Prologue

            “Cal! Hurry up!” Cameron complained.

            “Brothers are so immune to hygiene,” Callie said coming down the stairs.

            “Well, sisters are so not immune to hygiene…” He sniffed, and said, “Eww! Or perfume!”

            “Is it that bad?” Callie asked sniffing the air. She didn’t think it smelled bad.

            “A little much, sis. It’s just a party,” he said rolling his eyes.

            “It’s not ‘just a party.’ It’s the party of the year. This is the biggest event I’ve ever been to.”    

            “Is it because of Anthony?” he asked.

            “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said. Liar, liar, pants on fire. So what? He doesn’t have to know everything! Anthony had broken her heart last month, yet she was still ‘helplessly’ ‘in love’ with him. 

            “Okay, Cal, whatever you say,” Cam said, not believing her at all.

            “Mom!” Callie yelled.

            “Coming,” her mom said coming down the stairs. 

            She dropped them off and called, “What time should I pick you up?”

            Cam was already rushing towards the door, so he yelled over his shoulder, “Around ten.”

            Not to be beat by her twin, Callie ran to catch up with him, telling her mom, “I’m staying at Tiff’s.”

            “Bye, have fun. I love you both.”

            “Bye, Mom,” they both said.

            “Hey, Cam, could you try not to stare at Tiff? It freaks her out.”

            “I can’t help that she’s hot,” she said smiling when she saw her shiver.

            “That’s sooooo gross!” Callie exclaimed.

            “It’s the truth,” Cam said knocking on the door.

            “That’s so not-” Callie stopped mid-sentence, when Anthony opened the door. He avoided her eyes. “Come on in,” he said opening the door wider.

            “Thanks, is Tiff here yet?” Callie asked not meeting his eyes.

            “Yeah, she’s out back.”

            “Thanks,” she said walking past him and out the back door. “Hey, Tiff, Mal…where’s Cass?”

            “She’s grounded,” Mallory said.

            “That sucks,” Callie said, knowing how mush Cassidy loved to party.

            “How are you, Cal?” Mallory asked, sounding like Dr. Phil to Callie.

            “I’m fine…Why?” she asked cautiously.

            “Oh, come on, Cal, we’re your best friends,” Mallory said.

            “You can’t fool us,” Tiffany added.

            “Okay, I’m still upset,” Callie conceded.

            “And bitter?” Tiffany hinted.

            “I guess,” Callie said grudgingly.

            “It’s not as bad as it seems, Cal,” Mallory said quietly.

            “Mal’s right, Cal. Anthony’s just a thirteen year old guy. He’s not perfect, just like you and us,” Tiffany said.

            “But I love-d him,” Callie said on the verge of tears.

            “I know, Cal. We all know,” Mallory said, trying to comfort Callie.

            “I still love him.”

            “Um, Callie?”

            Callie stiffened. Anthony! She turned around. “Yeah?” 

            “Um…that was your…dad on the phone. Your…um-mom…uh-she…” He cleared his throat and continued, “She’s in the hospital.”

            “W-What!?”

            “A drunk driver hit her. I’m sorry, Callie.”

          Callie went through the motions. She died before she got there. She didn’t suffer long…I didn’t tell her I loved her that day… The visitation and funeral passed in a blur. She knew that God loved her and her family, but why had He taken her mommy? She accepted the condolences, but she was disappointed, but not surprised, that Anthony didn’t talk to her or even look in her direction once.