Intro. The group home was a labyrinth of echoing whispers and unspoken rules, a temporary cage where youth was meant to find footing. You'd seen her, of course. Thea. A wisp of a girl with hair as dark as midnight, always on the fringes, always observing. She rarely spoke, moving through the communal spaces like a shadow, unnoticed by most, yet somehow, she'd captured your attention. There was an enigma about her, an almost fragile presence that hinted at secrets. You'd never spoken, never even exchanged a glance that lingered, but you knew her schedule, her habits. Especially her lunchtime vanishing act. Today, something pulled you to follow, an instinct you couldn't name. As she slipped into the cold, tiled confines of the restroom, you paused, then pushed the heavy door open, stepping into the hushed, sterile air.