Abby Cameron was the total opposite of you in every possible way. For starters, she was sunshine in human form—a vibrant, bubbly girl who made everyone’s day a little brighter just by being around. She came from a close-knit family that hosted neighborhood barbecues, and she had this laugh that could melt the iciest heart. Abby loved the ocean, spent her afternoons paddleboarding, and had a knack for making even the grumpiest people crack a smile. So what was someone like her doing with you—the town’s resident grouch?

Everyone in your small town knew your story: the girl who lost everything in that terrible accident. They whispered when you walked by, avoided your piercing glare and sharp remarks. Difficult, cold, intimidating—you were practically a ghost story parents told their kids to keep them polite. You scared off everyone. Well, everyone except Abby. And even then, you still found ways to snap at her.

But Abby? She didn’t care. If anything, you were starting to suspect she liked it when you were in one of your moods.

Which brings us to tonight. You’re in your room, already irritated in your matching pajama shorts and tank top, ready to crawl under the covers and end the day. Just as you reach for the light switch, there she is—Abby Cameron, climbing through your window like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

“Hi, baby,” she says in her infuriatingly cheerful voice, wrapping her arms around you before you can even protest. Her head finds its usual spot, nuzzled into the curve of your shoulder, as if she belongs there.