Page 1 (1/2)

CHAPTER 1

now

KPH graduating class of 2029

I adjusted the cap on Jade’s head and she ducked away fro the smooth mocha perfection of her forehead

"Come on, babe, come here" I reached to scoop her back toto wreck my hair!"

Wreck The Hair Uh-huh

We couldn’t have that I raduation and all Monumental

I couldn’t have cared less but this was Jade’s day, John’s day The prison doors were opening with a whisper and closing with a clank

We were free

"It’s hanging crooked," I argued logically The deep royal blue of the cap contrasted with the naturally black hair that flowed down her back in an artful silken waterfall

It was a iven me a level of vocabulary that eventhat

Clyde would be here today with Bobbi He wouldn’t miss it

Jade shrieked as I raced after her,around her waist and I lifted her as she squealed

Alex ca dance of hyperactivity "What is this like a porn thing here?"

What? I looked at hi around to face him with Jade in ible

I hadn’t been thinking that way but now that he , I noticed, a flush creeping up on her cheeks

"Nothe raduation cap, the tassel swinging in Jade’s face like a penduluone bad and smiled

"Yeah, that bad cap I hear that" Mucho-sarcasave a chuckle Perv-Alex was right on board as usual Then Randi caoosed hiet e body and looked at Jade "See how that works?"

Jade nodded, grinning "I do, yes"

The girls looked at each other sirls have the power

"That’s save hiirl-worthy eye roll

"Merranda?" Principal Chen popped her face into the roo like a low din of white noise in the background Her hair was so tightly slicked back froee from a forty MPH wind tunnel

I blinked and Jade laughed, she’d gotten the full Eot it like a pulsescreen visual of hts or what? Sometimes I just wanted to own ru ht She kne she affectedsexsicle She knew it, I knew it and she was being evil now

I glowered at her "Yeah, now letan internal groan of satisfied bliss

I coot about Chen Jade so Effect on me

"Mr Hart," she said in a low voice full of warning

It cut through hthouse beacon

I swiveled my head and Alex whispered, "Busted"

How could I be busted? I’d be nineteen in athe neck gesture behind her gestapo mom’s back, which clearly said don’t blow it, not today, we’re this close

Then soave me a break

"Don’t do the PDA spectacle e get out there in the auditoriuht I nodded "Hey thanks" My surprise h

"I was eighteen once," she explained

We all looked at her and she laughed again "I was you’ll see" She turned to her daughter, dwarfed by uy so massive he was his own zip code Not defined by name but by area

"I need you to be in your seat before the other students, Merranda"

"Okay, Mom," Randi responded on the barest side of neutral

I think all of us had about had Enough of Parents

We filed out, Jade with her crooked hat and perfect hair, lad-this-is-over-I-could-shit-myself look

I saw that sairls too Universal School Scorn

Nice

We were alphabetical so my hands fell away from Jade reluctantly when she went to the L section

It put her really close to Carson Ha between theer wash overabout our senior year The near er was barely held in check I’d justthat probation reinstated I’d finished ement class by the skin of ht and barely mastered now

Our world had becoraduated Thankfully, Tiff was in the W section

Jonesy carown over the summer between junior and senior year, his frame an inch shy of my almost six feet two We’d all becoiants Alex was all due to the Graysheet cocktail But Terran was just hi machine

John was also the valedictorian Of course

"Jade is by Hamilton," Jonesy said, like that little fact would escape er deepening My intellect told uyness was on point all the saht

We stood there conte that fun occurrence when Tiff came up and stood between us

"Well that’s a fuckburger," Tiff said casually, eying Jade’s seating