The next day – Friday – I’m a zombie. I stayed up too late and hit the snooze too many times. The chef hands me a cappuccino on my way out the door, for which I’m grateful. I’m starving by the time I get to school.

Ari meets me at my locker. She’s upset, and I imagine it’s because she broke up with Benji. When I ask, she nods. I’m beyond relieved. I dread first period and keep reminding myself that Benji doesn’t know why Ari dumped him. He can’t know Jenna’s reported him.

I sneak looks at him throughout English, struck by another thought. I don’t know how Jenna comes to school with him there every day or how she can be in the same room with him without sobbing.

Her lashing out at me makes more sense. The same anger I carry, she carries, and I’m a damn good target. I mean, we’ve been competing since we were ten. It makes sense she’d take out her emotions on me, the same way I let her provoke me. I need the release, too.

“Hey, you know why Ari won’t talk to me?” Benji whispers towards the end of class.

I want to take my pen and stab him through the neck. I shake my head without looking at him.

“Well, I guess if we’re over, do you want to go out?”

I look at him and clench my fists. I want to hit him.

“Is that a no?” he asks.

“That’s a hell no.”

“What the hell?” he asks, surprised. “First Ari and now you.”

It strikes me now how easily he went from liking me to dating Ari. I wonder if he’s just playing everyone. My phone vibrates, a welcome distraction. I’m about to launch myself at the guy who thought he could hurt my Ari. I don’t recognize the phone number but open the text.

Mia, it’s Jenna. I think I do want to talk. You want to do breakfast tomorrow?

Talk about bad timing. Then again, I can meet with her then Dom. I’ll be beyond wired on coffee, but I might need it if I sleep like crap again tonight. I’m meeting Dom at eight then leaving for community service around nine thirty.

Sure, I type back. It’s gotta be early. 7 ok?

She sends her response and I give her the address of the coffee shop near my new digs. Benji is waiting for me to finish. I take my time to save Jenna’s number – contact number seven! – then set the phone down just as the bell rings.

I bolt. Benji calls out after me, but I move too fast. I manage to avoid him the rest of the day, but it also means avoiding my locker and Ari. I tell her what’s up. She says nothing about Benji, just reminds me of our shopping date Sunday.

There’s no soccer or cheer squad practice today. I go home to find Dr. Thompkins waiting for me with Chris in the study. The hallway is full of Chris’s lackeys, but it’s just the three of us in the study. Chris closes the door.

“We’re doing a periodic evaluation,” Dr. Thompkins starts.

I say nothing, but I’m thinking evil thoughts at him. Evaluation days happen every month, and they last two hours. Chris leans back in his chair to listen. I glance at him, not understanding why he’s there. It’s better him than Daddy, though. I know it’s gonna be rough when the shrink starts off asking about my new living arrangements.

I’m in tears an hour in, and I’m ready to walk out. Chris says nothing, aside from giving me warning looks every time I do threaten to leave before we’re finished.

Somehow, I survive the grueling event.

“Her recovery has been remarkable,” Dr. Thompkins says to Chris. “You have nothing to worry about.”

Chris doesn’t look impressed at all, and I want to crawl in my closet and never leave again.

“The routine of school and exposure to social situations are important,” Dr. Thompkins continues. “She is healing emotionally in a healthy way.”

“Careful, doc, or you’ll put yourself out of a job,” I snap.

“Mia,” Chris chides.

“You’ve been forced to transition from a girl to an adult this summer, both physically and emotionally,” Dr. Thompkins says to me, unfazed. “You have faced very challenging situations and made rational decisions with a level of emotional maturity most teenagers don’t have. You are more than capable of living in your own place and being responsible for your actions.”

“I’m cured?”

“You will never be who you were. I’m recommending continued therapy, but I see no problem with you living on your own, provided you have some structure to your life,” Dr. Thompkins replies.

I don’t know if I like that. I understand what he’s saying. I guess I hoped maybe some part of this summer would eventually go away.

“Thank you, Dr.Thompkins. Mia, service time,” Chris states.

I wish I knew what he thought about my progress, about me. I’ve never welcomed his cool dismissal as much as I do now. I run to my room.

It’s empty. Even my safety closet. I stand in the middle of my room, already missing it. Chris says I’ll go from community service to my new home tonight. I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about leaving.

I feel devastated. There’s nothing for me here at Daddy’s. I really did lose everything this summer.

I trudge down the stairs just as Dr. Thompkins closes the door behind him. Chris is there. The look I give him makes him sigh.

“The house is always open to you,” he says. “I’ll be in your neighborhood regularly for the case.”

“I didn’t think this would hurt so much.”

“You’ll be better off.”

“Dom says the same.”

Chris’s eyebrow goes up. “So you are still in contact.”

“Does it matter if I am? I don’t have many friends, and I’ve lost my family,” I retort, crossing my arms.

“You’re old enough to make your own decisions.”

“As long as you approve?”

“Precisely.” He gives me a rare smile.

I roll my eyes. “I’m surprised you approve of him. He’s not rich or connected.”

“There’s a difference between approving and not disapproving,” Chris says.

“Do you use lawyer-speak with Daddy or just with me?” I ask.

“Dom hasn’t given me a reason to distrust him. I believe myself to be a good judge of character. I don’t think he will. That said, he’s got a long way to go to prove himself.”

I stare at Chris, startled. The men around me have finally started shedding their masks. I’m amazed to find which ones care and which ones don’t, because no one is who I thought they’d be. Daddy chose political allies over me.

Chris chose me.

“You’re going to be late,” Chris adds. He turns and retreats to his study.

I watch him go then smile.

* * *

My time at the shelter drags. Gianna works four shifts of twelve and is off for three days. She’s off today, and there’s nothing but me, stupid forms and Ari’s texts.

When I leave, I feel a familiar sense of anxiety. The driver takes me to my new home. A bodyguard checks me in with the front guard, and I enter quickly. To my surprise, Ari is standing in the lobby with her father. She runs up to me with a hug. I squeeze her back.

At almost seven feet tall, Ari’s dad isn’t someone anyone would choose to mess with. He’s built like a tank with sharp eyes and a quick smile.

“We thought we’d show you your new place,” Ari says, stepping away with a happy smile.

“Wow, thanks.” I relax some, happy she’s there with me.

We ride in an unfriendly steel elevator to the third floor. There are four doors along the hallway, all of which look like they belong on vaults. I’m starting to freak about living in a bunker, when Ari’s father opens the door to my apartment.

My breath catches. The interior is the opposite of the cold, concrete-steel exterior and hallways. As soon as I step foot in the apartment, I know Ari picked out the furniture and décor. It’s not Mom’s heavy European style or Molly’s post-modern preference. It’s a modern penthouse with dark wood furniture and light fabrics, plush carpet and marble floors, pops of fuchsia, orange and teal, and plenty of open space. There’s a formal dining area and living area then a cozy family room with latte-colored walls off a large kitchen filled with stainless steel. Tons of light filters in through shaded glass.

“This is incredible!” I exclaim.

“You haven’t seen the best part!” Ari says, grabbing my hand. She pulls me through the kitchen to a hallway off the far side. There are three doors down the hallway, one a large bathroom she rushes past and another a guest bedroom. She tugs me into the master bedroom.

It’s huge, larger than mine at home. The California King is a sleigh bed with a shapely headboard, sides and baseboard upholstered in dark grey. The walls are blue-gray, the wall art and pillows bright teal and charcoal gray. The room is massive, with a sitting area containing an entertainment center and two wardrobes and a dresser, in addition to two large walk-in closets and large bathroom. Someone has even unpacked and set up all my clothes in the closets.

Overwhelmed, I start crying. I hug Ari hard.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” I say through my tears.

“I wanted it to be perfect. Is it?”

“It is!”

“Okay, now for the serious part. C’mon. Dad will show you.”

It’s the happiest I’ve been in months. I let her pull me back to the living room, where her father is waiting with a smile.

“Your apartment is equipped with a few safety features,” he starts. “Bullet proof glass, pretty standard. Custom ventilation system, hand print locks, thermal detection alarm at night, and an away alarm that’ll lock down everything if triggered. There are two buttons to trigger it, one in the bedroom and one down the hall.”

I stare at him.

“A few other bells and whistles, but this is the most important one.” He walks down the hall on the other side of the apartment.

I trail.

“Gun safe, if you need one.” He points into a small library, where a massive safe his height is in one corner. He continues walking to the hallway’s dead end.

I watch in surprise as he places his hand against what looks like an outlet without plugs.

“Hand here, door opens.”

A door slides open fast, and lights flicker on into the room beyond. It’s a small room, the size of the guest bedroom. Mr. Stevens walks in, and I follow.

“This is your safe room. It has a separate ventilation system and is fireproof.” He motions to the kitchen area. “Compact kitchen, fully stocked. Bathroom through that door, with shower. Bedroom, and of course, entertainment center. Obviously this is an alarm trigger.” He points to a huge red button on the wall by the door. “The speaker system is built in. If the alarm is triggered, sound and visual are both recorded. When you enter and close the door, the surveillance monitor comes on to show you the different views of your apartment.”

“There are cameras in my apartment?” I ask, weirded out for the first time.

“They’re only triggered if you hit the alarm in your bedroom or in here. The security guards will respond first and contact the police once the alarm is triggered.”

Ari is grinning. I’m not sure what to think.

“Better than your closet, isn’t it?” she asks.

I laugh. “Yeah, definitely.”

“One last feature, and I’ll leave you alone.” Mr. Stevens smiles.

We exit the safe room, and the door slides closed behind us. He takes me to the windows overlooking a small courtyard behind the building.

“There’s an emergency exit,” he says. “You see where the button is?”

I look closely at the windows and finally see it.

“Press it and the floor drops down into stairs.”

“You’ll be safe here. And if something happens, you can run or hide,” Ari says.

“This is incredible. Thank you so much!” I hug her again.

“I assured Chris you’d be safe. I meant it,” Mr. Stevens replies. “Now, Ari and I will leave you alone to scope the place out.”

I walk with them to the door, grinning. The minute the door closes, I stop to look around. The apartment is welcoming, bright and modern. I really do love it.

I just feel alone. It’s so quiet.

I leave the lights in the living area on and go to my new room. The Jacuzzi tub feels awesome on my tired body. When I get out and am ready for bed, I eye the closets but climb into bed. It’s heavenly after sleeping on the floor.

I sleep in a bed. In my own apartment. It’s another victory, and it feels like a huge one. I’m brave enough not only to sleep in a bed, but in a place that’s new to me.

My sleep is restless. I don’t hear the alarm. I don’t hear the texts.

I do, however, snap awake when I hear the phone ring the next morning. I look down and realize it’s seven.

“Oh, god, Jenna, I’m so sorry,” I say as I grab the phone to answer it. “Do you want to come here for breakfast?”

“Okay,” she says, disappointed. “I’ll be there in a few.”

I end the call and text her my address then let Chris and Fabio know I’m not leaving the building as planned. I wonder if changes of plans bother Fabio? At least one of them is probably sitting in a car in the basement, waiting for me to show up.

I hurry into the bathroom to clean up. I’ve just finished washing my face when the intercom in the wall talks to me.

“Ms. Abbott-Renou, Jenna Markson is here to see you.”

“I’m expecting her,” I shout, uncertain where the speakers are.

“Yes, ma’am. She’ll be waiting for you in the lobby.”

I look around the bathroom, recalling the cameras. I don’t see any, but it seems a little creepy they’re there somewhere. I put on make-up and throw on some comfortable clothes. In a hurry, I exit the apartment without my phone and ride the steel-trap looking elevators to the first floor.

Jenna’s waiting in the middle of the lobby. I don’t see the guard at the counter. I wave Jenna over. She smiles nervously.

“It’s kinda hard to miss this place,” I say, wondering if her impression is the same as mine. “It’s much nicer inside than outside.”

“Good location,” she says. “This your new place?”

I nod. “I’m sorry again. I didn’t hear my alarm.”

I sense she’s anxious, and I’m almost glad I overslept. Having breakfast with a Fabio at the next table over isn’t going to help Jenna at all.

We walk past the guard and to the elevators.

“Is Ari okay?” she asks.

“She broke it off with Benji,” I reply. “Thank you for trusting me. You saved her from going through something terrible.”

The tightness in Jenna’s features melts. “She’s always annoyed me but I don’t want her to get hurt.”

The elevator door opens, and I enter, attention on Jenna. I’m about to tell her Ari’s hyper nature grows on you after a while, when Jenna’s breath catches.

I follow her gaze and stop cold.

Madison is standing in the elevator, disheveled. The elevator smells like booze.

We stare at each other.

This can’t be happening. Did I not wake up this morning?

The moment takes on a surreal quality, and I struggle to determine what the hell is going on.

“Mia,” Jenna’s stricken whisper jars me out of my thoughts. I’m in the elevator, too shocked to move, while she’s backed out.

Between Madison and me, I’m the first to move.