||YA ROMANCE Book of the Month August 2023||
YOUNG ADULT ROMANCE!
Aurora "Rori" Callaway is starting her senior year in a new town, at a new high school. After all, after what happened at the beginning of her summer, a fresh start was the only way f...
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"So," Terra said as she sat down with her ice cream. "Are you going to tell me what that was all about?"
I pulled my legs under the picnic table that we found ourselves at as I took a bite of the cold treat. The sweetness made my mouth tingle as I tried to think about how to answer her.
"I was just trying to make sure Tawnya couldn't hold anything against me." I shrugged as I took another bite.
Terra clicked her tongue, "Oh come on. You went outside with Andrew, everything was fine. Suddenly you're running back to the house and demanding we leave."
"Yeah, sorry about Chad by the way."
Terra shrugged, "It's no big deal."
It felt like a big deal.
"At least, no big deal if you tell me what's really going on." She cocked an eyebrow.
I sighed. I tried to figure out how I could tell her without telling her.
"Terra I moved here because I did a terrible thing." Her expression changed as she took in what I was saying, "I had to leave Hanover."
She shifted uncomfortably, "What terrible thing did you do?"
I felt tears sting the backs of my eyes as I looked at my new friend, "I killed someone."
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I had thought Terra would never speak to me again after my confession but to my surprise, she told me that it wasn't my fault. I was confused. I had thought as soon as someone knew my horrible secret, it would be all over the school and I would have to move again.
All weekend I dreaded Monday. When it finally came and I entered the school, no one seemed to care. I had been there a week so my newness was starting to wear off. There were no strange whispers or looks. Everyone was going about their business like any other school morning.
When I saw Terra at her locker I smiled.
"You didn't tell anyone," I commented as I opened my locker.
She looked up at me and chuckled, "Why would I? You asked me not to, and we're friends."
I couldn't help the smile that appeared on my face. Back in Hanover, everyone turned against me after the story came out. Even though I had nothing there, I still found myself desperate to go back to the familiarity of home.
