PROLOGUE
When Chloe Westwood’s family moved to Silverpine, Oregon, she thought starting over might mean a fresh beginning. But Silverpine Middle School felt like its own battlefield—crowded hallways and unfamiliar faces made it seem like a giant reminder that she was the new girl. After only a week, the weight of it all had pushed her into the one place she hoped no one would find her: the girls’ restroom.
The bathroom tiles were cold beneath her sneakers, and the sound of her own sniffles echoed far too loudly. Chloe hated how she was crying right there and then, annoyed with herself for being so weak. And crying in a bathroom stall, of all places. She needed to compose herself, fast. If anyone walked in, it would be evidence of how she was a total wimp—that was the last thing she needed.
Out of nowhere, the door began to creak. There was a pause that felt like forever as Chloe heard footsteps, and she covered her mouth to stop herself from releasing any sobs. She heard water running.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t contain the sniffles any longer, and so she let it out just as the water stopped.
Dammit, she thought.
“Hello?” this girl called softly. No reply from Chloe, even though she was totally heard. The girl on the other side of the door knew perfectly that there was someone else in the bathroom with her.
“I heard you, it’s okay…”
She froze, holding her breath. Maybe they’d leave if she kept completely quiet. But then—
A tissue slid under the stall door.
“Look, you don’t have to come out, but no one deserves to cry alone.”
Chloe felt touched; after such a horrible first week in school, she actually felt… seen.
“I’m fine,” Chloe said, and proceeded to grab the tissue to wipe her tears.
“I believe you,” this sweet girl said, though of course she didn’t. You don’t hear a crying person in a school’s bathroom and believe they’re okay; something obviously happened.
Chloe stayed quiet for a few seconds, clutching the tissue tightly as if it were some lifeline. Then, slowly, she pushed open the stall door, just enough to see who this nice person was on the other side.
The girl waiting for her was leaning against the sink, her arms crossed loosely, her expression soft rather than curious.
“Rough day?” she asked, offering a genuine smile.
Chloe hesitated. Her first instinct was to say no, to swallow everything down like she always did. But her throat ached from holding back. “Rough week,” she admitted finally.
The girl nodded, like she understood more than Chloe wanted to explain. “Yeah, Middle school likes to eat people alive,” she said. “My first day here, I cried too.”
Chloe blinked. “Really?”
“Mhm. Except I was hiding in the janitor’s closet, because I thought it was an empty storage room. He found me bawling my eyes out on a bucket of mop water.”
Despite herself, Chloe let out a half-snort, half-laugh. “No way.”
“Oh, way.” The girl grinned. “I’m pretty sure he still tells that story; it’s a classic.”
Chloe laughed. She actually laughed. It wasn’t much, but it felt strange and good to laugh after all the crying. Almost as if she forgot how to feel at ease.
The girl grinned, pleased with herself. “There it is. Much better.” She extended her hand. “I’m Savannah.”
Chloe stared at her hand, then shook it cautiously. “Chloe.” Her palms were damp because of all the crying, but Savannah didn’t flinch.
“So, where are you from? You’re obviously new.”
Chloe wiped her nose with the overly damp tissue one more time before throwing it in the trash can. She proceeded to wash her face as Savannah waited patiently for her response, now leaning casually against a stall’s door, staring at Chloe through the reflection of the mirror.
“Seattle,” she replied simply as she dried her face.
Savannah grins cheekily, “Oh, city girl, no wonder the tears.” Chloe chuckles, silently agreeing with her possible new friend—well, she hoped for it, anyway. This Savannah girl seems nice enough to at least have someone to say hello to when she walks by with a food tray in the cafeteria.
“Well, Chloe,” she said after a moment of silence, “good news—you’ve officially survived your first bathroom meltdown, something almost everyone has at least once. The bad news is… you’re stuck with me. I can’t just not call you my friend now.”
And that was the beginning of everything, really.
The beginning of all the ups and downs.
The beginning of laughter and crying-on-the-shoulder moments.
The beginning of first crushes, kisses, boyfriends, and then gossiping about it for two hours over the phone.
Most importantly, the beginning of a nice and healthy friendship between two girls who never realized when they both arrived at school that morning that they would find one another.
But life is unexpected and sometimes tests you in ways that you never even thought would be possible.
This is the story of what she left behind.
What did she leave, you might wonder: tears, broken hearts, and good memories. Yes, all of that. But she also left a girl—almost like a sister—desperate to find meaning in why things happen the way they do.
Was it to learn a valuable lesson, or because the universe is a nasty bitch?
