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“You don’t seem too bothered by this,” I state. “What are you in here for?

“I came out of my own free will.”

“Right.” It makes so much sense, and yet it doesn’t. “I didn’t know that was even possible.” I draw my eyebrows up in surprise, then give a short nod. “Well, good for you. So, you can leave anytime, right?”

“Yeah, but who would do that?”

“Yeah, who would do that?” I make a face. How anyone could choose to stay of their own will is beyond me.

“Do you know where you’ll be placed?”

“No idea. And right now, I’m not sure I want to know.” I shrug and turn my head back to the window, eyeing the unknown territory and ignoring the pangs of desperation washing over me.

I wish they had let me keep my phone.

The very phone I had to hand in before we boarded the bus from our meeting point to North Carolina. The only thing that would have kept me connected to the world, my real world. Now it’s gone, a figment of my past. Gone along with pictures of Bruce. His texts. The possibility of checking his updates on Facebook to see if he’s online and what he’s up to.

Bruce.

My heart slams against my ribcage.

Bruce.

If only I could get in touch with him to find out what he’s doing right now and if he’s thinking of me.

Oh, wait.

A thought hits me.

If Sylvie can leave anytime, maybe she’ll send a secret message to Bruce for me. Maybe she’ll become a sort of messenger. I’ll ask for nothing major. Just to know if he’s okay and that he’s received the long text I sent right before they confiscated my phone.

The thought makes me giddy with excitement.

“Sylvie, right?” I ask to be sure I got the name right, which earns me a small nod. “You said you could leave anytime?”

“Yeah,” she replies and adds quickly, “I hope they’ll place us together in the same group so we can support each other.”

“That would be great,” I say with a sudden rush of excitement. “It would be a lot of fun if we could get to know this place together and help each other out.”

For example, by texting certain people, which I don’t mention just yet.

“I’m not sure we can roam freely, what with the renovations under way,” she says thoughtfully.

“Of course.” I nod my head. “But maybe they’ll make an exception to ensure we’re not bored to death.”

She lets out a loud, hearty laugh that has everyone turning their heads to us, and I can’t help but realize I like her. Maybe we’ll be friends.

It wouldn’t be so bad to have an ally in a place like this, especially when my new friend is going to help bring Bruce and me together.

“I doubt that’s even possible. My job is already boring as shit,” Sylvie says. “I’m a business strategist. You?”

My stomach relaxes before tightening into knots again. “I’m a nurse…”

“That’s so cool.”

“—in an elderly home.”

“Still cool.”