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PROLOGUE

ELIZABETH

I walked across the busy intersection, leaving e campus behind me, as I headed the four blocks toward my two-bedrooeles, so instead of walking with my head down and eyes plastered on my cell phone screen, I pocketed s Little did I know that the personal violation headed for me would come fro, bad world around me

Keeping et out of the heat and into the co Indian summers in Southern California varied between two te Today was the perfect exa appeared in the distance, I had to stopto the front door

I had no idea what I was about to walk into would change my life dramatically

Wait for it

3…

2…

1…

Turning the handle, I flung the front door open and habitually went to throwstopped led from her left foot as her toes curled and uncurled Her black skirt had been pushed up as high as it would go on her waist, and it bunched up all thick in places, the fabric looking lu into the kitchen table we shared, and I couldn’t help but notice the way her pink nail polish had chipped It looked tacky It was funny—the stupid details that would stick in your mind when your world was about to fall apart

Ki out his name, “Ben…oh God, Ben”

Ben

My Ben?

My boyfriend, Ben?

Ben’s head was partially blocked by Kih, but I’d know that head anywhere Thick dark curls sat atop a lean but defined swimmer’s body—a body I knew by heart after al exclusively

Well, at least I had been exclusive

My stoht roll right off my shoulders if I tilted it too , but the kitchen table was the closest thing to ain Taking two steps back, I leaned against the front door, the weight ofit shut

Ben pulled his head out fro in his eyes It wasn’t guilt Horror maybe?

“Elizabeth, this isn’t what it looks like!” He stumbled over his words

All I could stare at was his glistening face

Kim screamed, attempted to push her clunky skirt down, and swatted at Ben’s head as if he had attacked her without her knowledge, as if he were in the wrong She didn’t even look ather door closed

“It’s not what it looks like,” he repeated, taking a cautious step toward me

“Don’t fucking touch me” I sucked in a breath andthe way I felt stuck against it

“Just hear esture of surrender

“What is there to hear out? Letin ina fell on your face?”

“You’re such a bitch,” he spit

I took two steps back, not wanting a single iota of his body or fluids to touch me, as my jaw dropped with his accusation “I’er rolled offonroommate, but I’m the bitch?”