I stayed still beneath the bed as the footsteps moved through the hallway. Several children’s voices—three, maybe four. My heart pounded.

Lily spoke gently, “Sit in the living room. I’ll get water.”

A shaky “Thank you” answered her. That voice didn’t sound mischievous—it sounded overwhelmed.

I wanted to rush out, but I stayed hidden. I needed to understand.

From below, I listened.

A boy murmured, “My dad was angry again this morning.”

A girl sniffed. “Yesterday someone shoved me. I almost lost my balance.”

Another whispered through tears, “They took my lunch tray again. Everyone laughed.”

My chest tightened. These children weren’t avoiding school for fun.

They were seeking relief.

Then Lily’s voice, soft and tired:
“You’re safe here. Mom works until five, and Mrs. Greene leaves around noon. We’ll be okay.”

Tears filled my eyes. My daughter had been carrying this alone.

A boy asked quietly, “Lily… shouldn’t you tell your mom?”

Silence.

Then Lily whispered, “I can’t. When I was treated badly in elementary school, Mom fought so hard for me. She was exhausted and sad every day. I don’t want to put her through that again.”

I covered my mouth. She had been protecting me.

“I just want Mom to be happy,” Lily said. “So I’m handling it myself.”

Another girl added softly, “Without you, Lily, I wouldn’t know where to go.”

“We’re the same,” Lily replied. “We look out for each other.”

My tears soaked the carpet.

These weren’t children skipping school—they were children looking for safety.

And the adults who should have helped them hadn’t.

A boy added, “The teachers see it, but they don’t step in.”

“That’s because the principal told them not to make things complicated,” Lily said quietly. “He said I was exaggerating. He warned me not to cause trouble.”

My hands trembled.

The school knew.

And chose silence.

Then Lily whispered, “If we stay together, we can make it through each day.”

That was enough.

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