Dallas Boone Welcome to Big Bend—my nightmare and my home, all in one. I don’t fit in here. I don’t fit in anywhere. I’ve made so many mistakes. Over and over. Two of those mistakes haunt me. One being responsible for a friend losing his job and reputation in this town. And two, well, that one is even worse. I ruined so many lives with one stupid decision I barely even remember. And now I’m going to pay for it. Colt Howe Kensley. A place I never wanted to be again. But I had to come back home. My sister Chloe needs me, which is more important than escaping the town I grew up in. I’m here for two reasons and two reasons my sister and my nephew. I’ll make sure my nephew has a better life than I had. That his father is there for him, whether he wants to be or not. That’s my promise. I was so damn close to getting out of this town for good. Right in that red zone, I could see the goal, but then I got hit with a force I never saw coming. And that changed everything.

Benny Big Bend is my home. I love it here. I love everything about it. It’s my senior year, and I’m determined to have the best one yet. Of course, that’s when life gets confusing. I think I may have a little bit of a crush on my nemesis. Something I never saw coming. I just hope I can find a way to make him give me a chance because being together would make not only this year great, but this life of ours—absolutely epic. Rowan Benjamin McBride is the bane of my existence. He simply won’t quit—he never does. He’s too happy. Too confident. Too unafraid. I can’t let him get to me. He thinks we could be epic together, that us in a relationship would be some saving grace—a Hail Mary—a way to make this year and our lives the best they can be. But I’m not destined for happiness. I have to make him understand . . . It’s never going to happen.

Vaughn Montgomery High school is almost over, and I’m more than ready. Not because I don’t love Big Bend and everything here. Actually, I’m going to miss it quite a bit, but I’ll have my best friend by my side. With Austin, I’ll always be okay. Austin Pierce I’m keeping some pretty big secrets from my best friend. Secrets I’m not sure how much longer I can hold onto. Secrets that’ll likely destroy our friendship. Because he thinks we’re going to college together—but I just can’t do it. I can’t spend any more time with this lie. Big Bend may have been my beginning, but it never felt quite right. Something was always off—truly, I think it was my false start. Now it’s time to live my life with nothing but the truth.