Author's note: Thank you to everyone who is reading. Please comment and vote because I'd love to know your thoughts on the story.

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Sleeping with an empty stomach was something Shai had always lived with. Todd promised they’d eat well in the morning so they saved their food and didn’t eat last night.

As the sun began to rise it filled their apartment full of light. Shai got out of bed eagerly, her mouth watering at the thought of food. She put on her usual disguise to hide her from being a Rat. She threw a black dress over her head. A bright green sash was underneath her chest and her fingers fumbled with it as she tried to tie it behind her. Her hair was greasy and she twisted it into a bun at the nape of her neck. She slipped her feet into her shoes and ran out of her bedroom.

Todd wasn’t there and his bedroom door was still closed. Shai pounded her fist on his door. He opened it wearing a pair of black pants and a red buttoned up shirt, which he hadn’t bothered to do up yet. His dark hair was slicked back, revealing more of his face than Shai usually sees. His pendent hung from his chest. It was a piece of metal with a dragon carved into it with bright green eyes. Shai had asked once why he hadn’t sold it, and he convinced her that it was worth nothing.

“I’ll be ready in a minute,” he told her turning into his room.

She stepped into his room. Their rooms had the same layout, but looked nothing alike. Todd’s walls were lined with an assortment of knives and other weapons he had managed to get his hands on. Shai preferred to hide her weapons, like the knife she always carried in her bag.

Todd pulled two small identical knives off his wall and slid them into his belt. He tucked his shirt into his pants and buttoned it up, successfully hiding the blades. He bent down and picked something up off his bed among the mess of blankets and tossed it to Shai. She caught it and saw it was the broach and slipped it into her bag.

“Lets go,” Todd said.

She followed him as he walked over to the small window in the corner of their apartment. Like the rest of the windows they had covered it with cardboard, so from outside it looked just like one of the other abandoned buildings. Todd picked it up and propped it up against the wall. Shai opened the window and stepped out onto the metal balcony. While crouching, she peered over the edge to see if anyone was on the street below. It was clear and she motioned for Todd to come out. He pulled himself through the window and then reached in to fix the cardboard back over the window.

They made their way down the metal staircase. Shai could already start to feel the hot sun beat off her back. Her and Todd hurried as quickly as they could. It was dangerous for them to be dressed like this in the Slums.

They kept up against the side of the building. Shai was leading and peaked around the end of every building. If the coast was clear or only a few people not paying attention, she’d take off running and Todd would follow her.

Once they made their way back to the Market, they walked normally to look like everyone else. Shai kept a sharp eye out for Riley. She knew his booth was at the other end of the Market, but she didn’t want to run into him but accident. She’d have to pretend she was coming to see him, and she wouldn’t get her breakfast with Todd; they one they’ll get because of her.

Shai followed as Todd weaved his way through the shoppers to where the booths ended at the end of the street. It turned into stores that were located inside the booths.

The Ace Pawn Shop was between a nail salon and an abandoned store. Todd told her once that the sign said it use to carry music. Shai couldn’t think of how someone would sell music out of a store. She’s heard music at the Shelter and you couldn’t sell people playing instruments.

The store had old rusty items in the window. Todd opened the door and little bells dangling above the door clanged together. An older man behind the counter looked up at them.

He looked like no one had fed him in weeks. He was skinny and his dark eyes looked like they were popping out of his skull. His dark hair was trimmed short and a thick moustache covered his top lip. A light blue shirt was hanging off of him. Shai could detect a smile under his moustache.

“Hello,” he greeted them walking around the counter. He had his hands out in front of him. “I’m Gus and welcome to my shop.”

Todd reached out and shook the Gray’s hand. Act wealthy; Todd always told her that.

“I’m Alexander,” Todd introduced himself. He put his arm around Shai and pulled her closer to them.

“Elizabeth,” she said stretching her hand out shaking Gus’s.

“Are you two a couple?” Gus asked them.

Todd curled Shai into his body and kissed her forehead. She plastered a fake smile across her lips.

“Almost two years now,” Todd informed him.

“We want to get married,” Shai said and felt Todd’s arm tense around her. She wasn’t obviously taking their identities in the direction Todd wanted. She knew she had to take over the rest because Todd tended to pause and get confused with his lies if he didn’t think them through.

“Oh really?” Gus asked raising his eyebrows.

“Yes,” she told him. “But our parents don’t like the idea. I’m only sixteen and they keep saying that we are too young, so we have to elope together. That’s why we are here.”

Shai opened up her purse and pulled out the box and handed it to Gus. He opened the box and Shai saw his eyes light up.

“It was my Grandmother’s,” Shai continued. “She passed away a couple years ago and left me this. Now, our parents won’t give us any money to go out and get married. I want to pawn it so we can have a wedding of our own.”

Todd’s arm eased up around Shai. She was annoyed that Todd didn’t have confidence in her. She’s been lying like this for over eleven years.

“Well, I’ll see what I can do,” Gus told them. He walked around the counter and pulled out a magnifying glass. Shai and Todd advanced towards the counter as Gus examined it closer.

            Shai slipped her arm around Todd’s back and tried to look in love with him. Gus looked up from the broach and smiled so big that even the moustache can’t camouflage it.

            “This is a very expensive broach. I’m thinking I can give you a thousand for it. And because you two are so in love I’ll add an extra hundred for your wedding,” Gus explained.

            Shai’s lips curled into a smile. Todd never taught her how to count that high, but she assumed it was a high number because she rarely heard it. She let out a squeal and wrapped her arms around Todd’s neck. The strong smell of his gel in his burned her nose. Gus chuckled at them.

            “All I need you to do is sign a few papers,” Gus instructed to them.

            Shai pulled away and felt her heart slam against her chest.

            “We can’t!” she exclaimed.

            “You have to. There’s paper work that needs to show-“

            “No! We can’t do that. We plan on leaving and not coming back. There can be nothing to show where we went or even where we got the money. Please just do this for us.”

            Shai stared at Gus and hung out her bottom lip. Pouting was something that Shai saw a few spoiled girls at the Market do when they didn’t get what they wanted. She never needed to do it before and she hoped she was doing it correctly.

            “Fine,” he breathed. Shai let out another squeal and wrapped her arms back around Todd’s neck. “I’m only doing this though because you two remind me so much of my wife and I.”

            “Thank you, sir,” Todd told him.

            Gus opened up the cash register and pulled out an assortment of bills. He placed them down on the counter while counting out numbers. Shai quickly got confused and hoped Todd knew how to count that high so they didn’t get ripped off.

            When he was done he gave the money to Todd. He folded it and shoved it into his pant’s pocket.

            “Thank you so much, Gus,” Shai told him sweetly.

She laced her fingers through Todd’s and they walked out of the store together. They kept their hands together until they walked a few steps away from the shop’s window.

“That was a close one,” Todd told her.

“Obviously. Didn’t you know that we’d have to fill out paper work when we sold that?” she asked.

“I must’ve forgotten. It’s been years since I’ve been able to pawn something other than at Bailey’s. You never need paper work there,” he explained.

“Whatever. Now can we go eat? I’m starving.”

“Yeah.”

They walked in silence on their way to the restaurant, trying to not stand out and catch the attention of anyone, especially Officers. Shai had no idea where they were going and followed Todd. She followed him as he took a sharp turn out of the Market.

The cobblestone streets between the buildings led them towards the major city of Pangella. It was commonly named the “Bright Side” or “Bright” for short. Unlike in the Slums everything here was bright and happy, just like every Brighty wanted it. It also got the name from the bright lights that come off the buildings and shine into the Slums. They had more electricity so they could afford to waste it like that. Shai had to stop herself from looking up in awe at it all.

From the Slums she could always see the buildings towering over Pangella, but it was rare she got this close. There was too much of a risk robbing these high-end stores, that’s why they stuck to the Market. Officers had the right to arrest Shai and Todd for just being in Bright. No Rats were allowed inside of the city. The buildings that lined up the Market hid Bright behind them.

Shai glanced around at the wealthier version of the Market. It contained the same cobblestones and same buildings, but to her it might as well been a different world.

Everyone was finely dressed and the buildings were freshly painted. There were more Officers than in the Market. Some were standing by the shops examining the people; the others were patrolling the streets and coming in and out of stores. There were no booths and all the sellers worked out of stores.

“It’s over here,” Todd told her.

He turned into one of the building. People were sitting by the windows at tables, they had plates of food out in front of them that made Shai’s stomach start to growl. Todd opened up the clear glass door and held it open for Shai. It was one of the many customs that Brighties do that Todd had taught her. It was also one of the many that Shai despised. Wealthy men always treated women like they were useless, something she hated.

A woman stood at a podium in front of the door. Her blonde hair was twisted up into a bun and she had a black dress on. Shai could tell from her years of practicing that her smile wasn’t real.

“Good morning. Is it for two?” she asked.

“Yes,” Todd answered.

The woman grabbed two small books off the podium and started walking away. Todd followed her and Shai was right behind him. The woman guided them through the restaurant. People smiling and laughing occupied many of the tables. Men in clean white shirts were walking away with plates of half eaten food. Shai had to stop herself from reaching out onto one of the plates and grabbing some of it. Of course, only people from Bright would waste food.

They sat down at a small table against the wall. Todd pulled out Shai’s chair and she slid her chair into the table. When he was seated at the other side of the table the woman handed them each one of the little books.

“Can I get you something to drink?” the woman asked.

“Just water,” Todd told her.

She nodded her head and walked away from the table. Shai opened up the book in front of her. The white pages were covered in fancy black lettering. Shai bit down on her lip as she tried to make words out of the letters.

“Having a little trouble there, Elizabeth?” Todd asked her quietly.

“Just so many choices,” she said wryly. She glanced around the restaurant to the rest of the people. She knew she had to keep up the appearance because if anyone saw something strange about her they would get reported and then questioned. Soon after being questioned they’d be sent to a camp. “I’ll just have whatever you are having, Alexander.”

Todd’s lips curled into a smile and he closed his menu and set it down in front of him. “Good thinking. You’re going to enjoy your decision.”

The woman came walking back towards their table. She had a tray with two glasses of water balanced in her hand. She placed each glass in front of them.

“Have you made a choice yet?” she asked them.

“The special,” Todd said.

“Me too,” Shai added.

The woman nodded her head again and walked away from the table.

Shai ran her fingernails, that she had recently scrubbed the dirt out from under, across the crisp white tablecloth. The flowers in the coloured vase in front of her and the chairs wrapped in a creamy silk all seemed unnecessary to her. She could be picking her meals off the dirt ground and it would still taste good to her.

“So are you prepared to go out on this date?” Todd asked her saying the last word comically. He kept his voice low enough, so that no one can hear them

“Lying is lying,” Shai told him, keeping her voice low too. “I’m not aware of it changing recently. Let’s just remember who always saves whose ass in our little situations.”

“Please, you never need to save my ass.”

“I do all the time.”

Todd rolled his eyes at her and she flashed him a quick smile.

“Just remember the risk of being caught,” he warned her.

Shai let out a deep breath. She knew perfectly well about the camps. Both of her parents weren’t sent off to one when she was six. Her mother had hurried her out the backdoor when the Officers had come to their front door. She was panicking and told Shai to just keep running. It was a couple weeks later when she found Todd.

She just ignored his comment and replied with, “I never am.”

“Being cocky won’t help you either,” he told her.

“Really? Then why are you like that all the time?” she asked raising her voice.

“We’re in love darling,” Todd said through his teeth. “Remember that.”

She leaned in closer to him and put her elbows on the table, resting her chin on her hands. She batted her eyes at him in that stupid way she had seen so many girls do.

“I’m sorry, honey. Do go on,” she said wryly.

An older couple walking towards them caught Shai’s attention. The woman’s face had gone under so many surgeries that it looked plastic and disproportionate. There were only a few older people in the Slums and their skin always sagged and their hair turned a grey colour. No one in Bright would be caught looking like that.

They took the seat behind Todd, so Shai could always catch a glimpse of the woman’s unnatural face.

“So while I’m out what are you going to do?” she asked in regular speaking voice. Anyone could hear them and they could only assume their having a typical wealthy conversation. Except, she had no idea what those would sound like. She only knew the snippets of conversations of people at booths in the Market.

“I have a friend I need to meet,” he told her, raising his voice too.

She knew perfectly well that his “friend” wasn’t Brodhi, but a girl, one that she’ll probably never hear about again. To ask about this girl would divert from their little love routine that they were putting off.

“Well, I hope you have fun,” she said sweetly.

“Oh, I will,” he said ending it with a wink.

The woman returned back to their table with a plate of food in each hand. She set them down in front of them. The delicious aroma hit Shai’s nose and she could already feel her mouth water.

The plate had a yellow fluffy food in the middle with strips of meat on one side and toasted bread on the other. Todd and her both thanked the woman and started eating.

It was agonizing on her stomach to pick up the fork and knife and eat properly. She wanted to tear into the food with her hands and swallow it whole, but that was one of the many unlady –like characteristics in Bright.

Neither of them talked, as they were too busy eating. Shai didn’t really mind though. They had known each other for over eleven years, and they have run out of things to tell each other, especially things that could be translated into Brighty talk. Even in the Slums their conversations usually retreated to sarcastic comments.

After Shai was done eating her stomach was delightfully full, a feeling she hasn’t had in months. The food was delicious and she felt disappointed as soon as she was finished. When she looked up Todd was already finished.

The woman returned again and cleared away their plates. She told Todd a number and he pulled out a couple of bills from his pocket. After they were done, Todd got up from his chair and he slipped his arm around Shai and guided her out of the restaurant. He pulled away from her as soon as they were out of view from the restaurant.

Shai stopped and turned around and looked at Todd. A piece of his slicked back hair was already starting to come loose from his head.

“I’ll go and if I’m not back before Curfew presume that I’m either arrested, hurt or dead,” she informed them.

“Will do,” he said nodding his head. “Don’t screw up.”

Shai couldn’t stop her lips from curling into a smile. She knew it was Todd’s way of saying “Good luck”. She had gotten good at reading him.

She turned and walked back through an alley to the Market. Sellers usually set their booths up in the same location everyday. She still scanned every booth for Riley and kept her fingers curled tightly around the strap of her purse.

Weaving through the busy shoppers, she saw the booth lined with the colourful fruit. Riley stood behind the display with another boy she had never seen before. She pushed her way past a couple people and walked up to the booth.

The other boy was busy with a customer. He was short and had big pair of wire-rimmed glasses on his face, obviously not a Brighty. A Brighty would have had his vision fixed as soon as it started to fail. Riley had his head down and Shai couldn’t see what he was doing.

“Hello,” she said cheerfully once she got to the booth.

Riley looked up and smiled at her. She managed to see that he was counting money. A large stack of the colourful bills was in front of him.

“You got away from your grandparents,” he said happily.

“Yes, I just need to be home before dinner,” she told him.

“Of course. I can only leave the booth for a couple hours.”

He pulled a couple of bills out from the pile of money and then put the rest in a metal box. The bills he took got folded and were put into his pocket. The boy with the glasses eyed him suspiciously.

“You didn’t see anything, Larson,” he told the boy with a threatening tone. The boy just shook his head and turned away from them.

  Riley stepped out from the booth and wiped his hands quickly on his pants.

“Where do you want to go?” he asked her.

She shrugged her shoulders and then quickly regretted that. She couldn’t remember if Brighty girls did that or not.

“I don’t know the city well,” she said.

“Well, then I’ll give you a tour.”

Riley laced his warm fingers through hers. It caught Shai by surprise at first, but then she remembered how she had seen many couples in the Market holding hands this way. She had never done it with a boy before, not even Jasper.

They began walking back up the Market. He had pulled Shai closer to him and his scent of fruit and soap filled her nose.

“So where are you from?” he asked her.

“Up north,” Shai told him. She tried to keep all of her answers vague. Other than Pangella, Shai knew out no towns or cities. People being from “up north” or “down east” were the closest to directions she knew.

“In Wickerford?” he asked.

“Yes,” she answered praying that that was a real city and not one he just made up.

“I have a friend who just moved up there. He says it’s really nice.”

“It is.”

He pulled her hand as they came to the iron gates. The large pieces of metal separated the Slums from Bright. It was rare that Shai or Todd would cross here because of the amount of Officers lined up across it. They stuck to the alleyways that they decided not to guard. That’s why Brighties crossed at the gate, no chance of being robbed and hurt. The people from the Slums didn’t dare venture into Bright; being caught was an automatic sentence to camp.

“We can start the tour now,” Riley told her as they walked towards the gates.

In Shai’s mind every Officer in their crisp black and red uniform was eying her suspiciously. She forced these thoughts into the back of her brain.

“This is the best part of Pangella,” he continued. “Don’t get me wrong, the Market is great and everything, but those filthy animals that live near by ruin it. All they do is rob and kill, never anything good.”

She glanced over her shoulder as the got past the gate. Riley may think that people like her can’t do anything good, but he would be surprised to know that a Rat fooled him.

“No one does anything about them,” she asked to antagonize him. His Brighty opinions about the Slums were quite amusing to her.

“Officers only intervene with them once they catch them breaking the law. I think they should just send them all away now. They all steal, but some Rats are good,” he explained to her.

“You mean some never get caught?” Shai said putting fake astonishment in her voice.

“You won’t believe how sneaky some are.”

Shai’s lips curled into a smile and she looked up at Riley to see he was already staring at her. He had a smile on his lips too.

“Now, lets not rat-talk ruin our day,” he told her. “Lets go to my favourite spot in Pangella.”

“Where’s that?” she asked.

“The beach.”

Shai’s lips had curled into an even bigger smile. The beach was a strict wealthy zone and her and Todd never even dared to go out there. Stories always surrounded the Slums of people being shot by Officers just for being on the sand. They had successfully scared them away from the beach, everyone in Bright’s dream: a place with no Rats.

“I’d love that. I’ve never gotten to go on a beach before,” Shai said truthfully.

“Really? I guess there would be no beaches in Wickerford. You’ll like it, Jessica,” he informed her.

With their hands still locked together the walked down the street. Shai knew that now she was allowed to look around in awe since she was playing a tourist. She tilted her head up and looked up at the buildings that were stacked high. Their dark grey colour looked odd coming out of the colourful shops and homes in Pangella.

“By the way, how old are you?” Riley asked.

“Seventeen,” she replied.

“I just turned eighteen a couple weeks ago,” he told her. “When’s your birthday?”

Shai had to stop herself from squeezing Riley’s hand tightly. She had no idea when her birthday was. Her age was just a guess to her.

“It’s in the winter,” Shai tried to be vague again.

“December? January?” Riley said raising an eyebrow.

“Yes, it’s December.”

“What day?”

“The thirty-second.”

Riley’s face looked even more puzzled.

“There isn’t a thirty-second of December,” he told her.

Shai threw her head back and let out a fake Brighty giggle as she tried to think of another way out of this one.

“I was joking with. It’s really the second of December,” she said.

Riley started to chuckle, obviously not knowing the joke but not trying to act like he doesn’t.

“Have you lived in Pangella your whole life?” Shai asked to get onto a new topic.

“Yes.”

Riley turned around a corner. Their conversation was silent until they turned a couple more corners. In a way, Shai hoped that Riley got bored of her so that Todd’s stupid plan was a failure. But being Todd, he’d most likely blame her for not being “enjoyable”, but she needed questions even she could answer. Shai knew she had to think of something quick.

“Do you have any brothers or sisters?” she asked him. She knew the answer was most likely going to be yes. After the Virus, many families in wealthy sectors were paid large amounts for big families. It was part of the governments plan to repopulate faster, but no one in the Slums ever saw this kind of money. Big families were just a nuisance; they meant more mouths to feed. 

“An older sister and brother and then a younger sister. What about you?” he asked back.

“Just an older brother,” she said.

The sandy banks came into Shai’s view. The bright clear water was washing up into the sand and then backs away. When the cobblestone road ended to sand, Officers were lined up as far as Shai could see along the wooden fence. Riley stopped at the end of the cobblestone and Shai did too.

“Take off your shoes,” he told her.

Shai slipped her feet out of her shoes and put them into her bag. Riley took off his too and held onto them with two fingers.

“Walk on it,” he said cocking his head out to the beach.

She took a step forward. The hot sand formed around her feet and ran up between her toes. Almost no one in the Slums had felt this grainy substance and for the first time today Shai but on a genuine smile.

“It feels so odd,” she said.

“Feels even odder when it’s stuck in your clothes,” he said. “I told you, you would like it.”

She let out a fake giggle and Riley put his arm across the small of her back. They walked past one of the Officers and Shai could see the sweat dripping down his face. The sun was hot and the thick material of their uniforms didn’t help keep them cool. She could never understand why most men aspired to be Officers. The beach was full of Officers, much more than in the Market. They didn’t just watch to make sure no Rats were there, but they also had to watch and make sure no Brighties went into the water. It was too dangerous to waste valuable lives on something as mediocre as swimming. 

“You planning on becoming an Officer?” Shai asked Riley. She knew it was a bold question to ask, but it at least kept the conversation going.

“Not at all,” he said. “I’ll probably take over the greenhouse when my father retires. My older brother plans on becoming a doctor, so someone needs to do it.”

“Must be nice,” she said quietly.

“You’ll find a good husband.”

Riley’s arm tightened around her and Shai remember woman’s role in wealthy sectors. They were the ones to provide children to repopulate the world. Women typically didn’t work or do any other kind of job, as it would interfere with having children. The women who did work were the Grays who lived on the outskirts of Bright. They were wealthier than Rats but not by much. Their families were taxed, and even being sent to a camp was an option, if the women weren’t married before they were twenty. 

“I hope so,” she said.

He stopped suddenly and it caught Shai off by surprise. He slid his other arm around her back and pulled her in close, pressing his lips against hers. Trying to be “enjoyable” she ran her hands up his chest and into his hair. She kissed him deeply before pulling away.

“If you can’t find anyone in Wickerford, you can always come here,” Riley told her.

“You’ve known me for less then a day and your already wanting to marry me?”

“Of course, you’re beautiful.”

Shai chuckled under his breath. He had no idea that he had just proposed marriage to a Rat, the dirt he hated so much.

“Thank you,” she said before sliding herself out of his arms. “But I don’t think my parents will be happy if I tell them I got married while I was down in Pangella.”

“True, so lets keep walking,” he said.

Shai agreed and Riley grabbed her hand again. They continued to walk across the sand when little shacks caught Shai’s attention. 

“What are those?” she asked, gesturing out towards the shacks.

“They’re shops,” he said.

What Todd had told her filled Shai’s mind. Riley was wealthy and if she could manage to get him to buy her something, the day wouldn’t be a waste. The proposal was a clear sign to Shai that he was already in love with her.

They walked up to the first booth. The assortment of jewellery twinkled in the sun. These pieces were like nothing Shai had ever seen before. The broach she had stolen yesterday looked almost worthless compared to these items.

A bracelet with alternating rubies and sapphires caught Shai’s attention. She picked it up from the table and held it in her hands.

“It’s so beautiful,” she said.

“You like it?” he asked.

“Yes.”

Riley reached into his pocket and pulled out a couple of the bills. He handed it to the older man behind the counter.

“It’s yours now,” Riley told her.

“Seriously?” she asked in disbelief; Shai had no idea that it would be that easy.

Riley took the bracelet out of her hand and held out her hand. He attached the bracelet around her wrist. Shai stared at the bracelet in amazement; she has never worn jewellery this expensive before. It must have been worth twice of what the broach was. Todd’s plan was going to keep their bellies full for a while.

“Thank you,” she said getting up on toes for a quick kiss.

They continued to walk past the shops hand in hand. Shai didn’t dare ask for anything else, as surely Riley would want to meet with her again. He did however buy them a drink to share.

After they were done passing the shops, a row of wooden benches was lined up along the fence. The benches were canopied under a white fabric.  

“Come here,” Riley told her pulling on her hand.

He changed their direction and walked towards the canopy. Two girls and a boy their age were sitting on one of the benches in the back. The boy cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted “Hey Riley!”

“Hey Landon!” he shouted back.

It caught the Officer standing at the back off the canopy’s attention.

“Who is this with you?” Landon asked smiling slyly at Shai.

“Jessica, this is Landon. Landon this is Jessica,” Riley introduced them.

A red headed girl with a button nose on Landon’s left waved her hand.

“I’m Anna,” she said.

The girl on Landon’s right, a brunette with freckles splattered along her nose and cheeks, flashed Shai a quick smile.

“Zooey,” she said.

“So, where are you from, Jessica?” Landon asked her.

“Wickerford,” Shai said trying to remember the name of the city Riley had said.

Zooey’s eyes lit up and she hit Landon in the shoulder with the back of her hand.

“That’s where Jay just moved,” she said excitedly as Landon rubbed his shoulder. “What part out Wickerford are you from?”

Shai felt her heart to beat quicker as she hoped these people weren’t full of questions.

“West,” she told them.

“West?” Anna asked arching an eyebrow quizzically. “Isn’t that where all the industries are? I didn’t think anyone actually lived there.”

“A few homes are there. Not much as the rest of Wickerford though,” Shai tried to lie quickly.

“Why are you down in Pangella?” Anna asked.

“She’s visiting her grandparents,” Riley answered for her.

“Who are your grandparents?”

Shai pulled her hand gently out of Riley’s so that he couldn’t feel her palms sweating.

“The Jacobson’s,” she said.

“Never heard of them,” Zoeey told her.

“Well, they like to keep to themselves. They’re a little odd,” Shai explained.

“What’s their first names?” she asked.

“Scott and Edna,” Shai named the two first names that came to mind. 

 “Scott and Edna Jacobson? The names don’t ring a bell. My mother talks about everyone from Pangella during dinner, especially the odd ones, and I’ve never heard her mention them before,” Zooey told her.

Shai’s heart was fluttering in her chest. Todd’s plan was working so perfectly until now. In the corner of her eye she saw the Officer eyeing her suspiciously, probably trying to figure out if he has heard of Scott and Edna Jacobson before.

“Like I said, they don’t do much,” she said.

The three of them on the bench continued to stare at her quizzically. She knew she had to get away from them as quickly as she could. But if she took off running she would definitely be questioned and then shot.

“I think we should head back,” she whispered to Riley.

“Okay,” he said shaking his head.

They quickly said good-bye and walked away. Shai crossed her arms under her chest, so Riley wouldn’t try to grab her hand. She was walking quickly and Riley moved his feet faster to keep up with her pace.

“I’m sorry about my friends,” he started apologizing.

“It’s okay,” she said. She wiped her eye with the back of her hand to make it look like she was crying. “I’m just a little embarrassed about my grandparents.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked.

“No.”

“Then we don’t have to.”

A feeling of relief washed over Shai. If Riley never mentioned her grandparents again, then she’d less likely be discovered.

“Thank you,” she said.

“Do you want me to walk you home now?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said wiping her dry eye again.

Riley put his arm around Shai and pulled her closer to him as they walked back to the cobblestone streets. They shared a few words, but mostly stayed quiet and Shai was thankful for that. She no longer feared that awkward silence like she did over an hour ago.

It wasn’t until they turned a couple corners on the cobblestone that Riley finally asked, “Where is your grandparents house.”

Shai bit down on her lip.

“It’s around the corner up here,” she told him.

When they got to the corner of the street, Shai stopped and spun on her heels to face him.

“It’s probably better if we say good-bye here. My grandparents don’t want me spending time with boys and if they catch me with you, they’ll never let me out the apartment for the rest of the summer,” Shai explained to him.

“You want to see me again?” he asked curling his lips.

“Of course.” Having him buying her things is easier than her stealing them.

She leaned in and kissed him. Riley wrapped his arms around her waist.

“Are you doing anything tomorrow?” he asked.

“Not that I can think of,” she said.

“Then come with me to the derby.”

“What about your friends?”

“I’ll take care of them so they don’t bother you.”

“Okay.”

They said good-bye and Shai took off down the street. She knew Riley was watching her so she ran up to the front door of an apartment building as another woman was leaving. She got into the lobby and snickered.

She always knew she was good at lying, but she had never tried to pull something like this off. She almost got caught and now she would have to be careful. Riley hates Rats and if he found out she was one, he would certainly make sure she was executed.