Not Even A Cat (To Hold On To)

Fourteen year-old Frankie Ryan’s life has become a crazy juggling act: lying to the two older brothers who are her guardians, hiding bruises, pushing her friends away. And, oh, also: pretending she’s not a type 1 diabetic who needs insulin to, you know, stay alive. All to keep her superstar boyfriend Kyle interested.

Her life’s like a minefield, too. If her brothers find out she’s dating, they’ll probably decide they’ve had enough of the guardianship thing and send her to foster care. Then there’s a planned trip to see relatives in California that could become permanent. And the dates with Kyle where she fudges on insulin and messes up her blood sugars. (Let’s just say not good, okay?) Girlfriends who are getting suspicious and might tell. Kyle wants sex -- of course he does -- so that’s not a question of if, just when. And yes, Kyle also sometimes gets angry and holds her too hard, and sometimes he twists her arm until it leaves bruises. But those are just accidents, right? Nobody’s perfect, after all. And deciding to be with him makes Frankie feel glamorous and like she’s finally running her own life. Why would she want to lose that? And if it costs a few things – little ones, you know, like her health and her home – it’s totally worth it, isn’t it?

Some strong language.