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Prologue

McKenna

Seven years old

I grip the rope ladder as I clih and itchy underhide and seek, and he was supposed to count to one hundred, but he skipped I heard hiedat all

Making it into the treehouse, I seewith before her brother, Rip, and his stupid friend, Corbin, convinced us to play tag with them Who wants to play hide and seek when you can play with Barbies?

We were getting ready to have a wedding Lara dress Standing the two side by side, I start the wedding I don’t need Laramie for this I can have fun on my own

Walking the two next to each other across the floor of the treehouse, I stop just beside the other Barbie set up to be the preacher Every wedding needs a preacher That’s how they have it on TV

“Dearly beloved,” I say in a man’s voice ’Cause the one I see on TV on thatmarried today,” I say in the same voice

“McKenna! You up there?”

I freeze when I hear Rip’s voice I don’t want to play with them I want to play up here “Go away”

I start again “Dearly beloved,” I say just as Rip’s head appears through the hole in the floor

“What are you doing, Kenna?” he asks His head tilts to the side, and it’s the sa Rip’s the only one who ever calls me Kenna Everyone else calls me Mac

“Playing”

“I can see that Why aren’t you playing with us?” he asks as he climbs the rest of the way into the treehouse

Rip is older than me by two years His sister is my best friend, and she’s seven like me “Because stupid Corbin cheated He didn’t count all the way, and I was still hiding”

“Co it” He tries to coax me

“No Ken and Barbie are getting ain, “Dearly beloved—” only for him to stop me

“I’ll play with you,” he says, reaching for Ken

“No Boys can’t play Barbies” I reach for Ken but Rip moves so fast that I can’t

“Can too,” he counters

“No This is girls only”

“You’re in my treehouse”

“It’s Laramie’s too, and she’s my best friend”