“There’s something I have to get off my chest. Something I can’t shake.”
“No worries. I already figured out why you sent me down to the basement that night. It was to keep me safe.”
“That’s not what I meant.” His eyes held mine. “I did what I had to do. I wouldn’t change it.”
“What, then?”
“Your man, Ortiz. I met his sister once.”
“You did?”
He nodded. “The Reyes had her in this apartment. Place was a wreck. I saw her come out of the bedroom. I knew why she was there.” He hung his head, and I wasn’t sure if he would go on. “I was the newbie in the gang. I told myself that if I snitched, they’d know it was me. That’s how I explained it away. Self-preservation.”
I exhaled slowly. There was nothing I could say.
“Her eyes were so sad.” Manny looked down at his hands. “Some days I can hardly live with it, you know? But I’ve got a way to make it right. Or at least, make things better.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, afraid of the answer.
He lowered his voice to a whisper. “X told me what he and the Destinos are doing.”
“But Salazar’s dead.”
“Yeah, but there are others like him. Always will be. I wanted you to know that . . . that I’m gonna help.” Before I could begin to argue with him, he got up. “Keep in touch, okay?”
“Bet on it.” My mind still whirled from everything he’d said, but I gave him a hug.
He started to walk away, then he turned around. “If he disappoints you, I’ll be here. Don’t forget that.”
I nodded. “I won’t forget.” But I knew that Ortiz would never let me down.
By the time Ortiz showed up, the party was in overdrive. The walls and floors thumped. I was surprised that the cops hadn’t shut us down, but knowing Iz, she’d gone over to her neighbors’ earlier today with potted plants to soften them up.
It was too loud for talking, so we didn’t. Ortiz’s arm was around me, his hand settled in the curve of my waist. We watched Julia and Eric heat up the dance floor. They were a couple who, like us, had faced the fire—and had survived, stronger than ever.
More people came in. Iz cranked the music louder. She was all over the place, chatting, dancing, slinging drinks and spreading out food. It hit me that I missed her already—both those things I loved about her, and those things I didn’t love. Iz would never, ever be boring.
As I watched my friends, I realized how much I was going to miss them. Strange how I could feel sad and happy all at the same time.
Moving forward always means leaving something behind, I thought. I’ll miss you all. But I’ll be back.
Ortiz said into my ear, “Our future starts now.”
I looked up at him and smiled. He was right about that. Destiny was leading us in a new direction. And we were going there together.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A big thanks to my editor, Kari Sutherland, for her warmth and insight. And to the incredible team at HarperTeen, including Jen Klonsky, Alice Jerman, and the art department for the amazing cover.
Thanks to John Rudolph, my agent. You are awesome.
Hugs and high fives to the Firkin writers.
Not least, my loving family. I’m so lucky to have you.
BACK AD
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
PHOTO CREDIT ALAN DEAN PHOTOGRAPHY
ALLISON VAN DIEPEN is the author of Street Pharm, Snitch, Takedown, and other novels for teens. Her books have been named ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Readers and NYPL Books for the Teen Age. She lives with her family in Ottawa, Canada, where she also teaches high school. Visit her at www.allisonvandiepen.com.
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BOOKS BY ALLISON VAN DIEPEN
Street Pharm
Snitch
Takedown
CREDITS
COVER PHOTOGRAPH © 2014 BY MICHAEL FROST
COVER DESIGN BY M80
COPYRIGHT
HarperTeen is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
ON THE EDGE. Copyright © 2014 by Allison van Diepen. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Van Diepen, Allison.
On the edge / Allison van Diepen. — First edition.
pagescm
Summary: “When Maddie Diaz witnesses the murder of a homeless man by members of a gang, she tells the cops what she saw without thinking about the repercussions of snitching, but a mysterious guy named Lobo comes to her defense and is determined to take down the gang and protect her”— Provided by publisher.
ISBN 978-0-06-230344-8 (hardback)
EPUB Edition © September 2014 ISBN 9780062303462
[1. Witnesses—Fiction. 2. Gangs—Fiction. 3. Hispanic Americans—Fiction.] I. Title.
PZ7.V28526On 2014
2014022032
[Fic]—dc23
CIP
AC
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14 15 16 17 18 LP/RRDH 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
FIRST EDITION
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Allison van Diepen, On the Edge
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