Ariel's POV
I carried a lot of the day's happenings back to my room. My heart sped up, though, when I remembered Marie's constant taunting during supper. Alan was clearly angry and resentful even though he had declined to descend. Feeling a jumble of emotions and utterly worn out, I shut the door.
Stella had sent out a little ray of optimism. Shopping was a fun diversion from the chaos that had become my life. I felt uneasy, though, even as I wrote my response and made plans to see her.
Just as I was going to put my phone down, it rang, the loudness shocking in my otherwise quiet room. Alan was listed on the screen. Heart hammering, I said, a touch shaky in my voice. And Alan?
Hunched over, he said, "Ariel. We have to talk.
He sounded urgent to me. All well?
Unbelievably, he answere
