Author's Note: Sorry I don't update often!

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Shai couldn't wait to show Jasper the ring that Riley had given her, but she didn't want to carry it around with her in the Slums. She knew the longer Jessica stayed in Pangella the harder it would be for her to leave, so Shai lied in bed trying to come up with a story.

It was obvious that she would just have to say that Jessica had to go back home to Wickerford early. But why? She could say her mother or father was sick back home, but Brighties always went to the hospital and came home a couple days later, there was no need for her to return to Wickerford just for that. She could say her brother was getting married, but she wasn't sure if she already said whether or not he was. A birth would work better. All Brighties got together when someone had a baby in their family, unlike in the Slums where everyone felt bad for the parents.

She knew for a while after Jessica left that Shai wouldn't be able to disguise as a Brighty near his booth anytime soon. Nevertheless, Jessica was going to have to leave Bright and telling him she was leaving was easier than just disappearing. He'd surely start to search for her and try to talk to her grandparents who don't exist.

Shai had made her mind. She was going to see Riley tomorrow and tell him that she was going back home. She rolled over and quickly fell asleep.

Eliza's bed stayed empty for days and that shocked Ren. Normally as soon as one of the Rats died another was already there to fill their bed. She remembered when she first came to the farm and there were too many people and not enough beds, making her sleep on the ground without even a blanket.

Ren was digging into the mysterious dark meat with her fingers. She had never questioned what the food really was; she only questioned why they wouldn't give them more. Many Rats, especially children, have died because of famine.

Eve had the bed next to Ren. Two more girls, Bristol and Jana, sat next to her on top of Eve's bed. They all had their bowls in their hands and were eating greedily from them. Most of the Rats would form in clumps and talk during their meals, but Ren rarely did. She was sitting on her bed with her legs stretched out in front of her. She tried listening in on Eve and the other girls' conversation.

"I heard Mr Brenner say somethin' about apple season comin' up as he was eatin' dinner tonight," Jana shared with them. Jana spoke with a bit of an odd accent and Ren never found out exactly where she came from, just some place down south. Most Rats didn't pronounce the "g" at the end of most words, but Ren was pretty sure she had never heard Jana pronounce it.

"'Bout time," Eve said right before shoving a clump of meat into her mouth. "I like the smell. The Brenner's turn everything into apple flavour."

"Sauce, pie, juice and cider. I just like sneakin' a taste. Better than this stuff," Jana told them.

"At least you get to be in the house," Bristol muttered. "I have to pick all those apples and my back still hurts."

Ren had lost count of how many days had gone by since Bristol had been whipped. But she knew that her skin didn't have enough time to mend together yet. Ren's back was criss-crossed with her own scars from being whipped. She had been able to go months without being punished.

"They'll let you in the house soon," Eve said trying to cheer up her. Bristol just returned it with a slight smile.

It upset Ren when her bowl was empty. She was still hungry like always. She got up off her bed and returned the bowl to the cart where the Rat girls distributed it. It would be their job to scrub them clean tomorrow.

When Ren got back to her bed, the girls were talking about the other Rats. She had no interest and rolled over to fall asleep, so she could ignore the pain in her stomach.

A cracked mirror Shai found when she first moved in with Todd sat on her floor. She was rubbing her eyes, trying to make them look red like she had just been crying. She had on a short dress with blue and white vertical stripes running down it. Black tights covered her legs and she twisted her hair up. She kept the bracelet around her wrist, but kept the ring hidden away in her room. Riley may ask for it back, and he couldn't have it back if she didn't have it on her.

Shai got up off the floor and grabbed her purse off her bed and threw it over her head. When Shai left her room she saw that Todd's door was open too. She couldn't help but peer in.

Todd had his hair slicked back and Brighty clothes on. His light blue shirt was still undone and she could see the pendant with the dragon hanging off his neck. He was surveying the weapons that lined his walls.

"Where you going?" she asked leaning up against the doorframe.

"To the Market," he told her. "You know, you're not the only one who can get pretty jewellery from boys, Shai."

She rolled her eyes at him and watched him as he took two knives off the wall. They weren't very big, so it was easy for him to conceal. He slid them into his belt and started doing up the buttons.

"I'm endin' things with that Brighty today," she said.

"Jasper should be happy," he said finishing up the buttons on his shirt. He looked up at her and gave her a strange look. "You've been crying?"

"It's kind how you always put others first. And no, I haven't. Wanted to make Riley think that I'm really upset about having to leave," she explained, and then she smirked. "Well, I'll miss him giving me all that stuff for free."

"Told ya I had a good plan."

Todd winked at her and then walked out of his room. Shai followed him as he put his bag over his shoulder. She started taking off the cardboard off the window and the before herself and Todd pulled themselves through the window.

They crept quickly, but silently through the Slums. They had gotten very good at being undetected as Brighties while they were in the Slums. They parted before they walked into the Market and headed in two different directions. Before they split up, they gave each other a quick nod, their way to wish each other good luck.

Shai continued to rub her eyes as she walked towards Riley's booth. If she got Todd to believe that she had cried then it would work on Riley for sure.

As his booth came into view, she saw Larson standing in front of it rearranging the fruit on display. A little girl around the age of ten was sitting up onto the counter of the booth. She had short blonde hair and a pink dress on with a swirl of gems up the side. She had a brown stuffed bunny cradled against her chest. Riley was counting a handful of bills and talking to her.

Luckily, he had glanced up at the street and saw Shai as she walked towards the booth. He dropped all of the money on top of counter and ran right over to her. Shai stuck her fingers into her eyes to make it look like she was crying even more. Riley stopped her and grabbed her shoulders. He leaned down so his forehead was touching hers.

"Jessica, what's wrong?" he asked her, clearly sounding confused.

Shai heaved her chest up and down and started to breathe heavily to make it look like she was about to lose it any second.

"My brother's wife went into labour early," she said between her heavy breaths. "I have to go back to Wickerford so I'll be there for my nephew's birth."

She felt Riley's fingers tighten into her shoulders. Shai took her fingers out of her eyes and quickly wrapped her arms around Riley's neck.

"When do you have to leave?" he asked her. She could hear his voice wobble and she knew he was just as upset as she was pretending to be.

"Tomorrow," she said.

His arms tightened around her and she buried her face in his neck.

"It'll be alright. We can still write to each other," he told her.

"Of course," she said nodding her head.

Shai was surprised when Riley started pushing her away from him. She could feel a couple of cold tears run down her face and she was proud so could actually produce them. Riley had a slight smile on his lips.

"I can get away from the booth for about an hour," he told her before turning around and dashing back to the booth. He ordered Larson to do something and gave the girl a kiss on the top of her head. He rushed quickly back over to Shai and she wiped the tears off her face with her fingers.

"Who's that girl?" she asked him.

Riley took a quick look over his shoulder back to the booth.

"My little sister Aurora," he said. "I told her to keep her lips sealed about you. I'm assuming you haven't told your grandparents."

Shai just shook her head.

"It's fine. We won't talk about that right now. It's our last hour together for a while. It's not enough time to do much, but do you want to go for a walk?" he asked.

"Yes," she said curling her lips into a smile. She was happy that Riley didn't ask any questions about the ring he had given her.

Riley laced his fingers through hers and they started walking down the cobblestone street. They leisurely walked down the street and would stop at the odd booth. Riley would talk and Shai just nodded her head. Shai wanted the hour to speed up. After this she would never need to see Riley again, and she probably wouldn't have to put on this Brighty act for a while.

They stopped at a booth full of paintings. Shai scanned the bright colours swirled across the white canvas. The Grey selling the art had his dark hair pulled back into a ponytail and his white shirt still had paint stains across it. He had small glasses balanced at the end of his nose.

"They're beautiful," Shai said taking her fingers out of Riley's and tracing her finger along the edge of one of the paintings.

"They're also for sale," the Grey told her.

She just let out a giggle and tucked a piece of lose hair behind her ear.

"This is my last night in Pangella. I'd have trouble brining it home," she said.

The Grey's eyes light up when she said that.

"No. No. No. Take it back with you to...Where you from?" he asked.

"Wickerford."

"Yes, bring it back with you to Wickerford and tell everyone that you got it from-"

A man shouting out from behind Shai cut off the Grey. She spun around to see two Officers holding down a man. One Officer had his hands on the man's shoulders while the other Officer was trying to pull the man's hands behind his back.

Most people had scurried away, trying to stay out of the way of the Officers. They, especially the Brighties, didn't want to see anything bad happen in their perfect world. If only they saw that Rat get shot like Shai watched days ago while walking back to Jasper's home.

Shai watched as the man fought against the Officers. His head was down, but he thrashed his body from side to side, his hair straying loose from the gel.

He lifted his head up and Shai felt her heart drop and bile rise up to the back of her throat.

It was Todd.

His bright blue eyes grew when he saw her and she instinctively took a step foreword.

No, he mouthed towards her. Todd jerked his hands quickly away from the Officer and threw his head back so his head collided with the Officers nose. He screamed out in pain. Todd's hands quickly went up to the chain around his neck and ripped it off and threw it towards Shai's direction. The Officer pushed Todd down onto his stomach and sat on his back as he secured his hands behind his back. The Officer stood up and grabbed Todd's hands and pulled him up off the ground.

Shai knew Todd was right. She couldn't go after him. If she ran after him she would be scanned and then once they see she was a Rat would send her to a camp. Or worse, they would shoot or hang her for impersonating a Brighty. Even if she were going to try and attack them, it would do nothing. Officers had guns.

Riley grabbed Shai's arm and pulled her close to him, away from all that was going on.

"Jessica, what were you thinking? It's dangerous to get near those filthy Rats," he said angrily.

The Officer pulled out his scanner and scanned Todd's finger. He chuckled and shook his head looking towards the other Officer.

"One managed to slip. This one doesn't have a file," Shai could hear him say to the other Officer. They started to walk away to the Base, dragging Todd behind them. Shai's blood was pumping so loudly that she had trouble hearing the commotion of the Market.

She felt like she had to go after him. If it was her who got arrested Todd would attack the Officers until she got free. How could she just stand here and watch them take him?

"It's a good thing you told us," an Officer said. Shai hadn't noticed him and turned to see a younger Officer talking to Riley. "He's a dangerous man and he could have hurt someone."

She took in a sharp breath. Riley saw Todd stealing something and turned him in to an Officer. She couldn't help but think that he got arrested because of her. Riley would have never been out here if it wasn't for her. She should have been careful of where she was going and if she wasn't talking to that Grey she could have stopped Riley.

Shai had trouble waiting for the few other Officers who came to help to clear the area. Once there was no one near her, she ripped her arm out of Riley's grasp. He looked at her with surprise.

"Jess-" he started.

"How could you do that?" she asked in a harsh whisper.

"I had to. I caught him stealing from-"

Before he could finish his sentence Shai took off. She walked as quickly as she could across the street, swooping down to pick up Todd's pendant off the ground, and into one of the alleyways leading into the Slums. If an Officer saw her walking towards the Slums, that would raise their attention and she'd be questioned. She tried to walk as quickly as she could, slipping the pendant in her pocket.

When she got into the alley she started to run. She cursed her Brighty shoes for making it difficult to run and restricting her speed. She didn't get very far before she felt a hand wrap around her wrist and spin her around.

Riley pulled her wrist and tried to wrap his arms around her. He assumed she was just upset about watching somebody get arrested. She pulled back her arm and punch Riley as hard as she could in the stomach. He let go of her and stumbled back, clearly shocked by what she had just done.

"Don't touch me," she warned him.

Riley rubbed his stomach with his hand and moved his glasses to the top of his head. Shai slipped her hand into the pocket of her dress and felt the handle of her night.

"Jessica, what's going on?" he asked.

He took another step foreword to comfort her and she jumped at him knocking him against the brick wall of the building. She pulled her knife out of her pocket and held it up against his throat. His eyes were wide and alert.

"How could ya just turn him in like that?" she shot back angrily.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he asked squirming under her knife. She knew that was stupidest thing he could do. "You're not from Wickerford?"

"Wow, you really are an idiot."

Riley scowled at her and Shai couldn't stop herself from letting her lips curl.

"Give me my ring back," he growled at her.

"No I think I'm going to keep it. Gonna eat for awhile with it."

"I will personally make sure you're hung for this."

"Awe," she said putting on a fake pout. "You mean you don't love me anymore. You did propose to me. Twice."

Shai slipped her feet out of her Brighty shoes. Her blade was still pressed up against Riley's throat. He was just scowling at her, not saying anything else.

"You just sent my best friend to a camp. If you're goin' to come after me and try to get me arrested, which I doubt you will because you wouldn't want your friends knowin' you got cheated by a Rat, there'll be nothin' stopping me from going after you."

She took the blade off Riley's throat and began to run as fast as she could. Without her shoes, she was able to fly down the street. She knew that Riley wouldn't dare chase her this far into the Slums. Someone would rob him for sure. The fear lived inside her though that he would tell an Officer and they chase after her.

She was breathing heavily when she got to the outside of her apartment. Her body was shaking and she pulled herself up the fire escape. Knocking out the cardboard out of the window she crumpled on the ground. This time, the tears were real.