“Marian!” I say before burying my head into a pillow.

Although this is the first time in a week that I don’t completely dread the future.

Chapter Thirty

Chapter

THIRTY

Florida is weird.

Not only am I sweltering in December, but this is an outdoor mall, too. And not any outdoor mall, but one over an hour away from Paula’s house, just in case anybody might recognize her. Because it’s her face that has been plastered on the news, not mine.

So far.

This is my new life now. Taking precautions simply to go outside.

Not sure what’s stranger: being overly cautious of every person we cross paths with or shopping outside in December.

Every mall I’ve ever been to has been enclosed. The thought of walking around outside in the winter to shop doesn’t make sense. It would probably be the worst business decision to have one of these malls in northern Wisconsin. There are times in the winter when it’s so cold, you can’t be outside for more than five minutes without the risk of frostbite.

But I love those days. We don’t have school, so we hang out at home, watch TV, and eat junk food. It’s a little vacation from real life.

As I enter the cell phone store with Paula and a continually scowling Sarah in tow, I feel like this is a vacation from my life. None of this feels permanent.

Or I at least won’t let my mind realize that this is my life now. It’s Ally McMullen’s. Whoever she is.

When I woke up this morning in a new bed and foreign room, I had a moment of confusion, followed by panic. When I finally remembered where I was and why I was there, I felt even worse.

At breakfast Paula tried to act like everything was normal. Just a regular morning as we sat down for breakfast at a diner on the way to the mall. There were eggs and bacon served with a side of stilted conversation.

Sarah has refused to utter a single word to me or even look in my direction. I thought she might be happy that Paula kept her out of school on a Friday. But, nope.

I wish I had school to distract me. We’re looking at my new school on Monday, and I’ll begin classes there on Tuesday. It’s silly for me to start so close to Christmas break, but I need something to do with my time. Staring numbly at the wall is getting tiring.

“Hello!” Paula says brightly to one of the store associates. She gestures at the bags we’re carrying. “It’s been a day.”

Yes, it has.