ELLA

When I got to the end of the lot, I stopped walking and peered at the trees for a bit, trying to see if that was all there was.

But I soon discovered that there was a clear path in the middle of them, and that only meant one thing—there was more than just trees waiting beyond this path, and I needed to get to it as soon as possible.

But first, I had to make sure Quincy knew I was alright. If I just wandered off, he would end up worried and start searching for me.

I wasn’t interested in explaining that I needed some time to myself,...