Chapter One

I knew today was going to be different the moment I walked into class. I had turned halfway toward my best friend, Abigail, but I knew something was wrong without even needing to see her face. I whirled around, seeing what was causing the feeling of dread I’d had all morning, like today was going to be terrible. But, it wasn’t what it was, it was who it was.

It was her. She was sitting nearly directly behind me, smiling at me; her face, warm and glowing, but her eyes, they were cold and calculating. Her. Evelyn. Right now. My best friend since kindergarten until fourth grade. She grinned at me, then flicked her fingers in a single graceful motion, eyes taunting as she asked, “Cat got your tongue?” She reached out with her long, slender fingers, toward the person sitting next to her, and swept the light brown hair out of his eyes. She smiled at me, face dimpling, the picture of grace, of kindness. I was as good as fooled when I glanced once more at her eyes. I had been fooled for nearly five years, I was not about to be fooled again. Her eyes were cold and hard, glittering like gemstones, I could tell she didn’t see me as a person. She didn’t see anyone as a person. She knew just how good she was at acting, and she knew that she had fooled everyone in this room - everyone, except me.

I remember. I remember how, back when we were much, much younger, Evelyn and I were just about joined at the hip. We did absolutely everything together. We were the best of friends, and we told each other everything. Then one day, something happened. To this day, I still don’t know what it was that tore us apart. But, from that day forth, she was cold to me. She never spoke to me, and she made it clear that she didn't want me to say anything to her ever again. Then, in sixth grade, she had moved away. Yet now, in our junior year of high school, she was back, and she was talking to me again. But this time, she seemed determined to make my life miserable. I wasn’t sure if I actually wanted her to talk to me again—it seemed much safer when she wasn't.

“Well?” she inquired, jarring me out of my memories. “Are you going to talk at all or has the cat really got your tongue?” Her voice was soft and velvety. However, I alone could sense

Impressum