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“What?”

“Mia is shy I’m sure you already know that She doesn’tliked She’s always been that way And last year, she had her heart broken Not by a boy It orse than that A girl—Haley—befriended her For a few months, they were inseparable Mia was as happy as I’ve ever seen her But the truth was that Haley had her sights set on Zach, and he fell into her trap He didn’t knoould upset Mia Anyway, Haley dumped Mia for Zach, and when Zach lost interest, Haley refused to co for almost a month I was really worried about her ”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“I guess … because if you’re going to be her friend, she needs to know she can count on you I’d like to know that, too ”

“I would never do anything to hurt her,” Lexi promised

Jude thought of all the dangers this friendship could pose to her daughter, and all the benefits, and she weighed theh she kneasn’t A fourteen-year-old girl could make her own friends But Jude could make it easy for Mia and Lexi to stay friends, or difficult What was best for Mia?

When she looked at Lexi, the answer came easily Jude was a hter desperately needed a friend “I’irls’ day Would you like to join us?”

“I can’t,” Lexi said “I haven’t got a job yet Money’s tight But thanks ”

“My treat,” Jude said easily, “and I won’t take no for an answer ”

Three

2003

The last three years had both worn Jude down and sharpened her She hadn’t kno terrifying life could be until the first time she handed Zach and Mia car keys and watched theun to be afraid for her kids Everything scared her Rain Wind Snow Darkness Loud music Other drivers Too many kids in a car

She’d issued her kids cell phones and instituted rules Curfews Accountability Honesty

She paced when they were minutes late and didn’t breathe easily until they were safely in bed She’d thought that was the worst of it, the freedom that came with a driver’s license, but now she knew better

It had all been a prelude to this: senior year of high school The seun, and already it was a pressure cooker, a Rubik’s Cube of deadlines and paperwork College loo every breath of air Years of driving back and forth to sporting events, practices, play rehearsals, and perfor compared with this