Chapters (47)
- Cover
- Dedication
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- 2 Months Later
- Acknowledgments
- About the Author
- Books by Kasie West
- Back Ad
- About the Publisher
“My mom will for sure. My dad will just be very disappointed. He is really, really good at being disappointed.”
“You’re in your head too much. Don’t think about that. Think about the good that will come of this.”
“There is no good. Only death.”
I could tell he was trying not to, but he laughed. “Do you want to take it back? I can help you take it back.”
Yes. I wanted to take the truck back and pretend none of this ever happened. My eyes landed on the mask still sitting on the dashboard. Maybe it really did possess some secret power, because I took a deep breath and shook my head no. “I’m here. Let’s have some fun.” Besides, I’d already decided this wasn’t about my parents. This was about me facing my brother. Facing what I’d competed with my whole life. When the night was over, I was going to put the truck back as if it was never moved. The thought gave me new determination. Tonight would give me the strength to face my parents. To let them know how I felt.
“Heath Hall is sitting on your dashboard,” Jackson said. “That’s kind of creepy.”
“Hey, you’re the one who started the whole thing.”
“Actually, I wasn’t.”
“Okay, you talk, I’ll drive.” I turned the key, the truck rumbling to life, and we pulled away from his house.
His hand dropped from my neck and he reached down to pull on his shoes. “I’ve been the Heath Hall caretaker for about six months now. I think someone, much like you, thought I was a bit irresponsible and wanted me to step outside myself.”
“What do you mean, someone? You don’t know who?”
“I don’t know who.”
“So wait. You never needed to use the mask; you just got put in charge of it?”
“I think I needed it more than anyone. My fear, my truth, was bigger than one event. I had to see myself through the fears others faced.”
“What was your fear?”
“You nailed me on the head, Moore. That’s why it was so hard to hear. I thought I’d grown these last six months, but I haven’t. I have no ambitions. I don’t know who I am or what I want to do with my life.”
“A lot of people don’t know that. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“Where I differ from others is that I don’t care.”
I stared out at the dark road in front of me. “I don’t believe you.”
“Oh, but you do, because every time you’re mad at me, the truth comes out.”