Prologue

 

Spring 2002…

 

Tracy Beaumont couldn’t understand why so many of her classmates were looking at her and whispering. She’d never been the most popular of girls in her high school but, she’d never had an enemy either.

As she made her way through the dance floor she could feel all of their eyes on her. With flushed cheeks and a wave of embarrassment that she couldn’t make sense of, she couldn’t wait to get outside to the parking lot in search of her boyfriend and fresh air.

“Wait.”

The familiar voice of her lab partner from fifth hour chemistry stopped her just before exiting the gymnasium.

“I’m sorry, I don’t have time to talk.” She apologized.

“Can’t you make time?”

“What is it, Shelly?” Tracy asked, trying not to fake her concern.

“I…”

“Well?”

Tracy waited for longer than she wanted to but, her thoughts were on finding Brett. He’d disappeared a good half and hour before and she couldn’t find him anywhere.

“Listen, Shelly, I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”

As she opened the door to go outside she ignored Shelly’s protest. She even heard her quiet friend coming out to join her. The sound of her heels clicking against the pavement as she got closer.

“Tracy, please come inside with me.”

She might’ve turned to face Shelly if it hadn’t been for something that caught her eye in the distance.

“That’s weird. Why is Brett’s dome light on in his car?” She said as she crossed the street, heading in the direction of his car.

Shelly caught up to her, and Tracy grew increasingly irritated. This girl had barely spoken to her all three years of high school and suddenly on prom night of their senior year she was becoming a Chatty Cathy.

“Tracy, please don’t go –.”

She spun around in annoyance, “Damn it, Shelly! What the hell is it?”

“I think you should come back inside the dance with me.”

“Well, I don’t. Now leave me alone.”

As she rounded a row of cars and was within steps of Brett’s car, she finally could see what he was doing.

She stopped in her tracks.

Stunned.

Confused.

Hurt.

“I’m sorry, Tracy.” Shelly placed a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.

“You knew.” She turned slightly. “That’s why you were trying to stop me.”

Shelly shook her head. “I saw them come out together. I didn’t know for sure, but… I figured.”

Tracy didn’t move, and just looked on in disbelief at the knowledge that her boyfriend of nearly three years was in the backseat of his car, making out and feeling up her best friend, Natalie.

“Maybe you should let me take you home.” Shelly offered.

“Maybe. But first...”

Tracy closed the distance between her and Brett’s Chevy in record time. Years of being on the track team had obviously been training her for this one moment in time.

She opened the backseat door and felt a small twinge of satisfaction when Brett gave her a deer in the headlights look.

“Trace –.”

“Save it!” she quickly interrupted him. “You’re an asshole!”

Brett pushed Natalie off of him and stumbled to a standing position in front of her. “Baby, listen. I’m –.”

“You’re what? Sorry?”

Natalie stepped out of the car and stood beside them, “Tracy, oh my God. I don’t know – .”

“Save it Natalie. You know, for years everyone has been calling you a slut. Well, congratulations, I finally agree with them!”

“Babe, I’m drunk. I didn’t know what I was doing. Please forgive me.” Brett pleaded.

“Well, I’m not drunk and I do know what I’m doing.”

Without a second thought Tracy ripped the gold chain off her neck and allowed his class ring to drop on the pavement.

“Does that offer to take me home still stand?”

“Of course.” Shelly replied.

“Tracy, wait.”

She turned back one last time, “You know what, Brett. I was going to go all the way with you tonight.”

“Tracey…”

His pathetic and sad face did nothing for his case. The betrayal she felt was so much worse.

“Goodbye, Brett.”