ia, was marryi

s se

n Las Vegas, at a

queezed

. Richard Sterling.

re bright,

dn't understan

was old, with a

ead. It felt l

I saw

Ster

enager, with eyes

ared

ed to Richard, l

move

hove

a

to the blue water o

d. I could

ed my mout

ut. I coughed, wate

pool edge, a smal

place," h

didn't l

was tig

arm, her fing

from the rich peop

dark room. A u

ed like

e hissed. "Don'

r click

ne, wet,

door open

roll slid acr

s voi

the

he wa

It was dry, bu

were rich. Unb

mansion, like some

sn't a ha

her, Eleano

killed

her. He said Maria

cause I was Ma

life a li

ings, bi

on the

mewor

f that made them loo

be quiet, to

only way

it rain

from the bus

big front door, Ethan' s

sneakers were

saw

es nar

. His voice wa

an t

at his mu

ha

. Clean t

d. No one was

ointless. It only

the cold

ped at the mud with a tis

humil

n he decided I was done

nough to make m

he said, his voice

de, leaving me

me, the rain mixing with the

ia, loved the

ew clothes,

nt to

t about m

dow in the

eir cue from Ethan,

after the s

. I stayed o

hope was

cat

oor neighborhood, a way ou

omeone else,

at hope. It w