Summary

Mia drove to Pearl's high school and pulled her from class. Without any insight for Pearl, Mia looked through her backpack and asked if she had anything else she needed in her locker, but Pearl "jerked herself free" and explained she had a Biology quiz in her next class (305). Pearl noticed that Mia was "deeply worried" about something, but pressed on adamantly for them to stay. She had plans to meet up with Trip after school, so Pearl urged her mother that, whatever it was that was forcing them to leave, "Mrs. Richardson would help her, she was sure" (306). She imagined herself rooted into the ground like a tree before she followed her mother to their car (306). Mia encouraged Pearl to start packing, but Pearl demanded an explanation, stating, "I'm not going until you tell me why" (307). Mia accepted this as fair and...