Page 133 of Forbidden Game

But I smile as I continue driving along the dark road. I have a few good friends in high school, mainly the other students in Yearbook, but I’m not close to anyone like I am with Carson and Dad. Not even my boyfriend, whom I am planning to break up before we leave for college.

Carson is probably my best friend. I don’t care that that is the truth. My family is the best, even if they think I am a little high-strung.

I am just glad that Carson came home for Easter this year. He loves his work and rarely leaves California to come back to Missouri. I am determined to join him out there once I graduate college. Maybe I could even get a job at the same company.

“You know, Vince is taking me to prom, and we’re going to this fancy lake house for prom weekend. So, I am living, thank you very much.”

“Ooooo.” He waggles his eyebrows. “Just make sure he wraps it. I can even get you some if you need.”

“Seriously, C?” My face heats, and I keep all my focus on the road in front of me.

“I won’t tell Dad.” He pokes my arm, but then his tone sobers. “I’m serious, S. Have fun. I told you, I’ve got you and Dad. You don’t need to spend all your time working and studying. It’s your senior year. You have to live for yourself, Syd. No one else is going to do it for you. We can’t be perfect. You can’t be perfect. Something is always going to go wrong, so just embrace what you can. No regrets.”

“And you should be living your life, not sending half your money to us.” I level him with the same serious tone.

“Trust me, I live my life plenty.”

He chuckles and rolls down the window. Out of my peripheral, I see him throw an arm out the window. The chill night breeze fills the car.

When I roll to a stop at the next light, I poke him back. “Love you.”

He looks at me with a silly smile and reaches out to ruffle my short blonde hair. “Love you, too. No regrets, okay?”

“No regrets.” I grin.

A beep behind me signals the light change. I turn back to the road and start rolling through the intersection.

“Sydney!”

Carson’s panicked yell is the only warning I have before the car starts spinning.

Everything moves fast and slow.

I don’t understand what’s going on. The world seems to endlessly swirl around me before coming to an abrupt stop. My body jerks with the force, and my vision blurs. Everything hurts. My head is pounding, and I slowly realize we were just hit. I can’t see, everything is fading around me. I force my eyes to stay open, and make my head turn to look at my brother.

A guttural scream leaves my throat, and then the pain takes me under.

***

My eyes fly open.

There’s a loud, quick beeping around me. Panic wracks my body as I take in the pristine white walls. My eyes flick to the IV in my hand and the hospital bed I’m resting on.

No.

No. No. No.

The sound of a door opening has my head swiveling.

My dad drops the coffee in his hand, and it splashes all over the white tiles as races toward me. Tears fill his eyes as he grips my hand lightly.

“Bug?”

“Carson?” I croak.

His eyes soften with sadness and then bleed with worry.

“Sydney,” he says tentatively. “How old are you?”

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