Page 1 of Last Boy

prologue

Poppy

With my knees pulled to my chest, I sit on the worn steps to my house. I watch Walker walk out onto his front lawn with the ratty duffel bag slung over his shoulder. He moves like a zombie, never looking my way. Not even once. Unlike his older sister, Briar, who gives me a sad look and a pathetic, tiny wave.

Despite how Walker might feel right now, I’m not naive enough to believe that what is happening to them is completely my fault. It’s not. But can I blame him for being upset with me right now? No, I suppose I can’t. After all, my father sold his parents the drugs that ended their lives, leaving their children orphans. So, now, he and Briar have to move away and live with their estranged uncle.

But that wasn’t the straw that broke the camel’s back and made him not want to look at me. That is my fault. Because when it came time for me to tell the police that it was my father who had sold them the lethal drugs, I lied and said I knew nothing. I had to. It was the only way to keep my brother Jake safe.

Jake is my hero. And even as unfair as this is, as a kid with Down syndrome, he’s already dealt with enough shit from society treating him differently.

If I had told the truth, my father would have gone to jail, forcing me and my brothers into foster care. If we’re separated, that means I won’t be around for Jake to be his advocate and help him the way he always helps me.

In Walker’s mind, I betrayed him out of loyalty to my father. That can’t be further from the truth. As far as I’m concerned, Ron Wilson could keel over and die tomorrow, and I’d be fine. But Jake deserves more. And us being split apart isn’t going to get him that.

But protecting my oldest brother means losing Walker and Briar as friends. It doesn’t matter that Van—my twin brother—Jake, and I consider Walker and Briar to be our best friends, practically family since we were young kids. We were all out roaming the neighborhood while other kids our age weren’t allowed outside without supervision.

It didn’t even matter that we had all vowed to always have each other’s back. When something as catastrophic as this happens…all that shit goes out the window because there’s always someone to blame. And as far as Walker is concerned, that someone is me. I think he thought, between Van and me, I’d never go against him. I never planned to either.

He and his sister are being ripped away from all they’ve ever known, and now that they are going to live with their rich uncle, they will no longer be referred to as kids from the wrong side of the tracks. Will my brothers and I go on to carry that title? Of course we will. We’ll never get out of this hellhole. But the five of us—the poor kids of Sunset Drive—are no longer each other’s family.

And despite having my brothers still, I’ve never felt more alone in my entire life.

Briar is a year older than Walker. And she’s the sweetest human being I have ever met. She thinks everything has a silver lining. Her whole life, she’s brightened up this shithole street with just her smile and enchanting personality. She began taking homemade cards from door to door when she was eight, and then her cards became baked goods. But she’s also fiercely protective of her loved ones. And she’s got to be one of the smartest people I’ve ever known. Not just book smart, but street smart too.

Me? Well, I’ve been in love with Walker James since the first time he snuck in through my window at age ten because he couldn’t sleep. He was too worried that some of the rough characters my father had at our house would hurt me. That was five years ago now, but it seems like ages ago because we’ve been through so much since that night.

His parents were drug addicts, but they would never let anyone hurt their children—unlike our dad, who only cares about himself and his drugs.

Though I can’t see who’s inside the car because of the deeply tinted windows, I watch as Walker opens the door to the SUV, and for a moment, he stands still, staring straight ahead, like he’s rooted in place. I hold my breath.

Maybe, just maybe…he’ll look my way. Just one last time, telling me that he still cares despite what he said last night when he told me I was dead to him.

Any hope I have is taken away from me when he climbs into the seat and slams the door shut behind him. My heart hurts more. I never thought that was possible.

When the car starts to drive away, I consider leaping up and chasing it. It isn’t who I am as a person. I’ve never been one to wear my heart on my sleeve; instead, I keep it hidden from the world. When you keep your heart locked away, it’s safe from injury. At least, that’s what I’ve always thought.

Today…I’m learning that my heart can be hurt either way.

My foot bounces as the car pulls away from the curb and inches farther down Sunset Drive. Soon, he’ll be gone forever. He will move on with his life with his rich uncle—whoever this mystery uncle is. He’ll forget about me. So will Briar.

My feet push my body from the ground, and before my brain can tell me to stop, I’m running on the sidewalk behind the car. When I finally get next to the car, I reach out and slap the dark window, and the car stops abruptly.

Walker swings his door open, his eyes angry as he leaps from the backseat.

“What the hell are you doing, Poppy? Are you trying to get run over?” He stops a mere inch in front of my feet, glaring. “Huh?”

There are so many things I want to say to him. Briar too. After all, she’s one of my best friends. But Walker? I’m in love with him. Desperately, wholly, unendingly…in love. And as cheesy as it sounds…he’s my soulmate. I’ve known that since the second we locked eyes.

Because when you can look at someone and exchange words without ever opening your mouth…you know that your souls are intertwined.

“I’m sorry,” I cry out. “I’m so sorry, Walker.”

“I will never forgive you for what you did.” His voice is low, and his blue eyes darken. He looks at me in a way he never has before. “You could have given my parents justice by telling the truth about your old man. Instead, you chose to stand with your own blood even though he’s a murderer.” He inhales, his nostrils flaring. “Go to hell, Poppy. You’re dead to me.”

He begins to turn away, but I grab his hand.

“Don’t go! Please,” I sob. “You don’t understand! I had no—”

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