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Prologue

Mia

May

My pal You would think I was about to go onstage and dance for 100,000 people

But no, this was

I wiped n toFrohts and leotards becaious unifor was pretty unacceptable Anything taking upwas too much of an annoyance to be bothered with

Now, dancing was only a pipe dream

Or at least, how I’d always seen

But like my mother always did, I had a backup plan

When I was sixteen, I tore my ACL from overuse I didn’t even blink because I kneould be okay It was nothing a little surgery and some physical therapy couldn’t fix I promised myself I would do better, not overdo the practices so much, take a

If only it had been the one time…

No, I couldn’t think about that Not now It hat it was It changed everything, but I was learning to live with it I always had a backup plan, one I kneould be happy with

I just needed a little breathing room so I could follow my new dream

That was soe Hell, it wasn’t soe if my parents had their way But it was ti I needed my space, a little time just to be normal for once in my life

Mia Ar, the rock world’s version of a princess and one-ti but norme

I never complained—much—about the lack of privacy, my nonexistent social life, or even the fact that I had only one best friend asn’t considered immediate family

A friend I needed to create just as much space from as I did everyone else in my life now that I’d screwed that up

My heart squeezed painfully thinking of Jordan I messed up badly with him, and now our once-close friendship was strained All because I’d been feeling sorry for myself after the doctors all confirain

The hair brushing across the back of ht, twisted knot on top of athered tonight at my request I could do this I had a plan all set out, one I believed in, one I could execute

There was only one hitch

My family needed to be on board with it, or all my plans would be ruined My desperation for a taste of nor out who this new Mia was that didn’t include a lifeti professionally

Mo table Daddy at the head of the table and Moht beside him on his left Uncle Jesse sat beside her, with Uncle Shane and Uncle Drake across froer brother, sat closest to where I came to stand in front of them all

Gail, our housekeeper, had already set out the snacks I’d requested, and they all had glasses of iced tea in front of them

I set down my laptop, ready to start my presentation

That was how desperate I was, how ive the thu; so