#Chapter 39: Handling the Extras

Abigail's POV The playground was my kingdom, a place where the swings soared higher than the clouds and the slides were steep enough to make my stomach flip with excitement. The sun was shining so brightly that everything looked like it was made of gold, and the air smelled like fresh grass and the faintest hint of chocolate from the ice cream truck that was parked just beyond the school gates. I was running around with a few of the girls from my class—Emma, Lucy, and little Mia—playing tag and giggling like we always did at recess. Normally, Owen and I would be playing on his laptop—he always had so many games to choose from! But today, the sun was calling, and Owen had been a little down ever since staying with us. The ground was warm beneath my bare feet, the dirt soft and squishy between my toes. I could feel the wind rushing through my hair, my ponytail flying behind me as I ran faster and faster, pretending I was a race car or a rocket ship. Everything was so fun,