Page 120 (1/2)

Vivi Ann knew that feeling She was the last person to deny soht to be in love Such ehly

Vivi Ann reached out and touched Noah’s hair, h it “I understand why you did what you did Maybe I even have a little responsibility for it And I noticed that you didn’t lose your teood”

“But I fucked up”

She gave hie look “You lied to e of my trust in you Worst of all, you just showed Mark that he was right to believe the worst of you”

“What do I do to fix it?”

“You were sh to come up with your master prison plan I’m sure if you try, you can come up with a redemption plan”

“I will”

“And while you’re figuring it out, factor in that you have to do it without leaving home, because you’re on restriction until school starts You can leave this ranch to go to church and to see Mrs Ivers, but for no other reason”

“Aw, Mom”

“Believe ht as well learn that now”

Chapter Twenty-three

When I was little, we had this old mare named Clementine’s Blue Ribbon Mo weeds and Clem would just stand there with me on her back She followed ht, she’d trot up as close to myas she could and whinny Moht special boy And then one day Moone to Heaven I went out to her stall and it was empty

That hen I learned you could lose what you loved

That’s how I feel now Ever since I wrote to my dad, I’ve been—I don’t even knoord to use anyo to theever comes

Cissy hasn’t called or emailed or texted me either It’s like she fell off the planet I knohat happened My ht She picked her dad’s side I even understand it But it hurts so ht in et out of bed