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Chapter One

CASSIDY

“DO YOU EVEN know anyone who’s going to be there, Ty?”

“Just Gage But this will be good, this e’ll be able to ht away”

I gru friends; they didn’t understand my need to always be near Tyler, and when I’d shoith bruises or stitches, everyone auto myself or Tyler and I were in an abusive relationship Of course that wasn’t their fault; we never responded to them, so the rumors continued to fly

“Cassi, no one will have any idea about your past, the last of your bruises will be gone in a feeeks, and you’re gone from there now Besides, I hate that you don’t have anyone else Trust me, I understand it, but I hate it for you You need more people in your life”

“I know” I instinctively wrappedwhere soht now unless I stripped down to my skivvies, but I couldn’t say the same for some of the scars At least scars were normal on a person, and the worst of them were covered by my clothes, so I just looked like I was accident-prone

“Hey” Tyler grabbed one ofit away froain And I’m always here for you, whether you make new friends or not I’ a new life—isn’t that what that favorite bird of yours is all about anyway?”

“The phoenix isn’t a real bird, Ty”

“Whatever, it’s your favorite Isn’t that what they sys?”

“Rebirth and renewal,” I muttered

“Yeah, saht? This is us starting a new life, Cass” He shook his head slightly and his face went completely serious “But don’t spontaneously burst into flaood for the leather seats”

I huffed a laugh and shoved his shoulder with my free hand “You’re such a punk, Ty; way to kill the war there”

He laughed out loud “In all seriousness”—he kissed aze for a few seconds before looking back at the road—“new life, Cassi, and it starts right now”

Tyler and I weren’t romantically involved, but we had a relationship that even people we’d grown up with didn’t understand

We grew up just a house away frohborhood Both our fathers were doctors; our moms were the kind that stayed ho and drinking martinis On my sixth birthday, my dad died from a heart attack—while he was at work of all places Now that I’m older, I don’t understand how no one was able to save hi out loud, and no one was able to save hione