The Places We Were Small

Alessandra never wanted this type of life Outside the broken walls of her house is a secret no one has ever spoken or heard about,bruises hidden under sleeves,belt straps across backs.In a world where praying her father dosen't come home drunk is the most normal thing,Alessandra learns early how to survive, how to shrink, and how to never let anyone get too close.

With the exception of Lorenzo.

Her next-door neighbor, the lopsided-grinned, dimple boy, has been watching her more consistently than ever before. From fence-line glances exchanged between them to picnics in back gardens,Lorenzo was basically raised alongside her. Alessandra is not aware, though, that when things all start to go downhill,somebody is watching-and that somebody is him.

What follows then completely turns everything around.

As Alessandra's world is taken apart and put back together by the strangers.Her daily routine consists of court,therapy,visits.She pushes away the very person who's always sought to protect her-without ever being told the whole truth about what he did.

Instead, she goes to him for comfort. Someone Lorenzo never imagined she would go to.

And in a moment, all of that-all those summers, all their shared secrets whispered-starts to unravel. Lorenzo feels he's lost her. Alessandra feels like he never cared.And neither of them realizes how far back into the past their future is being etched.

A but life isn't done with them yet.

Years later, when destiny crosses paths once again in the most unlikely way, Alessandra and Lorenzo are no longer children with scraped knees and stolen smiles. They're adults with scars. With guilt. With questions neither of them has had the heart to ask.

And maybe-just possibly- that bond never actually faded.