Prologue
January 18, 1999
William Further just had the best day of his life. Sure, he might get in trouble
for skipping school. But it was worth it.
She was worth it.
Casey Harlow was worth it.
He had dropped her off at school to get her car after spending the morning at
Manny’s Diner and seeing a movie. William couldn't even remember the movie they had
watched less than an hour ago, still riding the thrill of the day.
How had he never met her before? He wondered. It wasn’t a huge school. They were in
the same grade. He wondered what else he had been missing by not paying attention
to his surroundings.
He looked at the passenger seat. Less than ten minutes ago, the most beautiful girl
he had ever seen sat in that seat. And she seemed to have a good time with him.
William, still getting over his grandfather’s death from two weeks ago, didn’t
think that he would have been able to move on from that grief. He didn’t expect to
feel it for the rest of his life but he thought that at least for a few months,
maybe a year, that everything he did would kind of be tainted by his grandfather’s
absence.