ARIA

It's around five in the morning when I feel Ryder shaking me awake. My eyes are burning and I feel so exhausted that I want to ignore him and go back to sleep.

"Aria," he says. "I have to go."

My eyes suddenly spring open and I climb off the bed. My room is still dark, and I look around disoriented while he puts his clothes on. He's watching me with a humorous gleam in his eyes. He whispers, "You okay?"

I nod, rubbing my eyes.

I step out of my room first to make sure the coast is ...