Page 1 (1/2)
Prologue
Zoey Parker’s limbs felt heavy as she tried to open her eyes When they finally cooperated, she jolted upright She was on a bed she didn’t recognize Her dress was ripped, her breasts exposed Between her legs, her underas gone She frantically scanned the sheets, searching for signs that her virginity was still intact She didn’t find blood on the bed or between her thighs
A rush of heat stor to rid herself of it all, she ran to the trash can in the corner of the rooulped down shallow breaths to stay cal in a heap She threw it on and was out the door a second later The scent of beer hit her nose as she made her way down the staircase Plastic cups littered the hallway and the stairs Passed out bodies were everywhere, sleeping off the booze froht before
She didn’t think she’d drank that much Three drinks, she reht was dark
When shefor a Lyft Each bare-footed step felt like it took a lifetime, and the world seemed so far away
“Miss Miss”
Zoey blinked, finding a wo up next to her
“Are you okay, honey?” the woently
Her breath beca to flip itself on the outside just to repel the unwanted feelings “No,” she whispered “No, I don’t think I am”
Zoey shook her head, pulling herself out of the y two days later Her skin still crahenever she thought about whator a curse that she had no recollection of that night She didn’t feel like she knew anything anyer felt safe She didn’t feel safe
Laughter and voices carried across the war to focus on writing her paper In only a few months, she’d finish up at New York University and apply for veterinary college All of her hard ould soon pay off The long nights of studying, the lack of a social life, were all worth it She missed her home in Sacramento, California, where her happilywas finished, she’d go back hoet the life she orking so hard for She tried to focus on that future and forget the pain froo
When a shadow passed over her, it stole the war her two friends, Julie and Ava, standing above her Both were in the saical Science course On the first day of freshman year, they had all clicked So ether Where Zoey considered herself more natural in style, Julie and Ava always had their makeup and hair done to perfection She envied that about the personalities But now, they both looked pale, eyes glassy “What’s wrong?” Zoey asked, setting her laptop aside on the grass
“I’ her hands to her chest
An unexpected rush of heat washed over Zoey, sweat beading along her spine “Sorry for what?” she asked, unsure she even wanted to know the answer
“You don’t know, do you?” Julie asked, her shoulders dropping, her voice breaking “You haven’t heard?”
On any given day around ca wild Only this time, it felt personal “Will someone tell me what’s happened?”
“She doesn’t know…” Ava breathed, her hand snapping out to hold Julie’s arm
Every warazes The world slowly dropped out from under her “Please,” she barely whispered “What don’t I know?”
Julie knelt next to her, placing a co “I wish I wasn’t the one to have to show you this” She pulled her phone fro Zoey the cell phone and adding, “I’m so sorry, Zoey”
One look at the screen, and Zoey’s body begged to collapse in on itself The campus faded around her The vieas all too familiar The black dress she’d ith the strappy sandals The lace bra
Every footstep walking by her sounded like thunder to her ears Every laugh or word spoken was too loud Her focus narrowed on the rip of her dress, her bare breasts, her legs spread wide, and her vagina on display for all to see But worse than the ie: A pretty piece from NYU We destroyed her Who wants her next?
Zoey’s hand trembled as the phone slipped from her hand She looked into Ava’s and Julie’s slack expressions and wet, dull eyes before she heard the laughter and the voices The fingers pointed her way So each blow
“Hey, sexy,” a deep voice suddenly said froance gleaht?”
Zoey’s sto all the heat in her soul She got up to run, to hide, to escape But her legs gave out, the world disappearing around her as she threw up on his shoes
Chapter 1