"So… I have a few things to confess, Jess…" Cassia said as they settled onto her bed. "I may not be the perfect woman I'm being made to be… I've done some bad things before."
"Worse than stealing so much food that an entire population might starve?" Jess asked confidently, watching how Cassia reacted to the question. "You want to help now, right? Whatever you did in the past, leave it… in the past."
"You really mean that, Jess… you aren't mad at me for lying?"
Jess fell forward, wrapping her arms around Cassia. "You are such a good person for trying to help… and you've been my friend since you showed up." Releasing her and looking her dead in the eye, she added, "Now tell me… how are you going to sneak out?"
"Let me explain before we plan…" Cassia said as she walked over to her dresser.
