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Prologue

Surry County, Virginia

I was bored

Kyle Raetmy best friend’s, Dru, chair yesterday and I didn’t want to upset her She had a huge crush on Kyle Instead, I watched her as she sat besidea million tiny love hearts in the corner of her notebook as Mr Evans scribbled another equation on the board I really should have been paying attention because I sucked at math Mom and dad wouldn’t be happy with me if I failed a class the first semester into freshman year

"Mr Ramsey, would you care to come up to the board and answer this question, or would you prefer to remain behind Jocelyn so you can kick her chair some more?"

The class tittered and Dru shot rilare

"I’ll stay here, if that’s okay, Mr Evans," Kyle replied with i to turn around even though I could feel the heat of his gaze on the back of my neck

"That was actually a rhetorical question, Kyle Get up here"

A knock at the door put a halt to Kyle’s groan of acquiescence At the sight of our principal, Ms Shaw, the whole class grew still What was the principal doing in our class? That could only signal trouble

"Whoa," DruShe nodded at the doorway "Cops"

Shocked, I turned to look back at the door as Ms Shaw h, through the gap in the door, I could see two deputies waiting out in the hall

"Miss Butler" Ms Shaw’s voice snapped aze back to her in surprise She took a step towards me and I felt my heart leap into my throat Her eyes ary, sympathetic, and I immediately wanted to back away from her and whatever it was she was here to tell s"

This was usually the part where the class would ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ about how much trouble I was in But like me, they sensed that wasn’t what this was about Whatever neas out in that hall, they weren’t going to tease me about it

"Miss Butler?"

I was shaking now fro over the sound ofhappened to mom? Or dad? Or my baby sister, Beth? My parents had taken soether to de-stress from what had been a crazy su Beth out today for a picnic

"Joss" Dru nudged me, and as soon as her elbow touchedacross the wooden floor Without looking at anyone, I fu offaround the rooh a crack in a pane Despite not wanting to knoas ahead of me, I really wanted out of that roo how to put one foot in front of the other, I followed the principal out into the hall and listened to Mr Evan’s door snick shut behindI just looked at Ms Shaw and then at the two deputies who stared atnear the as a worave but calm

Ms Shaw touchedon my sweater I hadn’t spoken tords to the principal before, and now she was touching my arm? "Jocelyn… this is Deputy Wilson and Michaels And this is Alicia Nugent froly

Ms Shaw blanched "The Departripped a hold of ht to breathe

"Jocelyn," the principal continued "I am so sorry to have to tell you this… but your parents and sister, Elizabeth, were in a car accident"

I waited, feeling hten

"They were all killed instantly, Jocelyn I’m so sorry"

The wo I looked at her, but all I could see were the colors that she was made up of All I could hear was thetap water beside her

I couldn’t breathe

Panicking, I reached for so to helpwords Wetness on ue Andso hard

I was dying