Mia Evian has to piece together the mystery of Zack Maddox, the bad boy whose life she saved, while simultaneously keeping her own crumbling life together before Zack ends up in trouble again - or worse yet, dead.
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I wake to rap music. It takes a while for my mind to properly surface as thoughts, feelings and memories swarm my head, and it takes me even longer to realise where I am. I'm still at Preston's squat. I don't remember leaving it, anyway. I open my eyes, but I can't see anything except white because I'm wrapped up in a bundle of blankets, as if I'm floating on clouds spritzed with aftershave. Once I manage to sit up, I'm momentarily blinded by the sunlight streaming through the room's windows, and I can't help but desire the candlelight from last night to return.
I recognise the rap song as a Kanye West one just as I recognise Preston's figure above me. He hands me a glass of something clear. Water, I assume.
'What time is it?' I ask, still a little dazed. 'How long have I been asleep?'
He bites a chunk out of an apple in his hand as he sits onto the floor next to me. 'Well, you slept the whole night through, and it's now approximately.' He pauses as he glances down to his phone. 'Quarter to one in the afternoon.'
I widen my eyes. Is he serious? I'm all for a Sunday lie in, but bloody hell, I've been asleep so long that I've basically died and resurrected. I take a sip of the water Preston handed me as I sit up, and it clears my mind as it clears my throat. With the clarity come the questions. Has Dad tried contacting me? Where's Matty gone? Is he home? Does Mum know I ran out on Dad? Will I go home to find Gwen in the house? I begin with the only question Preston can answer.
'Has Matty left?'
He leans back and places his elbows onto the floor behind him for support. He nods. 'I drove him home when you were asleep last night.'
'You drive?' I ask before he can continue.
The first time I visited what I originally thought was Preston's house, he was walking home from college. Since then I've assumed he can't drive, or at least that he doesn't have a car. In fact, how on earth could he afford to keep a car? Per usual, Preston catches onto my confusion.
'I share a car with Robbie. He has it the majority of the time, but I'm insured on it. I help towards its MOT's and petrol, so he lets me use it occasionally. I have it for the weekend.'
I nod slowly. I guess that makes sense. But then let's face it: it's Preston, and nobody knows when the hell Preston's being completely honest. I don't even think he knows himself.
I take another gulp of water as I scramble around the mattress for my phone, and find a text from Dad. I have four missed calls from him too, and as I stare at his name on the screen in front of me, all I can think about is how I don't want to go back home and face him. Not yet. As I'm texting him back, a message from Mum comes through. I haven't seen her in days.
'We're in Miskin Street, right?' I ask Preston as he stands up. He nods. 'D'you know how far Roath is from here? My mum's staying with a friend there, so I was thinking I might go and see her.'
