ney, are y

oo sweet, too careful, cut

of my childhood bedroom swam into view. Sunlig

s the

off to that "special art program

he's up," L

forced concern. "Sarah, your mother and I, we think

re a script I

ried, begged to stay. Begged not to be pushed away fr

, I sat u

linked.

owned. "Ju

alm. "I'll go. It sounds

faction. They exchanged a look. This was

a full-body shoc

membe

g glass, the red bloom on the wedding dress in the shop

back.

announced their engagement, the day

second

ce to

ad always been

I was even a cluster of cells. All to be a perfect bone marrow mat

ed he

adow, the spare part, the constant r

a, the survivor,

Necessary, once. No

healthy and blooming, Ethan Ash

cident had scrambled his brain, left him with amnes

ob there, an assistant

er faces, but he r

him, "Leaves of Grass."

him my real name. It was safer tha

lver compass charm. "It will always lead you to good things, Wren," he'd

rom

his memory of "Wren" rem

sister, sa

ped. They alway

a family emergen

en from my journal, presented he

autiful, everything

I tried to

nder – they painted me as jealous, unstable – turne

sneered, Jessica clinging to his

before their wedding,

he brakes on

ct to silence me. I knew it,

zzed on the

. From

ouse. Now. We

as before. The prelu

d I was going. It fit their

ouldn't cry. I

ly. A plain dark

shape of the silver compass charm in

h pre-party chaos. Caterers, flo

indows overlooking the city. Jessica, r

ed as I a

, impatient. "Sarah.

same wounding speech, the one th

nderstand. I'm not wanted here. I wish you both happiness."

asn't the desperate, hyster

s smile

atering cart, laden with champa

ened to

tant. He yanked Jessica

slammed

send me stumbling. My hand shot out, landing on

hatt

, as blood welled from

ou alright?" Ethan fussed

a little yelp. "My ankle! I think

re, it was a rep

heir faces etched wit

you okay?" Linda cooe

That clumsy staff,

ous concern for Jessi

a blood-soaked paper towel, a th

nd and then at the family drama, mu

alm, his expression grim as he n

s deep. It

rtesy of the Mill

t the neat row of black stit

ice of admissio

have th

alread

ren" and her compass a small, stea

ght for Ethan

n't wo