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Prologue

Asa

I think I was eight when I realized what a lie that old nursery rhy nice Boys,’ it said, ‘were snips and snails and puppy dog tails’” Those words did not describe the girls inafter my kid sister, Crosby, which inadvertentlyher best friend, Callie Langdon, too

Weston, my best friend, and I were four years older That meant Callie and Crosby were a perpetual pain in our ass, but like it or not, ere always together My parents sold the Langdons their first house not long after Callie was born They lived a couple streets away, along with Callie’s older brother, Dean, whom I’d always looked up to She was in our lives froo, and I couldn’t re into trouble

The girl was a rebel, and so was ar and spice to speak of, and if there ever had been, the two of them sed it as quickly as possible in order not to have to share it with West and me

Instead of slowing down for the girls, we let the us The main difference between the two of them was that I could tell Crosby what to do; my parents had made it clear I was responsible for her With Callie, I could only grit my teeth and lay off She had her own older brother, one who apparently didn’t care if she ran wild

In junior high, Callie started to dress provocatively, she acted out to get attention, and her parents were too busy to notice Callie’s parents seeht a lot, and I think her rebellion sort of coincided with the decline of their relationship But it wasn’t like they could be called out for bad parenting because Callie’s older brother was practically a legend in Hartford Eagle Scout, altar boy, captain of the football teadon had done it, and he’d done it better than anyone else ever had Dean was the golden child and nearly ten years older than his sister Callie often got left behind in his wake, and I could see it in her face It was around that time, I became unnaturally protective of her If her parents wouldn’t step up and look out for her, I would

But back to sugar and spice—Callie had a soft side, I knew it as well as Crosby She just didn’t show itto prove to the world she could handle whatever it threw at her—and then some But she was sensitive, kind, and considerate They just weren’t qualities she’d show to anyone on purpose I saw right through her facade, and I knew she’d turn out great

What I didn’t see co was how hard I’d fall when the tables turned, and it was Callie who had to take care of me

“Asa Dashen, you et a peek! What with the way you stand outside of the girls’ dressing rooe into our suits”

“Callie, my mom tells him he has to wait,” my sister explained

“Only losers do everything their parents tell them to,” Callie tossed back

It was true; I waited every ti, in fact, that West would have already been in the pool and back out drying in the sun by the ti suits

“Callie, keep the rash guard on!” I hollered through the door to keep her froe shirt I didn’t want anyone staring Didn’t want to have to start a fight Callie rolled her eyes, but I was pretty sure she secretly craved the attention She liked being bossed around, but she had to play it cool to save face She liked having someone to look out for her, but she would never let on Callie and Crosby played tough; it was all part of their game

As we grew, so did our dynamic I’d become Callie’s protector, a stand-in father of sorts We fell into those roles effortlessly and bickered like afour years apart put us in different schools, but I still had to pick the girls up as soon as I obtained a driver’s license at sixteen I took them to their lessons, and I drove Callie hoot too dark

Looking back, it hen I took theed—that was the night that lit the first spark