Chapter 33

• Ariel was currently sitting with Stacy in the cafeteria, however, the morning was dull. She had barely touched her breakfast plate. Her focus was entirely on her phone resting on the table. The message was still there, a digital poison: “Do what I ask. Or everyone finds out.”
• “Girl, you’ve been staring at that phone like it’s going to explode,” Stacy said, pushing her own plate away with a sigh. She leaned closer, her voice dropping. “What’s going on? And don’t say ‘nothing’ because I know you better than that. You’ve barely spoken since you got here.”
• Ariel managed a stiff, strained smile, the effort of which made her cheek muscles ache. “Just… family stuff,” she mumbled, her eyes still flicking to the phone screen. She picked up her fork, stirring the eggs pointlessly, trying to look normal. Her heart hammered against her ribs.