t every creak of the floorboards. By sunrise, she had

E D

ROY

what Elena had written on the wall. "Since when do

l shook, but her mind felt sharp. Clear. Like someone had wiped fog off a window. Toda

e", Elena sai

her hair under a beanie. "Tell anyone who asks I've

s said, throwing her a granol

me. Three polite knocks. Elena's

h the door, sweet as poisoned hone

her eyes shut. Don't an

ee! Pumpkin spi

ed my favorite!" she would have rushed and flipped the door open. But now, she pressed a pill

window. "Hot guy a

man skin," Elena s

Can I d

want to die p

y lasted u

like a sleek black panther. Elena watched from the window as he adju

a

hair, fewer lines around his frown. In three years, Liam's poison would

where he handed a gift bag

shares of Hart Industries. Last time, she had screamed and hugged him.

ving me part o

"You'll graduate soon. It'

s little songbird" now spoke like a robot. Elena clu

elt rusty. "Can w

like a vault

her accident, I

watch, a $200,000 habit. "I have a boar

. Elena stood frozen as her dad's limo pull

loor. Dozens of pink notebooks filled with doodles of w

h her toe. "Who's Liam Blackwood?

a lighter. "He's the

ng the smell of burned sugar (she had once sprinkled the d

nist

rected, watching her

buzzed. An

wn Nu

Now check

ing it. And inside it, beside her mother'

t t

s grabbed the key. "Looks lik

enth birthday, some hours before the car crash. "Keep this close,

n? Had she p

a ran the whole way, Jess following h

lena! I am in

ucked in the back of a dusty vaul

baby Elena, standing in front o

tickets to Switzerland d

writte

s, I'm gone. Trust no

sat on the cold floor, staring at her mot

amily's like... way mor

lena dreamed

her, screaming "Hold on!" Then headlights bright

he saw the licen

with icy blue eyes

an V

ke scr