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Chapter 1

Bailey

There’s a reason I don’t drive any ood reason

But moments like thesespaz every ti h instead of Cave Hills

Cave Hills, the top-rated college prep dream school

Cave Hills the school I should be going to

The school I deserve to go to

The school fifteen miles away

Without a car, it ht as well be a hundred

And at this particular moment, no car means I’m screwed

Because the bus just passed by my house

I hear the ktshh of it stopping onoff the sofa, I dash out my front door with my teeth unbrushed and my Mexican skull Chucks untied, but it’s way too late

“Wait!” I wave and chase after it “Hold up!” I jog a half a block, tripping and hopping in my loose sneakers

The driver has to see me even if he can’t hear The students in the bus definitely seeNot pointing

I’ to them, but they won't feel bad if they have to flush me down a toilet in a week Racist fucks You’d think in Arizona being Hispanic wouldn’t get me shunned

Dammit

I stoop to tiemy backpack over my shoulder It slides forward and whacks me in the back of the head I huff and stand

Next door, the dynamic brother and sister duo, Cole and Casey Muchmore climb into Cole’s mostly-restored 1950s classic Ford truck If they witnessedon