Page 31 (1/2)

Prologue

I couldn’t decide what to wear At first I thought casual, like jeans and a button-down; then I thought no, in case his parents are there I should wear a dress, soray scoop neck with the skinny belt Then that looked too old silk shirtdress, but that looked too spring, too cheerful

The elevator doors ding open and I step out into the hallway It’s early Mondaya wicker basket of freshly baked chocolate chunk cookies and a get-well card covered in pink- and red-lipsticked lips I’ a navy turtleneck sweater and a cahts, brown suede ankle booties with a high heel I curled my hair and did it halfway up, halfway down

Fingers crossed I don’t look as guilty as I feel

At least it wasn’t as bad as it could have been—that’s what I keep telling ht It looked horrible Watching Reeve fall off the stage and onto the gyet But there was no spinal da and soreness His only injury was a broken fibula Which, I guess, isn’t great

He would have been released sooner if not for the hospital running a bunch of tests to make sure Reeve hadn’t suffered a seizure As far as I know, they didn’t test his I was sure they would, but Kat was pretty confident they wouldn’t bother with someone like Reeve, an athlete So no one knows about the ecstasy that I slipped in his drink Reeve won’t be suspended and I won’t be going to jail He’s supposed to be discharged today

I guess we both got off easy

Noe go back to our nor that’s happened this year, I don’t know if I’ll ever feel “norain, or if I even want to It’s like there was the Before Lillia and now there’s the After Lillia The Before Lillia didn’t have a care in the world; she didn’t have a clue Before Lillia couldn’t have handled any of this—she wouldn’t have knohat to do with herself I’her now, not so soft and lily-white I’ve been through things; I’ve seen things I’ed the uys

I used to be scared of leaving Jar Island, of being so far away froo to college next year, no one there will know Before Lillia or After Lillia I’ll just be Lillia

The woman at the reception desk smiles at me and asks, “Are you here to see our celebrity football player?”

I smile back and nod

“He’s at the end of the hall”

“Thank you,” I say Then I ask, “Is anybody here with him?”

“That cute little brunette,” the woman says with a wink

Rennie I don’t think she’s left his side since Saturday night I’ve called her twice, but she hasn’t calledho queen over her

Imy basket and the card I hate hospitals; I always have The fluorescent lights, the smellsWhen I was little, I would try and holdame anymore