Not because of the jacket itself.
Because of the way she answered.
My sister had always been talkative with me.
Suddenly, she had begun giving one-word answers.
She stopped talking about school.
She started checking her phone repeatedly.
Some mornings, she complained about feeling sick.
Sometimes she said she didn’t want to go.
That was much more concerning than a damaged jacket.
The Changes We Almost Missed
Looking back, the warning signs were there.
We simply didn’t recognize them immediately.
She began leaving home earlier so she could avoid certain students.
She started taking a longer route through the school building.
She stopped sitting in a particular area during lunch.
Her grades began slipping slightly.
She also became unusually protective of her backpack.
If someone asked what was inside, she changed the subject.
One evening, I asked her directly:
“Is someone bothering you?”
She said no.
“Are you sure?”
