I pulled up to the manor and turned my music down in my brand new, white Toyota Corolla. I was picking up my sisters, Phoebe and Prue were visiting Mom and Paige, and we were going to go shopping. Paige was the first to come out, soonafter followed by Phoebe and Prue, who were arguing as they headed down the steps.

"Hey, kid," I greeted Paige with a smile.

She climbed in the back of the car and fastened her seatbelt.

"You okay?" I asked, noticing the blank expression on her face.

"Yeah," she said, putting on a smile.

"You sure?"

"Mhm."

I turned back doubtfully, putting on my shades. Prue sat in front, and Phoebe joined Paige in the back.

We arrived at Belk's, where we did most of our shopping, and went for the clothes.

"Hey, me and Phoebe are going to look at dresses, because she's got a dance coming up," said Prue.

"Alright," I said. I looked at Paige. "Now I have you all to myself! Shall we look at shoes, tops, or bathing suits?"

"Shoes," she said quickly.

I'd noticed she'd been getting a little less like the bouncy, happy, little girl she used to be, every time I saw her.

"Alright, what size are you now? 15? 16?" I joked, trying to cheer her up.

"6," she said quietly.

"Lucky you," I laughed. "I'm almost a 9, with these clown feet!"

We got to the 6 section, and I picked up some cute one or two inch heels.

"I'm not allowed to wear heels," she said.

"Correction: you aren't allowed to when Mom's buying," I said with a smile. "But I, however, am allowed to spoil my favorite sister whenever I please."

She finally gave a smile and a small laugh.

"It's about time!" I said. "I've been trying to get you to smile all day!"

She tried the heels on and walked around a bit clumsily.

"Don't worry you'll get used to it," I said.

She looked in the mirror and I walked up and stood behind her.

"You are very beautiful, Paige," I said, looking right into her eyes in the mirror. It wasn't anything new, she'd always been beautiful.

"Yeah right," she muttered as she took off the heels and walked away.

"I mean it...You don't think you're pretty?" I asked, a little shocked.

"Not compared to Mom, or Prue, or you, or Phoebe. I've always been the ugly one," she said.

"You are not ugly," I told her. I sat down beside her. "What's wrong, sweetie? You've been so down lately."

"Nothing's wrong," she whispered. She put the heels back in the box and stood up.

I knew she was lying. But I wasn't going to make her pour her heart out to me in the middle of the Size 6 Shoe section of Belks.

"How about you stay the night with me tonight? And maybe we could do something fun tomorrow," I suggested.

"I have school tomorrow," she protested.

"It's a Friday," I shrugged. "You'll have a 3 day weekend. No big deal. I can talk mom into it."

I knew it was wrong to encourage her to skip school, but I thought maybe she needed a day away.

"Okay," she said, sounding a bit happier. Maybe I'd finally gotten through.

I suddenly remembered Prue and Phoebe.

"Where are those girls?" I asked aloud.

We took off to find them, and finally found them at the very back of the dress section. They were sitting in chairs, staring at three dresses that three different saleswomen were holding up.

"What is this?" I laughed.

Prue shushed me.

Paige and I laughed.

"Well, when you two are done making this life-altering decision, we'll be in juniors clothes," I said, and we walked away.

"I don't want any clothes," said Paige.

"What are you talking about? Every girl wants more clothes."

She stayed silent until we got there.

"How about a nice summer dress?" I suggested. "It'll start warming up soon."

"I don't want a dress," she said.

"Alright, how about some new jeans?"

She ignored me. I picked up a pair of light blue faded skinny jeans.

"Here, try these on," I smiled.

She took one look and frowned.

"I can't fit into those," she said, sitting on a bench.

I almost laughed. She was the skinniest of all of us.

"They're your size!" I urged her.

"My ass is too fat to fit into skinny jeans," she said.

I was a bit taken aback by the language.

"What's gotten into you?" I asked, sitting down beside her.

"Just leave me alone," she whispered.

"Okay, we'll go home, and we'll talk about this there," I said.

"Whatever, I'm going to the car."

We went our different ways, and I found Phoebe and Prue, who had decided on a the black, kind of slutty dress.

"We're leaving. There's something seriously wrong with Paige, and I'm going to have her stay with me tonight," I said.

"Is she hurt?" Prue asked, worried.

"No. Well, mentally, maybe. Something's going on. She has the worst self-esteem, she thinks she's ugly and fat, and her attitude...ugh. You guys ready?"

"Yeah, we'll check out and meet you at the car," said Prue.

I walked out to the car, and climbed in the drivers seat and turned on the car.

"Wanna sit up front, Paige?" I asked, trying, once again, to be nice.

I was surprised I didn't get a hateful "no!".

"I guess," she said, getting out and hopping into the front seat.

"So, what do you want to listen to?" I asked, suddenly a bit inspired by her finally cheering up.

After we got to the manor, we all went in. I went to find Mom, whil Paige went to get clothes.

"Mom?"

"Hey, Piper! Did you girls get some nice things?" she asked.

"Yeah," I said with a smile.

"Good, good."

"Listen, Mom, I was wondering if Paige can take a day off school, and stay with me tonight, and maybe over the weekend?"

"Oh, sure. That'll be fine," she said. "Funny, usually she loves going school. How'd you convince her to skip it?" Mom laughed.

"She was actually a bit happy about it," I said. "Mom? I actually need to talk to you."

Mom finally paid attention to me.

"I think Paige is going through something," I said. "She has a very hateful attitude, she has horrible self esteem, and she's just so sad."

"Oh, she's a kid," she laughed it off. "She'll be fine. She just wants attention."

I was a little confused that Mom wasn't concerned about this.

"Alright," I said. "I guess we'll be leaving."

Mom took another swig of the bottle that I just noticed was straight vodka.

"Mom?" I pointed to the bottle.

"Oh, just a little stressed," she laughed again.

I nodded and walked out. Mom had really changed.

As we were zooming down the interstate, we burst into another little quarrel.

"I don't know what's wrong with you unless you talk to me," I said. "I just want to know what's wrong with you lately..."

After a few minutes of silence, she whispered something that almost made me crash.

"She hits me."

It all came together. The low-self esteem, Paige wanting to leave house to go to school, Mom drinking out of the almost empty vodka bottle, Mom not caring that Paige was upset and depressed, everything made sense.

I pulled off onto the side of the road.

"Oh my god," I whispered to the steering wheel. I slowly turned my head to Paige.

She was biting her lip, with her eyes clenched tightly, holding them shut, as if something horrible was going on in her mind. I reached for her.

The second I touched her, she burst into tears and held onto me. I held on right back, tight, wanting to protect her.