What's Broken Between Us

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Authors: Alexis Bass

Tags: #Juvenile Fiction, #Love & Romance, #Social Issues, #Dating & Sex, #Girls & Women

BOOK: What's Broken Between Us
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Advance Reader’s e-proof

courtesy of
HarperCollins Publishers

This is an advance reader’s e-proof made from digital files of the uncorrected proofs. Readers are reminded that changes may be made prior to publication, including to the type, design, layout, or content, that are not reflected in this e-proof, and that this e-pub may not reflect the final edition. Any material to be quoted or excerpted in a review should be checked against the final published edition. Dates, prices, and manufacturing details are subject to change or cancellation without notice.

UNCORRECTED E-PROOF—NOT FOR SALE

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Contents
  1. COVER
  2. DISCLAIMER
  3. TITLE
  4. DEDICATION
  5. CHAPTER ONE
  6. CHAPTER TWO
  7. CHAPTER THREE
  8. CHAPTER FOUR
  9. CHAPTER FIVE
  10. CHAPTER SIX
  11. CHAPTER SEVEN
  12. CHAPTER EIGHT
  13. CHAPTER NINE
  14. CHAPTER TEN
  15. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  16. CHAPTER TWELVE
  17. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  18. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  19. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  20. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  21. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  22. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  23. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  24. CHAPTER TWENTY
  25. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  26. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  27. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  28. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  29. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  30. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  31. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  32. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  33. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  34. CHAPTER THIRTY
  35. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  36. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  37. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  38. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  39. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  40. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  41. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  42. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
  43. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
  44. CHAPTER FORTY
  45. CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
  46. CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
  47. CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
  48. CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
  49. CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
  50. CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
  51. CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
  52. CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
  53. CHAPTER FORTY-NIONE
  54. CHAPTER FIFTY
  55. CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
  56. CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
  57. CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
  58. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  59. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  60. ALSO BY ALEXIS BASS
  61. COPYRIGHT
  62. ABOUT THE PUBLISHER

 

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UNCORRECTED E-PROOF—NOT FOR SALE

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DEDICATION

For Dani and Ingrid,
who love each other no matter what

UNCORRECTED E-PROOF—NOT FOR SALE

HarperCollins Publishers

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L
IFELINE
E
XCLUSIVE:
P
ATRICIA
J
OHNSON
I
NTERVIEWING
J
ONATHAN
T
ART,
D
ECEMBER, TWO MONTHS INTO HIS INCARCERATION.
U
NEDITED.

Airdate: May 15

 

PJ: Tell us in your own words what happened that night.

JT: It was just a regular night . . . just another night out. And then, it turned into the worst night of my life.

PJ: It was the night of your high school graduation—so it wasn’t really just another night, was it? You were celebrating.

JT: Oh, but we were always celebrating.

PJ: Tell me what you were up to that night.

JT: Well, going to parties. But you want me to say drinking, right? We were drinking, that’s what we were up to.

PJ: You’d left one party and were headed to another when you crashed.

JT: That’s right.

PJ: And the party you were on your way to was just six miles away . . . correct?

JT: Probably, yeah. You’ve got the facts, though, so I’ll take your well-researched word for it.

PJ: Did you think, because it was so close, and in a part of town you’d grown up in and were so familiar with, that it didn’t matter what state of mind you were in—that you’d be okay to drive that short
distance?

JT: Sure.

PJ: It never occurred to you that you shouldn’t be driving?

JT: No.

PJ: Did anyone at the party try to stop you? Or ask you if you were okay to be driving?

JT: Well . . . that’s . . . that’s sort of a bullshit question. I mean, no offense, but . . . have you even been to a party?

PJ: Explain it to us. To me.

JT: It’s not a bunch of [expletive deleted] kids dancing to pop music, passing around hors d’oeuvres, playing charades—

PJ: Tell us what it’s like.

JT: It’s also not what you’re thinking.

PJ: What am I thinking?

JT: That we’re all . . . you know . . . half-naked, snorting blow off each other.

PJ: So what’s it really like?

JT: It’s like . . . we do whatever we want. But Grace didn’t die at the party, did she?

PJ: Okay, I see your point, but—

JT: You definitely do
not
see my point. The party is not the problem.

PJ: People are dying every day at the hands of impaired drivers just trying to get to the next party. What
would you say
is
the problem? Or better yet, the solution?

JT: I’m the problem. Me.

PJ: Have you spoken to the Marlamounts since the accident—have you had the chance to reach out to Grace’s family?

JT: What do you think?

PJ: What did you say to them?

JT: Thank you.

PJ: Was that in response to their decision not to press charges against you?

JT: Mm-hmm.

PJ: And did you talk to them about Grace? What did you say?

JT: I’m sorry.

PJ: Grace wasn’t the only one in the car. Your girlfriend was also in the car, and critically injured. Have you been in contact with her?

JT: Ex-girlfriend. I thought you had fact-checkers working at your fancy news station, Patricia.

PJ: You went your separate ways after the accident?

JT: Would you date me? Don’t answer that. You’re pretty attractive for a woman your age, you know.

PJ: I’ll take that as a compliment and move on. What would you say to someone about to drive after consuming alcohol?

JT: I meant for you to take it as a compliment.

PJ: Jonathan.

JT: Patricia.

PJ: During your trial, your lawyers argued that there were additional factors that contributed to the accident. The roads were very wet, and a sign was missing from the highway warning about the curve in the road ahead. Do you think these factors affected your driving that night?

JT: I think many things contributed to the accident. My lawyers told me I couldn’t say anything else.

PJ: You were given an extremely short sentence given the crime, because of these reasons I’ve mentioned, and because the Marlamounts decided against pressing charges. There’s been a lot of discussion in the media, including several articles published, about how a yearlong sentence doesn’t fit the crime, despite these other conditions. How do you feel about your ruling?

JT: I feel exactly how you think I feel.

PJ: How is that?

JT: I’ll be glad to get out as soon as I can. And maybe it makes me a horrible person, but whatever. There’s a reason they call it an accident, you know.

PJ: The court called it vehicular manslaughter.

JT: Well, if you’re going to get technical on me, Patricia. It’s . . . it is what it is. . . . In here, or out of here—it doesn’t change what I’ve done.

PJ: How are you going to cope with what’s happened when you’re released in a little under ten months? It will have been just over sixteen months after Grace’s death.

JT: Oh, I’ll probably just drink whiskey sours until I black out. I’m kidding. I just wanted to see you smile. It’s your first smile since the camera started rolling, and it’s such a great smile.

PJ: Sometimes when people smile, it’s a defense mechanism. A way for them to cope with something they don’t know how to deal with.

JT: I had no idea I had such an effect on you, Patricia.

PJ: The way you’ve behaved as we’ve conducted this interview . . . could it be you’ve put up a defense mechanism, too?

JT: Could be, could be. But if you’re going to ask me if I feel remorse, the answer is: of course. [Muffled laughter.]

PJ: Do you find that funny?

JT: Oops, defense mechanism rears its ugly head.

PJ: Is there anything else you’d like to say about the accident? What would you say to someone about to drive after consuming alcohol?

JT: I’d like to say: Kids, remember the wise words of one Smokey the Bear: “Only you can prevent forest fires.”

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