I must have fallen asleep at some point because when I wake, Reece is gently shaking me from the driver seat, staring at me in a way that causes my heart to flutter.

Slowly, I sit up, fixing my gaze on the window. "Why have we stopped?"

"We need gas," Reece says. "A snack wouldn't hurt, either."

"It'll hurt if they find us," I mutter, but I get out of the car anyway, following Reece's instructions to sit in the diner across the street while he fills up the tank.

I cross the distance to the small building opposite, swinging open the door before sliding into a red, tattered booth. I am so used to seeing the world in shades of blue that the bright pink walls seem somewhat garish.

I tear my eyes away to focus on the handful of people occupying the booths, instead. Two gentlemen are sitting across the diner, their eyes fixed on mine in a manner that fills me with unease. I strain my ears, able to hear what they're saying even from several booths away.

"Over there," the one on the left says. "The brunette."

I remain frozen in my booth, certain they've been sent by Marine World to capture me. Yet despite my fear, I feel too paralyzed to move, to draw any more attention to myself.

Reece walks in before I can decide what to do, and just the sight of him causes my muscles to unclench as he slides into the booth opposite.

"What's wrong?" he asks in a low, even voice, leaning across the table toward me.

"Those men behind you are staring at me," I say. "I think they might be working for Marine World."

I take a deep breath. I didn't come this far only to be dragged back to Marine World, and I am just gearing myself up to dart back to the car when Reece subtly glances behind him before turning to face me, a look of amusement on his face.

"They're not staring at you because they recognize you," he says, opening up his menu. "They're staring at you because you're pretty."

For a moment, I am completely taken aback by this statement. I lean back in my chair, looking at Reece with a bewildered expression. I'd assumed once I left my enclosure that my appearance would no longer matter to these people, but it seems the outside world is just as fixated as Marine World.

I open up my own menu, taking in the Welcome to Karen's speech bubble before skimming through names of foods I've never heard of before.

"What do you want?" Reece asks.

I place the menu down with frustration. "I'm not sure," I say. "I don't know what anything is. We were always given the same food in the enclosure. A bowl of oats or chicken and rice."

What looks like anger flashes across Reece's features. Before he has chance to reply, the waitress comes over and gives us a welcoming smile. She's a beautiful lady, with small, dark eyes and unruly red hair that reminds me of Jewel. I can't help but imagine the girls curled up in their night enclosure, wondering how I got out and why I left them behind.

Reece orders for the both of us, a list of words that sound foreign to my ears, and then the waitress totters away and Reece rests his arms on the table again, looking at the salt shaker with with a far-off look.

"You look deep in thought," I say after a moment or two. "What's wrong?"

His eyes quickly shift to the far wall, as though he's been caught doing something he shouldn't. "Nothing," he says, a little too quickly. "Just thinking about what I'm going to do for work now."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

He lets out a sigh before studying the little white scars on his knuckles. "With the amount of power Marine World has, I'll probably be blacklisted from security for life. The problem is, I don't exactly know how to be anything else."

I swallow hard, not bothering to tell him that I know the feeling.

Reece finally looks up, taking in my anxious expression. "You don't need to be scared, Aura. I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

I nod, but deep down I know he can't ensure my safety any more than I can ensure his.

"So, did Muriel tell you why she didn't want to come?" he asks.

I tense before shaking my head. How can I allow Reece to continue with this escapade without knowing all of the facts? And why am I so afraid to tell him the truth, anyway? Surely Reece will understand why I did what I did. Surely, he'll understand I had no other choice.

We remain silent until the waitress comes back with a tray full of plates, placing them down between Reece and me.

I raise an eyebrow at the amount of food. "Are we saving some for later?"

"I figured you could try a bit of everything to see what you like," Reece says.

I smile as I stare at the plates, wondering where to start first. I bite into what Reece tells me is waffles with berries; its delicious, rich, flavors burst across my tongue.

"How is it?" Reece asks.

"Mertastic." My cheeks blush red. "Sorry. Habit."

He smiles slightly, but it doesn't reach his eyes.

Next, I try the eggs and bacon and then the French toast until I'm bursting and can't bear to eat another bite. Reece simply watches me from over his coffee cup as I slurp down my orange juice, for once in my life feeling full.

Afterward, I head into the restroom before looking in the mirror, examining myself in what feels like a new light. My face looks the same save for the dark brown eyes, but something feels different. I feel different.

A bitter taste crosses my tongue. I fling open the restroom door, crouching over the toilet bowl before vomiting everything I just devoured. I collapse against the stall wall after I've finished, able to feel the beads of sweat coating my forehead. I'd allowed myself to believe I was human, that I was just like Reece and the other diners enjoying their meals, but as I stare at the contents of my meal, I'm reminded once again that I will never be like them.

I will never belong in this world.

On the way out, one of the men who'd been sitting in the booth opposite corners me in the hallway outside of the restrooms, preventing me from squeezing past.

"Hey." He smiles down at me, his leering gaze reminding me of Jackson–the real Jackson, not the man he'd pretended to be for so long. "I saw you earlier and I just wanted to tell you you're beautiful."

I force a smile, the kind I usually reserve for the guests. Who knew I'd be forced to play the same old role even out here? "Thanks," I say, moving to squeeze past him, but he doesn't budge.

"Can I get your number, or something?" he asks. "I'd love to take you out, sometime."

"I don't–"

"Oh, come on," he presses, touching my arm. "I promise I don't bite."

Now that I no longer have to worry about being disposed of, I think about doing to him what I have always dreamed of doing to Jackson, when a body snakes beside me, shoving the man against the wall before I even have time to blink.

Reece towers over him like a giant, his fists gathered in the man's checkered blue shirt. "Touch her again and it'll be the last thing you do."

The man raises his arms in defeat, his brown eyes wide as he looks at Reece with a weary expression. "I'm sorry, man. I didn't realize she had a boyfriend."

Without another word, Reece lets go of the man's collar and allows him to scatter back into the diner. He turns to look at me, scanning my face for any signs of distress. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." I swallow, wishing my voice didn't have to shake.

"Come on, let's go." He turns on his heel, wrapping a calloused hand around mine before leading me back into the diner. I find my own hand squeezing his back, wishing he would never let it go.