hear anything about John Higgins, please let us know."

Aunt Helen nodded graciously, her hand still on my shoulder. "Of course, Officer. Thank you for understanding."

As the officers walked back to their car, I felt my knees give out slightly. Aunt Helen caught me, guiding me inside the house with Tracy and Monica following close behind. Monica was still confused, but Tracy's grip on my hand was firm, grounding me.

Inside, I finally allowed myself to breathe, tears streaming down my face. Aunt Helen pulled me into a hug, whispering soothing words. We had narrowly escaped discovery, but the encounter left me shaken to my core. Heather had saved me this time, but I wondered how long I could keep up this act before it all came crashing down.