Book excerpt: Three young friends must rely on their connection to each other to weather tragic storms. Tabitha lost her freedom in high school when she hooked up with a boy who would impregnate her and make her his punching bag. Lisa is deemed “the strong one” by her friends, but her past of sexual abuse and pregnancy at the hands of her stepfather keeps her one second away from falling apart as the drama builds. Their younger friend, Shanice, is a hellion, ready and willing to let any boy have her just to get the affection she believes her mother has withheld. As their worlds spiral out of control, they cling fast to one another in the hope that love, friendship, and strength will keep them together and move them to a better place in their lives.