Page 11 (1/1)

Chapter One

Max

Nineteen years ago

Why is there a girl in our yard? She’s just stepped through the gate and looks around, holding a backpack in her arms Mom is in the kitchen with my brothers, and I probably should call her, but I won’t I can take care of this I’m nine years old

I run to the gate, and as I get closer, I recognize her She’s the new girl in my class at school, E to cry I overheard one of the teachers say her mom died before she moved here Probably why she’s sad No one should lose their mom

“What are you doing here?” I ask her when I reach the gate

“I live two houses away,” she says quickly “But I lost et in the house I live with Gra now, and she’s usually not home until seven I left theto my room open, and I tried to climb in, but I couldn’t I fell, and now my knee hurts”

Wow I don’t know h theirMy sister Alice does, but Alice is cool I decide that Emilia Campbell is cool too

“Grams says I’m not supposed to tell anyone that I’et in, and I don’t knohat to do There is a stor, and I hate storms I’m afraid of thunder”

“You can wait inside our house,” I say

“But I don’t know you” E blonde hair It’s almost as blonde as my sister Pippa’s, but shorter

“Yes, you do We have class together I am Max Bennett”

“Emilia Campbell,” she says

“I know I heard the teacher call your na recess”

She looks at her boots, and those are soly boots Pink with even pinker hearts on it I openpeople don’t like it when I tell thely And Mom said I’m not supposed to say butt

“I don’t play with anyone because I don’t have any friends”

She’s weird How are you supposed to irl thing I’ll never understand girls A few drops of cold water fall on my face

“It’s raining Let’s go inside et a cold”

She looks at the house behind me and then back at me “Are you sure your parents won’t be upset?”