Sydney
My dad used to tell me I was a strong child.
He said I endured a lot alongside him when we first moved to Newston when I was a year old. For most of my life, I believed him. I tried to see everything through that lens.
And when I arrived at Lakeview, Mom looked me straight in the eye and told me I was different—special.
She said nothing was wrong with me. That everything that came my way wasn’t meant to pull me down, but to make me stronger.
I really wished I’d asked Mom to explain what she meant by that.
Because what on earth was the reason for the universe to pair me with Dean?
As in Dean, the loudest, most annoying player on Lakeview’s basketball team?!
To make me stronger?
I sighed.
All I could do was bury my face in my palm and swallow a scream as my name left the t
