“I wish you were coming with Marian for Christmas break,” I admit. I can’t look at Neil’s reaction. The distance has made it easier for me to be bold with him. Right now all I want is to be in the same room as Neil. To not have to rely on a phone screen to see him.

And let me put it out there. I don’t just want to see him. I want to touch him. To hug him; Neil always gives the best hugs. And, yeah, kiss him.

When I finally do glance at the phone, I see a beaming Neil. “Really? You know I’d love to. I heard you’re going to Disney World.”

“Oh, so you’re more interested in visiting Cinderella than me? Okay, I get it. I see your priorities,” I tease.

“Hey, there’s only one princess in my heart.”

Oh my God, that is the cheesiest thing ever, but I love it.

I shake my head, even though I’m blushing from his comment. “I mean, it’s Disney World. So we should have fun.”

What kid hasn’t begged their parents to take them? I used to ask Dad all the time.

Oh. It just hits me. When I used to ask Dad, he’d say no because we couldn’t afford it. While, yeah, we didn’t have the money for a vacation to Florida, he also couldn’t risk coming here again. Orlando is less than a two-hour drive from Tampa.

“I wish I could be there. I miss you.” Two dimples appear as Neil frowns.

“I miss you, too.”

It’s nice being with someone I can not only be myself with but who I can tell the truth to. With every “fine” and “good” that I tell this new family, I feel like I’m losing a part of myself. Burying the true me.

What if she disappears completely?

“Ally?” Neil touches the screen.

I touch it back. “Yeah?”

“We are going to work this out, okay? None of us are giving up on you, especially me. We are going to get you back, I promise.”

I’ve had a lot of promises made to me over the years, namely Dad telling me things would be okay.

I’ve never wanted a promise to hold up as much as this one.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter

THIRTY-FOUR

“Well, you’ve done it!” Craig throws his hands up in the air at the end of the Packers–Bears game. “You’ve turned me into a Packers fan.”