by Amber Jaeger
Carefully I swept up my long, copper tresses and folded them into a bun. The first girl to talk to me came back over. “It grows out pretty quick,” she said wistfully, fingering her own sloppy pixie cut.
“Is this for real?” I finally choked out.
She shrugged. “I told you this place was hell.”
“No,” I replied. “It’s revenge for a broken heart.”
She looked at me curiously but didn’t ask. “I’m Minnie,” she offered.
“Bixby,” I whispered.
“That’s kind of a funny name,” she said apologetically.
I looked at her pointedly. “I know, I know. It’s just that the girls with kind of funny names get picked on more. So how come you’re here?”
Her ability to carry on a normal conversation after watching someone get assaulted was incredible. “I honestly don’t even know. My grandma was sick and heard something outside and I know someone was messing with us but …” I didn’t know how to continue. Rather than let my bitterness and anger overwhelm me, I kept the conversation with the friendly girl going. “Why are you here?”
She shrugged and I noticed her shoulders seemed to stay permanently hunched. “My dad wasn’t a good guy. So when I finally had enough I set the house on fire and hoped he wouldn’t get out.”
“Are you serious?” I gasped. “That’s terrible.”
Minnie shrugged. “He lived so I only have to stay in here until I’m eighteen.” She gave a wicked grin. “And they’re making him pay for it.”
I shook my head, horrified and amused at the same time.
“So what really happened to get you in here?” she asked softly.
I looked into her eyes and knew I could trust her. “I fell for the wrong guy. He hurt my brother, he hurt me and now he’s hurt my Grandma. He’s ruined my life.”
“Wow,” she breathed. “So what are you going to do?”
“I’m going to find my brother and beg his forgiveness and find my grandma and get her out of that nursing home.” I squared my shoulders with resolve. “And then I’m going to find Jordan and kill him.”
Minnie shook her head. “Oh, no. It’s not worth it, look at me. You can’t just go around trying to kill a person because they hurt you.”
“It’s okay,” I said under my breath. “He’s not a person.”
About the Author
AMBER LIVES AND WORKS IN a beautiful little town right on Lake Michigan with her husband and three children.
Other Titles by Author
Falling (Book 1 of the Hemlock Bay Series)
Look for the sequel, Winter’s Dream, due out October 2012.
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