Prologue
The moving truck sat outside the same house as it had just months before, but the feeling in the air felt different. Instead of something new and exciting, the atmosphere felt dark. Emmaline and Violet stood in the front yard, holding onto each other tightly, both sobbing. Their mothers, who were standing behind their respective daughters, saw two friends saying an emotional goodbye to each other. However, what the girls saw, was a 'see you later.' The plan was already in motion—Emmaline's plane ticket to New Orleans was already paid for and hiding under her mattress, along with she and Violet's bus tickets to North Carolina. Emmaline planned to sneak out of her bedroom window at midnight, catch a ride to the airport where she'd spend the night, and catch the first flight into Louisiana the next morning.
"Violet…" Vivien spoke, placing a gentle hand on her daughter's shoulder. Violet tried to shake her hand off. "Sweetheart, we have to go. We're going to miss our flight."
"Come on, Emmaline. Addy's waiting at home." Constance put her hand on Emmaline's arm and tried to pull her away. Emmaline knew they had to keep up the charade, and that their parents still didn't know about their relationship, but she couldn't help herself. Even though it'd only be a couple of days until she'd see Violet again, it felt like it was already going by slowly. She pressed her lips to Violet's, kissing her deeply while their mothers tried to separate them. They finally succeeded, Vivien dragging Violet, who was practically kicking and screaming, to their taxi. Constance stood there with her arms wrapped around Emmaline.
"No!" Violet cried as her mother got her into the back seat of the cab. She looked out the back windshield, kissed her fingers and put them on her heart. Emmaline did the same, and as the taxi drove off, she collapsed, crying, in her mother's arms.