Chapter 1

When I'm eight years old, my dad gets remarried. Then, when my stepmother gets pregnant, she decides I'm an eyesore.

Dad shoves a train ticket into my hand. "I can't afford to raise you anymore. Your aunt's working down south. Go to her."

I don't even remember what my aunt, Ava Shore, looks like anymore. All I know is that she left home at 18 and cut contact with Dad years ago.

I spend a day and a night on that train, getting more scared by the minute. What if Aunt Ava doesn't want me, either?

When I finally step off the train and exit the station, I'm greeted by an MPV.

The door swings open, and a woman with big, blown-out curls and sunglasses steps out in high heels. "So you're the daughter my brother decided he didn't want?"

I nod, clutching the straps of my duffel in a death grip.

She crouches and studies me carefully. "Your hair's a mess. You look like some neglected stray."

Before I can respond, a boy about my age pops his head out from behind her. "Mom, she looks awful."

Aunt Ava immediately reaches back and twists his ear. "Say that again if you have the guts. If anyone at your school even thinks about bullying her, I'm coming for you first."

The boy bares his teeth and hisses in pain, but he still reaches out and takes my duffel from me.

A warm southern breeze washes over me, and tears form in my eyes.

Suddenly, I don't feel so scared anymore.

Chapter 1

Dad shoved a train ticket into my hand, then fished a crumpled hundred-dollar bill out of his pocket. "I really can't afford to raise you anymore. Your aunt's working down south. Go to her."

I squeezed the ticket so hard my knuckles went white and said in a small voice, "Dad, I can sleep on the floor. I won't take up any space."

He didn't look at me. He just lit a cigarette, grunted, and turned around. He didn't even walk me to the platform.

I couldn't even remember what my aunt, Ava Shore, looked like. All I knew was that she'd left home at 18 years old and hadn't spoken to Dad in years.

The train ride took a full day and night.

An older woman sitting across from me saw that I was just a kid on my own and gave me half of her bun. She asked where I was headed.

I told her I was going south to look for my aunt.

She sighed. "You're still so young. How can your folks…"

I didn't respond. I just leaned against the window and watched the view outside go from dull, dusty gray to endless green.

One thought kept looping in my head—what if Aunt Ava didn't want me, either? She'd cut her own brother off for years. Why would she take in the daughter he'd thrown away?

I'd braced myself to be turned away. Worst case, I'd just live on the streets. I'd already thought it through—if it really came to that, I could always wash dishes at some restaurant. I'd seen it happen on TV.

The train pulled in at 3:00 pm. The southern sun was so bright I had to squint.

I clutched the little slip of paper with Aunt Ava's phone number on it, about to go look for a payphone, when a black MPV rolled to a smooth stop at the station exit.

The door slid open, and a woman with big, loose curls and sunglasses stepped out in high heels. She smelled like perfume and was done up like a movie star.

She took off her sunglasses and looked me over from head to toe. "So, you're the daughter my brother decided he didn't want?"

I nodded, gripping my duffel straps so tight my fingers hurt.

She crouched in front of me, studying my face. Her brows pulled together. "Your hair's a mess. You look like some stray nobody's been looking after."

Oh, no.

I dropped my gaze, waiting for her to tell me to go back home.

Before she could say anything, a boy about my age leaned out from behind her, chewing bubble gum. He gave me a once-over and muttered, "Mom, she looks so lame."

Aunt Ava's hand shot out to grab his ear, giving it a full twist.

He howled in pain. "Ow!"

"Try saying that again. If anyone at school so much as looks at her funny, I'm coming after you first. You hear me?" Aunt Ava snapped.

He rubbed his ear, wincing, but still reached out to take my duffel. "Alright, alright. Damn, that hurts…"

Aunt Ava turned back to me and gently brushed my messy hair off my forehead, tucking it behind my ear. Her touch was so soft that I froze.

"Come on," she said. "Let's go home."

The southern breeze washed over me, warm and scented faintly with flowers.

My eyes stung, and my nose burned. Suddenly, I didn't feel quite so scared anymore.

Chapter 2

Aunt Ava lived in a fancy high-rise downtown. The elevator took us straight up to the 22nd floor. When the door swung open, I froze in the doorway.

Her living room was easily several times bigger than Dad's whole two-bedroom apartment. I could imagine seeing the entire city lit up at night through the floor-to-ceiling windows. There was a white leather couch, a crystal chandelier, and a coffee table with a plate of sliced fruit.

I glanced down at my busted sneakers with their peeling soles. I didn't even dare move my toes.

Aunt Ava reached into the shoe cabinet, pulled out a pair of pink fuzzy indoor slippers, and handed them to me. "Put these on. Your shoes are going in the trash tomorrow. I'll take you out to get new ones."

"It's okay… These still work…" I mumbled.

"If I say change, you change. Quit fussing."

My cousin, Isaac Grant, had already tossed my duffel onto the couch. He was sprawled beside it and glued to his game. He didn't even look up as he asked, "Mom, when's Dad getting back?"

"Soon. He went to pick up the cake."

I blinked. "Cake?"

Aunt Ava laughed. "Your Uncle Michael said that since we have a new family member, we need to celebrate properly."

I was still processing that when Isaac got up and tugged me toward the hallway. "Don't just stand there. Come see your room."

He pushed open the door at the end of the corridor. My brain short-circuited all over again when I looked inside.

I saw pink curtains, fresh new sheets and a comforter, and a complete set of school supplies on the desk. Even the pencils were sharpened and standing in a cup. A huge stuffed bear sat by the headboard, and a string of star-shaped lights ran along the wall.

"This is…" I couldn't get any other words out.

Isaac leaned against the doorframe and blew a bubble with his gum. "Mom's been working on this since last week. She dragged me to the mall four times. She changed that comforter three different times. First, it was too pink. Then, it was too plain."

He rolled his eyes. "I didn't get a single new thing. All she thought about was buying stuff for you."

I ran my hand over the brand-new comforter, my fingers shaking.

At Dad's place, I slept in a storage nook he and my stepmother, Jamie Smith, had turned into a "room" off the enclosed balcony. All I had was a thin old mattress Jamie didn't want anymore. In winter, it was so cold I'd wake up shivering. In summer, it was so hot I'd break out in heat rashes.

No one had ever put together a room just for me.

Aunt Ava had come up behind me at some point. She rested a hand on my shoulder. "You've had it rough, kid. I could say a lot about your dad, but honestly, I can't be bothered to waste my breath on him. From now on, this is your home. Whatever you need, tell me. Don't you dare act like a guest."

That was it. I couldn't stop my tears from spilling over and streaming down my face. I wasn't sad. I just couldn't believe any of this was real.

Aunt Ava pulled me into her arms and patted my back. "Go ahead and cry. When you're done, we'll have cake."

Right on cue, I heard keys clinking as the front door opened. A tall, thin man in a suit walked in carrying a cake box, looking like one of those CEOs I'd seen on TV.

He saw me and smiled. "You must be Crystal."

Aunt Ava said, "This is your Uncle Michael."

I said in a small voice, "H-Hello, Uncle Michael."

Michael Grant set the cake on the dining table, then turned back, pulled an envelope from his briefcase, and held it out to me. "Here's a little something from me. I hope it's enough to get you started."

I opened the envelope. Inside was a bank card.

Uncle Michael crouched down so we were eye level. "Everything on that card is your allowance. The PIN is your birthday. From now on, if you want something, you can buy it yourself. You don't have to go begging anyone for money."

My hands shook as I clutched the card. My entire life, I'd never even held a ten-dollar bill that was meant for me and only me.

…

That night, we had the cake together. The words written on it in icing were, "Welcome Home, Crystal."

Isaac went straight for the biggest slice with the giant strawberry on top. Aunt Ava smacked the back of his hand with a fork. "The big one's for Crystal! She's your sister now!"

"Not like she's my real sister!" he protested.

"You wanna say that again?" Her voice sharpened.

"Alright, fine. She can have it." He shoved the slice with the strawberry to me. Then, still sulking, he sneakily pushed a little extra chocolate crumble from his own plate onto mine.

I sat at the bright, spotless dining table, eating the first slice of cake in my life that actually belonged to me. It was so sweet it made me want to cry.

Chapter 3

Over the next few days, I lived a life I'd never even dared to dream about.

Aunt Ava took me to get my hair done—wash, cut, blow-dry, the whole works. The stylist said my hair was way too dry, so Aunt Ava just upgraded me to some deep-repair package without even batting an eye.

When we walked out of the salon, Isaac glanced over at me. For once, he didn't run his mouth. "There we go. At least you look like a human being now."

Aunt Ava glared at him, and he immediately backpedaled. "I mean—you look great. You're the prettiest girl I've ever seen."

After that, Aunt Ava took me to the mall and basically bought an entire new wardrobe, underwear and all.

I stood in front of the fitting room mirror, almost not recognizing myself. That little girl in the floral dress with the smooth, shiny hair… Was that really me?

Isaac was slouched in the lounge area playing games on his phone, complaining about how boring it was to wait. But every time I stepped out in a new outfit, he'd look up. Now and then, he'd toss out a comment like "That one works" or "Try a different color".

In the end, I felt so bad that I tugged on Aunt Ava's sleeve. "This is enough. It's way too much…"

She looked down at me, suddenly looking a little tearful. "You silly kid. Other girls your age have closets with dozens of outfits, and you don't even have one decent thing to wear. I'm making up for what you don't have now, and you think it's too much?"

…

On the third morning, while we were having breakfast, Uncle Michael set his cutlery down and looked at me, his tone gentle when he asked, "Crystal, what grade were you in back when you lived with your dad?"

My hand faltered halfway to my mouth. I answered in a small voice, "I was in second grade, but my stepmother told me to stop going for a while because she said money was tight."

He and Aunt Ava exchanged a look. Aunt Ava set her bowl down a little too hard, an ugly look creeping onto her face. "How long have you been out of school?"

"Almost a whole semester."

Uncle Michael took a deep breath, grabbed his phone, and went out to the balcony to make a call that lasted a good ten minutes.

When he came back, he looked calm again. He said, "Next Monday, you'll transfer into Isaac's school and join his class. I've already made all the arrangements."

Isaac burst out of his room, his eyes gleaming. "Really? That's awesome!"

He threw an arm around my shoulders and thumped his chest. "Don't worry, Crystal! I know everyone in our class. If anyone so much as lays a finger on you, I'll be the first one to beat them up!"

Aunt Ava smacked the back of his head. "Cut it out with the fighting."

"How is protecting my cousin 'fighting'? It's called being a hero."

…

That afternoon, Isaac offered to take me downstairs to look around and get familiar with the neighborhood. He took me to the supermarket next to the apartment complex and taught me how to pick snacks like it was serious business.

"Go with the classic potato chips. Salt and vinegar is a crime against humanity. And this brand's spicy beef jerky is unbeatable. That sweet-and-spicy stuff next to it is a total rip-off. Anyone who buys it will regret it."

Then, he brought me to the small park by our building and pointed at the swing. "No one comes out here around this time. You can hog it as long as you want."

I sat on the swing while he stood behind me, giving me gentle pushes. The breeze was warm and soft against my face.

On the way home, Isaac suddenly stopped walking and looked at me with unusual seriousness.

"Crystal, you shouldn't go back to your dad's place anymore. Mom has a sharp tongue, but she really does care about you. Dad, too. He doesn't talk much, but he notices everything. So just stay here, and stop being so on edge all the time. This is your home now. No matter who shows up, you don't have to be scared of them."

I nodded hard, my nose stinging. "Okay. I'm never going back."

He smiled and shoved the last lollipop into my hand. "Come on. Let's go home for dinner."

That night, I lay in a soft bed with the giant teddy bear in my arms, convinced I was the happiest person in the world.

What I didn't know was that happiness sometimes arrived all at once, only for life to come along and knock it right out of one's hands.

Chapter 4

On Saturday afternoon, Aunt Ava took Isaac to his martial arts class, and Uncle Michael had to go to the office to deal with something urgent.

Right before she left, Aunt Ava ruffled my hair. "You can stay home and watch some TV. There's yogurt and pastries in the fridge—grab something if you're hungry. We'll be back before 6:00 pm. Your Uncle Michael said he's taking us out for dinner tonight."

I curled up on the couch and watched cartoons, feeling ridiculously content. Aunt Ava had already sliced some fruit and set it out on the coffee table. The heater was running, making the air warm and cozy. I almost fell asleep right there in my little nest.

Around 5:00 pm, the doorbell rang.

I thought Aunt Ava had forgotten her keys, so I hopped off the couch and ran to open the door. The second it swung open, every drop of blood in my body turned to ice.

Dad was standing there. Next to him was Jamie, heavily pregnant. She wore that fake smile that I knew way too well.

Dad rubbed his hands together, his voice eager and coaxing. "Crystal, I'm here to take you home."

I instinctively stepped back and gripped the doorframe so hard my fingers hurt. "How… How did you even find this place?"

Jamie leaned out from behind him, still smiling. "Your dad's been missing you so much that he's been going without sleep. He worked really hard to find out your aunt's address."

I stared straight into her eyes and saw nothing but calculation and scheming.

"I'm not going back," I said.

Dad's expression hardened for a split second before he smiled again. "Don't be difficult. Your stepmom's about to have the baby, and you're going to have a little brother soon. We're a family, and we should be together."

"I'm not going back!" My voice turned shrill. "Aunt Ava said this is my home!"

Jamie's smile finally vanished. She yanked on Dad's arm and lowered her voice, but I still heard her loud and clear. "Look at your sister's place. This has to be, what, at least two or three million dollars. If Crystal stays here, you really think she won't be footing the bill for school and everything else?

"If we take her home, child support comes with her, and not a penny less. Ava will have to wire the money to us every month."

She gave Dad a little shove. Guilt flickered across his face, but he still stepped inside. "Crystal, be good. Come with me. I promise I'll treat you right from now on."

I backed up as fast as I could, ready to bolt to my room and lock the door.

But Dad grabbed my wrist in a vice grip. Pain shot straight up my arm. He barked, "Stop this nonsense! I'm your legal guardian, not your aunt. What she says doesn't matter. You're coming home with me!"

I wanted to scream and call for help, but Jamie slapped one hand over my mouth and shoved me toward the hallway with the other.

She leaned in, her voice a soft, menacing whisper. "Be a good girl, Crystal. If you make a scene, your dad can go to court and sue your aunt for hiding someone else's child. Do you think she'll even be allowed to keep her own son by her side then?"

Tears blurred my vision. I fought with everything I had. But how could an eight-year-old possibly win against two adults?

Dad half-dragged, half-carried me into the elevator. Right as the doors slid shut, I twisted around for one last look.

The front door to the apartment was still wide open. The cartoon was still playing on the TV. There was still a little dent in the couch where I'd been curled up.

Everything inside was exactly the same, but I'd been taken away.

As the elevator dropped, I could only think of one thing—that Aunt Ava would hurry home.