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I could see ainst the seat, conceding that it was tiht My heart hurt every ti until I had what I needed: assurance that she was happy and safe

Until next week, my Skylar

I put the key in the ignition and turned it to start the car when the engine hesitated Thinking nothing of it, I i happened

Please! Not here of all places

That’s what I got for bringing the shit car I owned a really nice truck, but it was massive and would have attracted too much attention on the quiet street This car was an older Corvette I purchased for fun, working on it occasionally, but it e

After a third atteht and kit out of my trunk and opened the hood The battery wasn’t dead, so I tinkered with soet it to start When I cranked it again, it still wouldn’t budge I repeatedly turned the ignition, puet out of here before Skylar woke up and noticed me

I took a break, sla wheel in frustration After about five minutes, I decided to try it one last time before I would abandoncold

This tinition, and to

Fuck!

I needed to grab o Now Go!

I exited the car, and as I turned to lock it, there was the sound of a door bursting open and footsteps scraping the pavement behind me

“Is everything okay out here?”

My body froze My back was toward her I had a hood on, so she couldn’t seeout because for all she knew, I could have been a serial killer But Skylar always had balls too big for her own good

I had two options: run with my head down or turn around and face her But hoould I explain this?

It felt like my heart was in my mouth when I turned around and removed my hood “Skylar…it’s me”

FIFTEEN YEARS EARLIER

CHAPTER 1

MITCH

I really hadn’t wanted to go to the playground that day Graet out of the house because I had done nothing but play video games since I arrived yesterday

I was staying withall of the time, and my mother didn’t want ave randmother had been lonely and asked for me to live with her, but I knew better

Things back hohts, Dad didn’t co left to go back to

“Cohten your mood”

I begrudgingly slid into the backseat of e Camry “Gram, I love you But I just don’t want to be here all suo home in a couple of weeks”

“Sweetheart, I know But your folks…they have so all year to spend quality tih the rearview mirror

“I’randson” I offered her a half s out thefor the rest of the ride

Grao on and play I’ll be sitting right here in the car knitting if you need me”

I had alreadyto remain miserable So, while the other kids chased each other around, played ball or climbed the rock wall, I walked across the park and planted myself on the bench farthest away froame player intoto drown out the screams and whistles of the other kids

I felt a whack on ! You’re it!”

My head rose slowly in annoyance A scrawny girl with two long braids was running away fro me on to chase her She looked back with a silly smile that soon faded when she realized I still hadn’t

She walked back to where I continued playing the video game “I said you’re it You’re supposed to chase me”

I stared at her for a few seconds “I’m really not in the mood for this today”

She looked down then sat next to ood time to tell you that you have dookey on your shoe” She flashed a shit-eating grin and covered her hter

I lifted my foot “Shit”

“You shouldn’t use that language”

“Excuse me: crap,” I shouted sarcastically as I rubbedpoop

She tilted her head “Why are you such an asole anyway?”

“Oh, you can say ‘asshole,’ but I can’t say ‘shit?’”

She ignored o over there There’s a sprinkler you can turn on to clean your shoe”

I groaned in frustration, walked over to the sprinkler and ran the bottoet the rest of irl had disappeared So had ame device