placed it on my finger. The students who had witnessed our display began to clap as Parker swung me around and kissed me, his enthusiasm apparent to everyone around us.
“I love you,” he said with a grin, staring deep in my eyes. “With everything I am.”
“I love you, too,” I whispered back.
HERE’S A SNEAK PEAK INTO ISSY’S WORLD
SHACKLED LILY
JULY 2013
PROLOGUE
They say downing is a euphoric experience; one where the victim feels complete serenity before death finally takes them. They may be right.
The expanse around me felt airy as it gracefully kept my body suspended. I opened my heavy eyes to look through the nothingness and could see the water’s surface above me, ripples gliding in rhythm as my father’s face sat distorted by the movement of the water. I reached up for him, but my limbs refused to move. Water…there was so much water. It paralyzed my movement, making me panic until I realized I could still breathe.
My hand suddenly felt warm. Was someone with me? I couldn’t see my father’s face anymore as I sunk deeper and deeper into the depths. The waves echoed in my ears, enticing me to close my eyes and let go, but I didn’t want to sleep…too many dreams…too much pain. I had buried all of them so far below the surface and now I was trapped there, forced to relive them all over again.
1. MEMORIES
Seven Years Earlier…
I kissed my father’s cheek as I slid out of the passenger side of his black Mercedes. “Bye Daddy!” I beamed, sending him a small wave.
“Don’t forget about dinner. I’ll be here at six sharp to pick you up. I have a big surprise for you tonight.” He seemed excited and my heart soared at the prospect. “Be sure to wear your new shoes,” he continued with a wink.
“Of course! I don’t plan to ever take these off,” I giggled as I admired my new present. They were the first pair of heels I had been allowed to wear…a gift saved for my thirteenth birthday. The high-end shoes had cost a small fortune, but Daddy said it was worth it to see the smile on my face. Jessica would be insanely jealous when I wore them to school on Monday, and I grinned knowing I would enjoy every second of it. Maybe Tucker Murphy would notice them too and finally ask me to the spring dance in two weeks. He had been hanging around my locker lately and I was sure he intentionally ran his fingers over my bottom, although he claimed it was an accident.
“Happy birthday, sweetie, I’ll see you tonight,” my dad called through his open window as he headed down the drive.
I couldn’t wait until tonight! Daddy had been hinting to his big surprise all day and I was sure he was going to tell me that him and my mom were getting back together. He had been coming over several days a week for the last month and Mom even started getting that sparkle back in her eyes. This morning when he picked me up, they had retreated to her bedroom for over an hour, and her face had been flushed when they came out. I may be young, but I was old enough to know that was a good sign.
“Mom!” I called as I shut the front door. “Where are you? You have to see my new shoes!” She wasn’t in the living room where she usually sat reading a book, nor was she out in the backyard working on the garden. I ran upstairs to my room and threw the rest of my bags on the bed. The pink flower pattern clashed with the blue from my bags and I noticed how clean my room looked. Mom must have been in there this morning because everything was perfectly in order, right down to my fuzzy pink and purple rug that had earlier been covered with the latest Teen magazines.
“Mom!” I yelled again, running down the stairs. She hated when I yelled across the house, but I didn’t care. I was irritated with her. Not only was she not waiting for me when I got home, but she had been in my room when I specifically asked her not to go in there.
I stormed though her bedroom door and took note of her pristinely made bed. Fresh flowers had also been cut and placed in every available vase around her room. Wow, she really must have been in a cleaning mood this