# CHAPTER I

# Mary: February 2005

"t's a typically slow South Florida Sunday, and Mary's staring Lincona into the mirror, trying to wipe the morning cobwebs away into her dark, sleepy eyes.

She's a pretty girl, tiny-just five feet three inches tall-but tanned and athletic, with curly black henna-streaked hair.* Her bedroom's a playland of pinks and pastels, stuffed animals, and boy-band posters. But Mary's a teenager now. Fourteen years old. She even has a boyfriend. He's cute and popular. Joe' is the heart- throb of her school, and Mary's feelings for him are new to her, powerful, hard to untangle. She's thinking of Joe as she presses the Play button on her iPod.

The MP3 player's on shuffle. There's no telling what song will

Mary's name, some identifying details, and dialogue have been changed.

Joe's name, some identifying details, and dialogue have been changed.

3

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