Prologue

A Year Earlier...

Danny Desai sat at the kitchen table of his childhood home and stared at the television. He was no longer watching or listening; his thoughts were elsewhere. Everywhere was more like it. Yours would be too if you'd just watched your used-to-be best friend humiliate you on television for the entire town to see. Of all people, Lacey Porter was the last person he ever expected to say something so hurtful.

"If it were my choice, I wouldn't let that socio anywhere near my school."

Growing up, Lacey was the easygoing one of the trio; Danny being the brave and funny one; and Jo being kind and forgiving. But of course, Lacey was only human and it's not like he were there to see how the five years had changed her. He didn't blame her and he definitely wouldn't blame Jo. He could only imagine what life was like for them after he went away. And after hearing through the grapevine- the grapevine being Karen- that the two of them weren't close anymore, Danny felt even worst. The three of them had been joined at the hip since birth and the fact that he'd ruined that close bond would haunt him for the rest of his days. As if he needed another regret added to his long list.

"Danny?" he turned to see his mother give him a sympathetic look. "Are you okay?" she asked.

Lacey wasn't the only one that had changed in past five years. Since his time in juvie, Danny hasn't been the same. Although he was somewhat fully reformed, he also learned how to be a delinquent. Not that he was proud of that fact, but when you spend five years around criminals, you pick up a few things and if you practice enough, you might become a professional. Like how to be a professional liar.

"I'm fine mother," he lied. The sparkle in her eyes reappeared and so did the bounce in her step. He briefly wondered why it was so easy to fool her.

"Good. Now hurry up. You'll be late for school." she smiled before leaving, but Danny didn't move from his seat. He remembered what juvie was like without friends and even though this was only high school, it wouldn't be easy without any. Grabbing his backpack, he jumped from the kitchen stool and hurried out the house before he could change his mind. Hopefully, his idea wouldn't fail too hard.

Walking up to the familiar house, his heart pounded harder. It was exactly the same as he'd remembered and gave him some reassurance that maybe the girl inside was too. The door opened before he could knock and out stepped the familiar face that was Chief Masterson. The nervousness was apparent but Danny's infamous charm turned on as if automatic.

"Chief Masterson, good to see you again," Danny offered out his hand but quickly pulled it away when it was clear it wasn't being accepted. "Jo home?" he asked causally.

"Jo doesn't want to see you so I suggest you leave." his intense gaze never left Danny's face. He wasn't head of the town's police department for nothing. Being in juvie, you learn to defend yourself and how not to get intimidated by a threatening gaze, but when you face Chief Masterson you wonder why you were ever scared. His ferocious stare made those amateur delinquents look like kittens. But Danny wasn't backing down so easily.

"I just want to talk to her. If I could hear from her that she doesn't want to see me I'll leave. I swear." he pleaded. Chief Masterson took a step forward.

"You're going to leave anyways. Jo doesn't want to be you friend and after what you put her through, I can't believe you'd even ask." The door slammed close and Danny was left standing alone on the porch. He still didn't blame Jo but that doesn't mean it didn't hurt any less.

What was he to do now? The entire town hated him and so did his best friends; If Jo couldn't forgive him, surely no one else would.

The walk home gave him time to think. About the things he'd done and the lives he's ruined. Jo and Lacey were no longer friends, his parents were divorced and can't stand to be in the same state as each other let alone the same room and no one in town can look at him without giving him a disgusted look. He wasn't as dramatic as the teens you see on television. He wasn't going to start self-harm or even runaway. He doubted anyone besides his parents would even care and he'd do more harm to himself than getting any point across. Being on parole, he would just end up back in juvie. For what? Because no one would talk to him. Juvie may have been filled with liars and criminals but they were all right about one thing: you don't need friends. They're never forever and they'll only end up hurting you or getting you hurt in the long run. Danny was all alone in the world and if juvie taught him one thing, it was how to survive on your own. How to do whatever it takes to get by. If only he knew what it was he needed to survive.

Across the street a group of girls strutted by without noticing him. With high heels and even higher skirts, he recognized one of them. Lacey was surprising him at every turn today. At eleven years old, she was quite the tomboy. She climbed trees, scraped her knees and made her mother furious when she dirtied her best dresses playing in the yard. Eventually, Mrs. Porter stopped trying to make a girl out of her and let her be daddy's little slugger. Her converse were signature style. She mostly liked them because they were light and comfortable when she needed to beat someone in a race. Danny wondered if she still lived up to the name as the Forrest Gump in town. The expensive heels she wore said otherwise. He imagined Judy foaming at the mouth with mom joy when her little girl finally decided to be a girl.

He was pulled from his thoughts when the ass he was staring at was grabbed and it's owner released a playful shriek. Danny rolled his eyes at the cliche of jocks that crowded around the girls. Lacey wrapped her arms around one while the other two girls flirted with the others. There was a lot more groping and tongues involved before Danny finally moved from his spot and made his way home. He wasn't going to school today, but suddenly he knew exactly what it was he needed to do to survive in this town. He knew one thing... He'd need a lot of practice.

Well... What do you think?