Unfortunately, Piren and Trace do not live in the same world as us. Theirs is the kind of affection we tend to label as Puppy Love, and in our universe it is normally viewed as something endearing and sweet. Her presence draped me in an overwhelming sense of comfort.” I knew she already accepted my secrets before I even opened my mouth. She’d perch her chin on her hands and smile up at me, awaiting whatever news I wanted to tell. Trace and I shared all our secrets lying on the floor of our treehouse, from the juicy to the mundane, I relished the chance to share my day’s stories with her, and most afternoons I couldn’t get up that ladder fast enough. “From the moment we happened upon the treehouse, it became our sanctuary, our pirate ship, our castle, our hideaway, our place. They spend as much of their free time together as possible and quickly achieve an intimacy that even children recognize as a once in a lifetime kind of event. The two meet in childhood, and their strong bond to one another forms almost immediately. Missing Pieces is the story of best friends, Piren Allston and Trace Bailey. Following their hearts means losing their family, but following the law means losing each other. In a world without freedom, there are still choices to be made. Worse still is the growing realization that their bond is stronger than just friendship. Failure to comply leads to Banishment, a fate worse than death. Trace and Piren were Assigned to other people at the age of six, and they’re supposed to marry their Partners when they turn twenty-four. They can’t be friends, though, not in their world.

He can’t get enough of her crazy sense of humor, and she loves that he’s always up for another adventure. Luckily, she has a partner in crime – her best friend and neighbor since age seven, Piren Allston.

Trace Bailey’s mouth is her worst enemy – somehow it always gets her in trouble. It’s inappropriate, it’s foolish, and it’s forbidden to think otherwise. We must learn to differentiate the relationships in our lives: the people we love, and the ones we don’t.

You have only one best friend, and that is the person you’ll be marrying someday. There should never, ever, be anyone else who comes close to that bond. Your parents, your sibling, and your Partner, are the ones you love. Your families are the people you love, and love is what separates us from scoundrels and criminals. Your family is the most important part of your life.

Missing Pieces by Meredith Tate