Page 6 (1/2)

PROLOGUE

Andreoke up to the sound of crying

Crying was nothing new in their house, but this was different The sobs sounded lighter than his er

Jiya

Heart seizing in his chest, Andrew threw hi when the bruise on his ribs connected with the bedside table He only took a split second to acknowledge the pain, however, because the cries co him feel far worse than any bruise Any injury He’d put up with endless abuse fro

Having reached thein record tiers beneath the rickety, wooden frame and heaved it up “Jiya?” He stuck his head out into the darkness, finding her huddled below, a ball of white cotton andon? Come here”

She lifted her head, swiping at her eyes, and Andrew got lightheaded over the way ht bathed her face God, she was so pretty Too pretty to be crying

“I can’t co miserable “Not anymore”

“Why not?” Andrew barked, before softening his tone when it reminded him too much of his father “Why not, Jiya?”

“My rass stains on own and noticed I’ve been tired…”

Andreed hard “I’ you tired”

“No” Jiya shot to her feet “No, I love co over”

“Oh” He bit back a sht hihts his father stumbled home drunk, because she knehat it ht and their father always took it out on soet in the way of those swinging fists as often as he could, but sometimes they missed and found their hts

After all, his mother didn’t have a Jiya to come over and curl up beside hi was her fault Andreas the luckiest kid in Long Beach to have a friend like Jiya, but it sounded like those co taken away from him now

Well, he’d be da

“Hey” Andrew climbed out theand dropped down beside Jiya on the patch of land that separated their houses “It’s okay I’ll still see you at school I’ll see you all the time”

“It’s not the salance to the side “Myinto boys’ bedrooms anymore, because…”

“Because?”

“I’ horrified