Novels by Tahlie James

It’s raining marshmallows. They’re just falling from the sky; pink, yellow, white and green.Okay, Mike is just emptying the contents of the candy packet onto the grass above our heads. Vicky squeals and shrieks, a mixture of grief and anger on her face. She had brought a candy pack from home, and Mike, who is against any sort of junkies, just spilled out its contents. “You…you imbecile! Wicked, cruel, monstrous, candy-throwing--” Vicky doesn’t usually get angry or insult someone, so this is humourous. “Hey, hey. I’m just watching out for your health, unlike the redhead here who claims to be one of your best friends. You should be grateful.” I smack his hand. “How can you be so heartless?” Vicky pouts. “Candy doesn’t work for Mike Andrews.” He says smugly. “Didn’t you love it as a child?”“Never had any.”“Never had any what? Candy or child--”“Candy! Gosh, Vicky! You think I’d have children?”“Well, you must have had one hell of a childhood.” “Which would explain why…” I tune

Chapter 02[Two years later]“Eh tu, Brute?” I suggest to Mia, and she scribbles it down on the sheet of paper. We are both doing literature and we have a test coming up. Let’s just say memorizing all those quotes isn’t really easy. Vicky groans. “Enough already”, Cameron complains. I giggle and give Mia a knowing look, and we both put our books aside. It’s Saturday, and the boys have basketball practice. We decided to tag along and sit on the bleachers, having some girl time. And by ‘we’, I mean me, Mia, Vic and Cammy. I’m not the biggest fan of introductions, but I consider this necessary:Mia aka Marissa Stephanopolis is my best friend. I met her in ninth grade, which was after I had met Cam and Vicky. Mia has curly chestnut hair that is quite as rebellious as she is, with dark eyes and olive-toned skin in addition to an amazing figure that I envy very much. She is a very unusual kind of pretty. You couldn’t describe it, but you were drawn to her. It’s like each feature of hers p

Chapter 01[One month later]I'm in the school's reception, all alone, waiting for the headmistress to take me to my new class.I feel like a little kitten just let out into the jungle that is crawling with all the big wild cats. I'm scared, nervous, and I don't know if my imagination is getting the better of me -- but the guys here seem bigger, tougher, and scarier. I keep my eyes fixed on my palms and just sit there, hoping for the day to end and for me to get home quick.But this is not home, a voice in my head says, and I push the thought away.Daddy dropped me off before going to work and I wish my mum is here. It’d be nice to hold her hand tightly and listen to her tell me that everything is going to be okay. But she didn’t bother. She was sleepy and she wanted to sleep in late today. Guess her daughter’s first day in a new school doesn’t really account for something worthy of sacrificing her sleep. Sigh. It doesn’t matter I guess. Some things will just never change, sad as that

PROLOGUE Have clouds ever reminded you of cotton candy?Because that is what goes through my mind as I look through the glass at the calm, beautiful blue that we call the sky. The white fluffy clouds look so delicate, and I smile, thinking of the delicious, sticky, sweet candy that I love - the candy I'd grown up eating...in the place that I'd grown up in.And just like that, the smile fades. The place I’d grown up in... It echoes in my head.I hug myself tighter and force the tears away. Leaning back into the seat, I look around the isle; Mum, daddy, and my little brother are sitting two rows behind me on the right side, while I’m on the left. The seat next to me is empty and the seat next to that is occupied by a man who I presume must be in his midfourties. I have the seat next to the window, and I couldn't be more thankful; it gives me a perfect view of the sky, nothing but a peaceful exapnse of blue that slowly begins to lull me to sleep... Ouch! I wake up wincing and squinting