Summary

Chapter 1

In Chapter 1, Maise wants to feel like an adult before she begins her senior year of high school. In her southern Illinois town, though, there is nothing to do but attend the carnival. Guys, mostly older, eye her long legs. She rides the merry-go-round before she faces the roller coaster, a source of fear. She is forced to get into the front car because all the others are full. A man sits in the car with her. She realizes he is very attractive. At the first drop, she and the man reach for each other’s hands at the same time.

When the ride is finished, the man asks Maise how old she is. She replies, as she usually does, that she is old enough. She tells him it matters only if she thinks he is a creep. She then suggests they ride...