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She walked slowly through the room, taking in all the options. There were dumbbells all the way to giant weights that slid onto a bar. They also had an exercise bike, a treadmill, a stair stepper, a punching bag, and a few things she didn’t recognize.
Bella climbed on the bike, glancing around to make sure nobody was watching. She’d never been allowed to get on a bike before. Her parents said it wasn’t ladylike.
She didn’t care anymore.
When she pressed the power button, lights flashed until the screen gave her options. They were all foreign, except for speed. Even she wasn’tthatsheltered. After she’d picked all the options, the screen asked her if she wanted to watch something.
Definitely.
In a few minutes, her muscles burned, and sweat dripped into her face and clung to all of her clothes. She was completely mesmerized by the show. The actors were about her age, maybe a little older, and everything that came out of their mouths was hilarious.
Between the exercise and the laughter, she felt better than she had in… forever? She couldn’t remember ever feeling so relaxed and at ease.
If this was how the other side lived, her parents had definitely been lying to her about the evils of the world. She wanted more of the show and more exercise. But first, water. Her mouth and throat were parched.
Then she wanted to figure out a way to get to the Halloween party. She had so much life to experience, and she wasn’t about to let fear of her father or Neil get in the way of that.
ChapterThirteen
Ariana waved to Rita before heading across the street. They had everything needed for the party, now it was a matter of decorating. That was a task that both overwhelmed her and sent a rush of excitement through her.
Tiny hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. A chill ran down her spine.
She looked around, trying to see if anyone was watching her. Nobody appeared in any of the neighboring windows. She couldn’t see anybody outside.
It must just be the weather and all the thoughts of Halloween getting to her. Not to mention Rita’s dad showing up last night. It was all too close to her own abduction. Some years, the memories hit her harder than other times. After everything that had happened all year, it was no surprise she was a little on edge.
But that didn’t stop her from picking up her speed and hurrying inside. She breathed a little easier once in the safety of her own home.
Her mouth watered. The air smelled like freshly baked brownies.
In the kitchen, Bella had the oven open and was checking something inside. On the counter sat a platter of brownies, and next to it a cupcake tin held steaming treats.
“You’ve been busy.”
Bella jumped and turned toward Ariana. “It’s hard to sit still. I tried doing some homework but couldn’t focus. And I don’t know if I can finish my classes anyway. My parents are paying for it, and if I turn in assignments, they might find out. I hope you don’t mind that I’ve been baking. Damon said to make myself at home.”
“If you’ll let me eat one of those brownies, you can make whatever you want.”
Bella smiled. “Have as much as you can eat.”
Ari took a bite of a sweet, and it melted in her mouth. “Did you make these from scratch?”
“I did.” She opened the oven again and this time took out a tray of cookies. “I hope that’s okay.”
“Better than okay.” She grabbed another brownie. “We should take some of these across the street to Rita.”
Bella’s eyes widened. “Am I allowed to go over there?”
The question made Ariana jolt. “You’re an adult, you can make your own decisions.”
“But I thought I couldn’t go over there.”
“After last night, it’s better if we’re careful. Going after dark would be best, and you should wear a hood while walking. Rita’s worried your dad has someone watching.”
And after what Ari felt when crossing the street, she didn’t doubt her friend. Or maybe it was her friend’s concerns that were getting the better of her.
Bella looked deep in thought. “Maybe I should stay here.”
