Her hand slowly slipped out of mine. Like touching me suddenly scared her.
"No," Riri said, shaking her head. "No, wait."
She stood up again, pacing around.
"If you're really not Russell," she said,"then where is he?"
My stomach dropped.
"I..I don't know."
She stopped walking and turned to me.
"What do you mean you don't know?" she demanded. "You're here. In his body. So where did he go?"
I swallowed. "I don't think he's here."
Her eyes widened. "So you think…what, that you switched? That he's in your body?"
"I don't know," I repeated helplessly.
"That means my best friend might be gone," she started panicking. "Or trapped. Or even….dead."
"I didn't kill him," I said quickly. "I swear. I would never…."
"I know," she snapped, then immediately softened. "I know. I'm not saying you did. I'm just…Please start explaining. Who really are you?"
"I don't know where to start," I sighed. "My real name is Benny Ford. Benjamin Ford."
