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PROLOGUE

ATTIKUS

I satwith my three classmates on the stage, looking down at the auditorium filled with students and teachers from my high school. My heart was pounding so loudly that I was afraid the audience would hear it. We were all waiting for the principal, Mr. Stephen Perry, to announce the winner of the Best Advertisement Competition, which was open to all high school students.

I was one of three finalists waiting patiently for Principal Perry to get on with his long speech. This year, The Cozy Family Restaurant needed someone to create artwork to help promote their new business. The winning artwork would be used on flyers and displayed on several billboards across the city. The monetary prize urged me to compete. Five hundred dollars in cash from the restaurant and three thousand dollars in scholarship funds from the Best Advertisement Competition, a nonprofit program run by my city’s Cultural Committee.

That money would help my family tremendously. My mom worked as a lunch lady at an elementary school, but she also occasionally took on side jobs. My dad was an auto mechanic. Mom’s schedule helped her stay home with me and my youngersister, Amelia, who was in eighth grade. If Amelia were in high school, she would’ve competed too. She was extremely talented.

I was a senior in high school, so I had to think about life after that. A college education and a part-time job would ease my family’s financial burden—mortgage, car payments, and insurance. Everything cost money. I was good at math and helped my parents balance their checkbooks.

“Attikus!” Ashton Lindor leaned into me, then whispered. “Prick. You got lucky.”

I narrowed my eyes at the high school bully, who was eighteen, three years older than I was. But we were both in the same grade. Thanks to my outstanding academic record and Mensa IQ test scores, I skipped a few grades.

I didn’t reply because saying anything back would give him and his friends, Bobby Cooney and Harry Sullivan, a reason to create more trouble for me. He and his friends were older and bigger than me, and they were known as TTB or The Three Blowhards. They came from wealthy families and didn’t do their homework. But somehow, they always got good grades.

“Attikus Mount.” Principal Perry looked at me and smiled.

Crap.I’d been daydreaming.

“Me?” I asked.

Laughter filled the room

“Yes,you. Is there anyone else named Attikus in this room?” Principal Perry waved me over. “You’re the winner! The Cozy Family Restaurant choseyourartwork for their promotion. Come get your certificate!”

Joy and excitement filled me. I stood from my seat, walked up to him, shook his hand, and took the certificate and the small envelope. I couldn’t wait to share the news with my mom. She’d be thrilled.

“The city will deliver the scholarship fund to you next week. The Cozy Family Restaurant will also join for a picture for thenewspaper.” He whispered in my ear. “That envelope contains the cash prize. The owners figured kids your age could use it for school supplies.”

“Thank you so much,” I smiled.

When I got to my locker, I peeked into the envelope and saw the five hundred dollars in cash. My heart raced with happiness. I should treat my family to dinner tonight. What would they want?

As I walked home, I felt like my life was changing for the better. I already had a full scholarship to a few colleges based on my grades and test scores. But I wanted to take a year off to work and help my mom. She didn’t want me to, though.

Out of nowhere, somebody jumped on my back and started punching me. I fell to the ground and scraped up my elbows. My vision got distorted from the shock and pain. Laughter erupted around me.

Ashton stepped into my view, with Bobby and Harry flanking him.

“Give me his backpack!” Ashton barked.

Bobby tried to yank the backpack off me, but I fought him.

“No!” I threw a punch that landed on his shoulder.

“Asshole!” Bobby, Ashton, and Harry attacked me at once.

I kicked and punched at everyone. Pain erupted in my body.

Ashton stepped on my wrist, and it cracked. Then he stomped on my knee and ankle while Bobby and Harry held me down. Bones cracked, and pain soared. Blood poured from my nose. My entire body hurt like hell. They continued to punch me, even though I barely fought back. My lips and eyes swelled. Noises sounded around me, but I was in too much pain to concentrate.

“Fucker!” Ashton threatened, wincing as he crouched beside me. “If you tell anyone about this, I’ll destroy your entire family. I know where you live. I know where your sister goes to schooland where your mother and father work.” He rose and told his friends, “I got the cash. Let’s eat.”

Anger, fear, and pain overwhelmed me.

“Hey!” someone shouted. “Help! Stop those boys!”