prologue.
I've been told that this is a natural thing, not something I should be afraid of or hate myself for. That, perhaps, this whole mess is not my fault.
But then again, I've been blamed countless times for what happened; insults thrown at me on the streets, articles all over the internet, heaping piles of hate mail outside my door. It's all out there for the world to see: private information about me, my life, and my whereabouts. Personal things that before the accident I hadn't told a soul, except Edward, of course.
My grandmother Sadie remains to be the only person who has truly stuck with me throughout all of this. And Edward, but he can only come in later in my story.
Today I go on trial in front of the whole world, everyone with their eyes trained on me. For someone who has never liked the spotlight, this ought to be more than terrifying. I ought to be incredibly nervous, with my stomach all in knots, my palms all sweaty, and all that. Perhaps I'm not all that I ought to be because I know, deep down inside of me that I am the right person in this case. That I can blame myself all that I want to, but there was nothing I could do. You could probably go so far as to call it fate. It's almost comical, if you pause to think about it: young girl from small town brings down the most corrupt regime in history all because of love. It sounds like a title from a comic book about super heroes, or something. But you must understand that I am truly an ordinary girl, currently of eighteen. Yes, you've probably read other books in which heroines start off by saying this as well, but I promise you this: it could've happened to anyone. Just keep reading, and you'll see.