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Chapter 1

Nikki—

Brookside, Texas

I stand in the parking lot alone, rain pelts down onmy fair skin, but I feel no pain The navy sundress I’h, clinging tightly against od I’e that was just seared intothere even more vivid I force them back open to chase what I see away, but it doesn’t work

My body begins to shake, sobs racking through in to fall It’s the first tioes by, but I have no idea how long I stand there letting days of pent-up eins to dwindle,its lead

Headlights catchinto the di behind a nearby tree, I have no idea why I’ I only know I don’t want to see whoever it is I peek lier A woman parks, fixes her hair in the rearviewat the words above the tall double doors

Minutes later, a second car pulls in This one I’ her car, Ms Evans spares no moment for reflection She strides to the door, opens it and disappears inside without the blink of an eye I’ve had lots of social workers over the years, but this one…she’s the worst of the her stroll so casually into my mother’s funeral reminds me of all the ether Tiet back now

The sadness and tears gone, anger overtakes htly atlike a pot full of boiling water, the lid about to co off because the stea to throw Anything Finding a muddy rock, I hurl it towards the car that took me away so many times It clunks when it connects with the car, but the sound doesn’t satisfy me So I find another and this ti hand A loud shatter rings through the still parking lot A hundred tiny pieces of glass fall to the ground as the alars me peace

I turn, feelingfrom everywhere on my body, and sloalk towards home

Chapter 2

Zack—

Long Beach, California

I remember the first time I laid eyes on Emily Bennett Her fa whiteinout theMost of the stuff I saw thes, antique furniture— all junk I wasn’t allowed near Stuff that looked boring as hell to a nine-year-old

I was quickly growing uninterested inout of the never-ending truck Twenty-six inches of glealoss paint No way My ht of the Schwinn Twin Back IV Racer I’d had my eye on for the last two months I’m not sure if I was more excited to finally have a boy on et to ride the new kid’s bike I darted down the stairs two at a time, ripped open the screen door so fast it nearly canoringat me to put shoes on And pants Yeah, in all my excitement, I ran out in my underwear Nine years old andht into the new neighbor, only to find out the new boy was a girl, seeo

Emily and I have been inseparable ever since She let ht after I put my pants on and my mother forced me to politely introduce myself to Emily’s parents— a very nice but serious couple who seemed a lot older and not quite as happy as my mom and dad

I think I fell in love with E in love meant When I was ten and ht there in her cheerleading outfit, gushing over how I alame for the whole team And the next year, when my team won, Emily screaest cheerleader, proud of every uy not love that?

But over the last couple of years a lot has changed Enize the Eirl, now all grown up, saunter to our table I search her eyes for a sign of the Emily she used to be I’m sad when I can’t find her

She’s still as beautiful as ever though Eht at the top, with curls startingready just to co Emily, she probably did

“Ready to go, Bat her daily social rounds Eight years later and she’s still torturing me about that day Only, these days, she knohat I really have on underneath, dark grey Calvin Klein boxer briefs The saainst a few times a week, but still won’t let me take off