ARIA

As soon as I get home—and yes, I walked all the way here because Uncle Barty let earlier and I had to meet with Ryder, so I couldn't—my uncle gives me a look and narrows his eyes.

"Aria, is everything alright?"

His question shocks me so much that I gasp lightly and my hand flies to my chest. "Uncle? What do you mean?"

"I don't know," he says, straightening his spine and narrowing his eyes to look at me better. "You look different. I catch you smiling all the time and you've been ...