every girl her age wanted to be a cheerleader, and she wanted blue hair.
Mia was a senior when she started dating Aiden. He was her first real boyfriend. He was an unlikely boyfriend, too, because Aiden had always been one of the cool kids. Mia had been surprised when he showed interest in her, but when they started to date, Mia had believed that her class had grown up, and maybe, at last, they were all ready to accept people for who they were. Maybe .
Aiden broke up with her after four months of serious dating. It was a shot out of the blue, his reasoning that he wanted to be free of commitment during his last summer at home. It had seemed so easy for him to do, and Mia had been crushed.
Skylar, a year older than Mia, had taken pity on her. She’d introduced her to her friends. Mia found some of them to be aimless and more concerned with the easy way out of life. She wasn’t like that—she wanted to succeed. She wanted to be an artist, and she worked hard for it. But she also wanted to matter to someone, and that summer, she mattered to Skylar.
The night of the bonfire, Mia had been at home when Skylar had come around. “Come on, go with me,” she’d said.
“Nah. I’m going to stay in,” Mia had said, not impolitely.
“Jesus, don’t let Aiden Bowers ruin everything for you,” Skylar had said. “This is the last summer before college, Mia! It’s just a little get together on the beach anyway.”
Mia could see that Skylar was right—she couldn’t let Aiden rule her summer. So she’d reluctantly put on a dress she’d made herself and gone with her cousin.
The “little get together” turned out to be more of a mob, and worse, Aiden was there with his new girlfriend, Shalene.
Someone was passing around big fruit jars of a homemade liquor concoction. There were several fat joints floating around, too. Skylar passed Mia the drink. At first, Mia shook her head.
“Just take a few sips,” Skylar said. “Don’t be an asshole.”
Seeing Aiden with Shalene had made it easier for Mia to drink—anything to dull the pain.
“That’s my girl!” Skylar had shouted over the boom box.
But either the concoction was deceivingly strong or Mia drank more than she could remember, because the night quickly got away from her. She could remember dancing, she could remember Aiden’s leering grin. She could remember him asking if she missed him.
Wow , Mia hadn’t thought about that night in a long time. She took a deep breath and shook it off. She’d definitely put it behind her when she’d left for New York . . . but sometimes that horrible night came creeping into her thoughts like an uninvited guest.
Like right now.
Mia took a deep breath and moved on, wandering down the aisles. Long time ago. Doesn’t matter.
But she couldn’t shake the memories of that night. Even now, she could recall how heavy and oppressive the air was, how the fire felt too hot. She could remember feeling hazy, like she didn’t have full control of her body. She’d been confused and woozy, and somehow, she ended up dancing with Aiden.
A lewd and suggestive dance.
Of course Mia could remember Shalene very clearly, and how she’d taken great exception to their dancing. She’d gotten in Mia’s face about it, too, her dark head bobbing around on her shoulders as she hurled insults and threats with a finger in Mia’s face.
Mia had looked for Skylar, desperate for her help. Shalene had sneered when she told her that Skylar had left with a guy.
That’s where Mia’s memories got really hazy and weird, nothing but snatches of color and movement. Someone’s hands on her. Someone’s alcohol-soaked breath on her neck. The feel of dew on her back, the smell of a dead fire, the taste of ashes in her mouth.
Whatever happened, Mia woke up the next morning next to the smoldering remains of the bonfire. The ground around her was littered with bottles and cans. Dirt was in her mouth, muddy sand in her hair. She sat up and realized
Mia was a senior when she started dating Aiden. He was her first real boyfriend. He was an unlikely boyfriend, too, because Aiden had always been one of the cool kids. Mia had been surprised when he showed interest in her, but when they started to date, Mia had believed that her class had grown up, and maybe, at last, they were all ready to accept people for who they were. Maybe .
Aiden broke up with her after four months of serious dating. It was a shot out of the blue, his reasoning that he wanted to be free of commitment during his last summer at home. It had seemed so easy for him to do, and Mia had been crushed.
Skylar, a year older than Mia, had taken pity on her. She’d introduced her to her friends. Mia found some of them to be aimless and more concerned with the easy way out of life. She wasn’t like that—she wanted to succeed. She wanted to be an artist, and she worked hard for it. But she also wanted to matter to someone, and that summer, she mattered to Skylar.
The night of the bonfire, Mia had been at home when Skylar had come around. “Come on, go with me,” she’d said.
“Nah. I’m going to stay in,” Mia had said, not impolitely.
“Jesus, don’t let Aiden Bowers ruin everything for you,” Skylar had said. “This is the last summer before college, Mia! It’s just a little get together on the beach anyway.”
Mia could see that Skylar was right—she couldn’t let Aiden rule her summer. So she’d reluctantly put on a dress she’d made herself and gone with her cousin.
The “little get together” turned out to be more of a mob, and worse, Aiden was there with his new girlfriend, Shalene.
Someone was passing around big fruit jars of a homemade liquor concoction. There were several fat joints floating around, too. Skylar passed Mia the drink. At first, Mia shook her head.
“Just take a few sips,” Skylar said. “Don’t be an asshole.”
Seeing Aiden with Shalene had made it easier for Mia to drink—anything to dull the pain.
“That’s my girl!” Skylar had shouted over the boom box.
But either the concoction was deceivingly strong or Mia drank more than she could remember, because the night quickly got away from her. She could remember dancing, she could remember Aiden’s leering grin. She could remember him asking if she missed him.
Wow , Mia hadn’t thought about that night in a long time. She took a deep breath and shook it off. She’d definitely put it behind her when she’d left for New York . . . but sometimes that horrible night came creeping into her thoughts like an uninvited guest.
Like right now.
Mia took a deep breath and moved on, wandering down the aisles. Long time ago. Doesn’t matter.
But she couldn’t shake the memories of that night. Even now, she could recall how heavy and oppressive the air was, how the fire felt too hot. She could remember feeling hazy, like she didn’t have full control of her body. She’d been confused and woozy, and somehow, she ended up dancing with Aiden.
A lewd and suggestive dance.
Of course Mia could remember Shalene very clearly, and how she’d taken great exception to their dancing. She’d gotten in Mia’s face about it, too, her dark head bobbing around on her shoulders as she hurled insults and threats with a finger in Mia’s face.
Mia had looked for Skylar, desperate for her help. Shalene had sneered when she told her that Skylar had left with a guy.
That’s where Mia’s memories got really hazy and weird, nothing but snatches of color and movement. Someone’s hands on her. Someone’s alcohol-soaked breath on her neck. The feel of dew on her back, the smell of a dead fire, the taste of ashes in her mouth.
Whatever happened, Mia woke up the next morning next to the smoldering remains of the bonfire. The ground around her was littered with bottles and cans. Dirt was in her mouth, muddy sand in her hair. She sat up and realized
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