"Um..." I drop my legs from around Daniel's waist and step out into the hallway. He follows me with a worried expression, glancing over at me several times while he engages the bolts once more. "It's just that...I feel like you're ashamed of me."

I've never seen devastation overtake over someone's face so quickly. "You what?" He forgets the door, taking my shoulders in his hands, instead. "Ashamed of you, Talia? How could you think such a thing? I don't want to keep you locked up in this ...