𝑨𝑳𝑰𝑮𝑯𝑻 • 𝐿𝐸𝑂 𝑉𝐴𝐿𝐷𝐸𝑍

ONE

i.

—SAVANNAH had always dreamed of escaping the dullness of Illinois, though she'd imagined it would be for something like college, not because of some court-mandated decision.

Her father had taken the news rather horribly, convinced that his daughter was trying to abandon him like everyone else in his life had — whether they left or drifted away, it never mattered to him. The nurses at the psychiatric institute had done their part to settle him down with enough drugs to calm his frenzy. It was a strange and distant kind of goodbye, the best she could hope for in the situation. But, honestly, she couldn't even say she felt much at all, other than a gnawing sadness buried deep inside her, one she was too afraid to unpack.

But, there was some good in it—actually, a lot of good. She made friends, something that had always felt out of reach during her time at public school, where being the daughter of a man who was slowly losing his grip on reality had made her an outsider. Kids at her old school didn't know what to do with her, and, to be honest, she didn't really know what to do with them. But here, at Wilderness Boarding School, things were different. The students had their own struggles—broken homes, rough pasts—and it felt easier, almost normal, to be someone who was just a little messed up. In fact, it was expected.

Her first friend had been Piper McLean, her roommate. Piper, who could have graced any magazine cover with her effortless beauty, yet preferred to avoid the spotlight. Savannah couldn't help but admire her—she was kind in a way that made Savannah feel seen, a little less invisible. They'd quickly fallen into a quiet sort of camaraderie, the kind only two people who have lived through their own kind of chaos can share. But what really made Savannah smile was Piper's ability to be fierce when needed, especially when it came to standing up to the girl down the hall who tried her hardest to make their lives miserable.

Then came Leo Valdez.

Their friendship had clicked from the start, even if Savannah wasn't the most skilled at building things—something Leo was practically obsessed with. But it didn't matter to him. He saw her as someone worth talking to, someone who wasn't a lost cause like a lot of the other kids might have thought. His confidence was overwhelming, but in a way that made her feel warm inside, even if she was still a little self-conscious about the way she shrank away from people sometimes. He called them "the two lovely ladies," though, honestly, Savannah could never decide if he really meant it or if it was just another one of his goofy ways to flirt with life. He wasn't a natural at the lady-killer thing, but what he lacked in suave, he made up for in comedy—and Savannah couldn't help but love how he made her laugh when everything else felt heavy.

Jason Grace was a recent addition to their collection. At first, Savannah didn't see how he fit into their dysfunctional group as he just seemed a little too perfect even with the scar on his lip. But he didn't know his father and that seemed to be enough for Piper and Leo to invite him in. Eventually, he grew into a rather doting older brother ( to Savannah, mind you ).