He hugged her gently, holding her close, his embrace comforting. From the safety of his arms, she blurted out the whole story, even telling him that people were warning her that Ebony was only being nice to her because she wanted revenge, and that Will might be involved and she didn’t even know if she could trust him for sure. “And I can’t tell Trevor,” she finished with a shaky sob. “He’s already worried enough about me, and he’s got the homecoming game coming up. I don’t want to waste his time on stupid things like this.”
Will moved so that just one arm was wrapped around her shoulders. “Come on,” he said, gently pulling her to the double doors. She let him lead her outside to the empty parking lot, where his lone black convertible sat in the front row with its top down. He took her bag and set it in the back before opening the passenger door. She all-but fell in, trying to wipe away her tears and smeared makeup with her fingertips.
Will slid into the driver’s seat, but paused before putting the key in the ignition. “Are you sure you want to come with me?” he asked. She lifted her eyes to his, not sure she had heard him correctly. At her look, he went on. “You said yourself that you’re not sure you can trust me. I could be taking you to a warehouse for my friends to chop off all your hair and give you tattoos you don’t want.”
She felt her blood run cold. “Are you going to?” she asked, her voice catching in her throat.
He arched an eyebrow. “I might. It’s your last chance to get out before I start driving you to your fate, though.”
Her heart drummed against her ribs as they stared at each other. She thought back to all of the nice things Will had done for her, and wondered if it could all be part of some elaborate scheme to gain her trust for revenge. If it was, she was sure Trevor and his mother would kill him. But more importantly, she just couldn’t bring herself to believe that Will would be so cruel.
She leaned back in the seat. “I guess we’ll find out,” she said softly, pulling down the visor to look at herself in the mirror. If she was going to be tortured, she at least wanted to go in with her head held high, and that meant without runny mascara.
Will didn’t say a word as he stuck the key in the ignition and pulled out of the parking spot. The cool wind felt good against her flushed cheeks, and she closed her eyes as he drove, resting her head against the headrest. The music, loud enough to be heard over the wind, but not so obnoxiously loud she felt bad for disturbing the people around them, drifted through the speakers and further calmed her frazzled nerves.
She roused herself from the half-sleep when Will killed the engine, embarrassed she had dozed off. She sat up quickly, then blinked as she looked around the car, stunned at her surroundings. They were in the middle of a flat dirt field, an old, weathered barn to the right of the car. About two hundred yards ahead of them spanned a forest that was as wide as she could see. Bewildered, she looked over and met Will’s eyes.
“Where are we?” she asked, confused.
He grinned. “Torture chamber,” he told her, a devilish light in his eyes. She watched as he pulled the key from the ignition and lifted himself out of the car, over the door. “Come on,” he insisted.
She studied the flat dirt surface and large barn warily, but did as she was told, slowly climbing out of the car.
“Leave it,” he told her, seeing her purse in her hand. “You won’t need it, and no one’s going to come here.”
She felt a smile creep up on her lips, despite her nervousness. “Another secret spot?” she asked.
His response was to lightly push her toward the barn. It was large and dark brown, and though old, it looked as if it was well maintained. She watched as he stuck a small key from his key ring into a hanging lock, then hooked the lock through the bolt. He gave the left door a push and it fell open, a rush of cool, dry air with a hint of mustiness enveloping them. He pushed the other door open, which clattered against the side of the barn.
She peered in hesitantly as he strode in. It was dark on the inside, but she could see some cabinets to one wall, a set of standing shelves about eight feet high near them. In the corner was an old couch, a few blankets tossed onto the back of it. Beside it sat a footlocker, and in front, a small coffee table. Along the right side of the wall were long tables of tools. In the middle of the barn, where Will was currently, were two ATVs.
She watched as he wheeled one of them out, looking up at her with dancing, mischievous eyes. Her heart raced in her chest. “Get on,” he instructed.
She stared at him blankly. “You’re going to kill me in an ATV collision?” she asked. “That’s my punishment for something I didn’t do?”
He laughed. “You’re the one who came with me without asking where we were going,” he reminded.
A cold sweat formed on her body as she eyed the large, hulking machine. All it was missing was the crossbar and it could have been a jeep, except it was longer, like a motorcycle. “I assumed we were going to go home,” she said slowly, eyeing the pedals and handle bars. He didn’t really expect her to drive this, did he? “Not to uncertain death.”
“There’s nothing uncertain about it,” he corrected, releasing the handlebars. She watched in confusion as he started unbuttoning his long-sleeved black shirt, revealing a black t-shirt as he joined her on her side of the ATV. “It’s going to be an ATV crash. You said it yourself.” She cried out as she was suddenly in his arms, and then she was on the ATV, his shirt on her lap. She tucked it hastily around her legs, a little surprised at his consideration.
He leaned over her and began pointing out buttons and levers on the vehicle. After five minutes of explanation, she still had no idea what he had just said, though she really had tried to pay attention. Something about an electric start and a choke? It was as confusing as driving a stick shift—maybe worse.
“Got it?” he asked.
Annabelle looked up at him blankly. “I didn’t rat out your friends,” she said, in a last-ditch effort for self-preservation.
He rolled his eyes. “Okay. Just watch.” A moment later, he was sliding onto the ATV in front of her, forcing her back on the seat. She watched as he pushed on something she vaguely recalled him calling the throttle. He released another lever, and they were off.
She screeched and wrapped her arms around his waist as they went flying through the dirt, which kicked up all around them. She could hear him laughing over the engine, and then they were being thrown to the side as the ATV spun in circles before smoothing out into large figure eights. Slowly, as the movements started to feel a little more comfortable, she pulled her head out of his back and dared to look around.
The world around them was a blur, but it was so close… so incredibly close. It was dizzying and terrifying to think that if she just put out her leg she could touch the ground, but it was also strangely exhilarating.
The excitement bubbled up inside of her, and she laughed, feeling the adrenaline pump through her. She’d never felt anything so… amazing.
In response, the ATV sped up. She squealed, clutching tighter onto his waist. She could feel him laugh, even as he stopped turning the machine and instead headed for the forest. Her heart pounded in her chest as she prayed that he knew where he was going—and that they wouldn’t crash into a tree, since they weren’t wearing any safety gear to speak of.
He seemed to, though, and for a long time they drove around on the slightly bumpy terrain, until her sides hurt from laughing and her mouth ached from grinning. When he finally pulled back up in front of the barn, she felt cold and hot at the same time, bursting with energy. He lifted himself up off the ATV and she was surprised to find she was disappointed at the sudden loss of contact. For so long they had seemed to meld together as they rode… Letting go felt strange.
He held out a hand to her to help her off, and she took it, lifting his shirt up from her lap as she stepped down. She laughed at the sight of her legs—her thighs were totally clean and smooth, and from her knees down were completely covered in dirt and mud.
> “We’re filthy,” she declared, laughing and shaking her hair. She groaned at the leaf she felt stuck there and slowly pulled it out, holding it up for him to see.
He laughed, taking it from her and tossing it on the ground. “Yup,” he agreed, stepping toward her. She groaned and flushed with embarrassment when his fingers pulled bits of grass from her hair, but couldn’t help laughing when she spotted some in his hair, pulling it out of the silky strands.
And even though she was a complete mess no one would ever be envious at the sight of, as she and Will stood there laughing and pulling bits of grass and leaves from each other’s hair, Annabelle had never been happier.
***
“Ebony’s not fake,” Will said suddenly, as he pulled up to the street in front of their houses. Startled, Annabelle looked over at him, even as he put the car into park. He met her eyes with a deep, thoughtful look. “She wouldn’t have been nice to you if she didn’t want to be. So what your friends and everyone else is saying… I’d just ignore it if I were you.”
She unbuckled her seat belt as she leaned over and threw her arms around his neck, relief flooding her eyes with tears. “Thank you,” she whispered, feeling his gentle, warm hands rest lightly on her back. She leaned back to look him in the eyes and felt herself smile despite the tears in her eyes, gratitude for him almost overwhelming her to the point of sobs. His expression was calm, his dark eyes on hers strong. She squeezed his shoulders to emphasize her appreciation, and then sat back in her seat, pulling on the door handle to let herself out of the car.
He emerged from the car with her backpack, which he handed to her on the sidewalk between their houses. She was surprised at the desire she had to ask him to come in, but they were both dirty and needed showers, and besides that, Trevor would be home any minute and she needed to get cleaned up before he came over.
She set her backpack on her floor by her desk, pausing as she realized she still had something in her hand. She looked down at the piece of fabric in her fist, laughing as she realized she had once again made off with one of Will’s shirts.
She tossed it on the bed, shaking her head at herself. He was going to have to come to school shirtless pretty soon if he kept giving her his shirts and she kept not returning them.
The thought amused her all the way to the bathroom, and as she showered the dirt from herself, she couldn’t help but smile. The day had seemed so good, then beyond terrible, and then Will had somehow managed to turn it all around again. He was really a good friend.
As she brushed out her wet hair in her room, she paused thoughtfully. When had she and Will become friends, anyway? Up until recently, their only contact had been the occasional greeting when they saw each other around their houses or at school. But other than that, she and Will had never spent any time together. And now she looked forward to each time she saw him.
It was funny how friendships formed, Annabelle mused, reapplying her makeup as she stared at herself in her vanity. Who would have thought having the cops called on Ebony and her friends because someone had… accidentally… laced her drink would have led to her and Ebony being able to start a conversation in the hallway? And now Annabelle was going to loan Ebony her skirt.
She smiled at herself in the mirror, happy with the reflection that looked back at her.
She gathered up her clothes and Will’s shirt and tossed them into the washer, walking out of the laundry room just in time to hear the knock on the front door.
Trevor.
Pleased, Annabelle hurried to the door, pulling it open to reveal her boyfriend. He was freshly showered and handsome in a white button-down, jeans, and sneakers.
“Hi,” she greeted happily.
He grinned broadly. “Hi yourself. Your nap must have rejuvenated you. You look much happier than you did earlier today.”
Oh… Right. She had told him that she was going to go home and take a nap. She’d forgotten all about it.
She sucked in a deep breath, accepting his kiss on the cheek as she prepared herself to tell him about her afternoon with Will. “I had a good afternoon,” she started. She knew that talking about Will always put him in a bad mood, but maybe if she told him about Will’s good points, he would start to understand his younger brother a little better.
“Yeah?” he asked, looking pleased. “So did I. Coach is working us insanely hard, but it’s really paying off. We’re definitely getting better. We’re going to slaughter Lincoln at Homecoming.”
She felt all of her ambition deflate. She forced a smile. “That’s great!” she assured him, her enthusiasm sounding a little hollow in her own ears. “I know you’re going to be incredible.”
He flashed a warm grin at her. “How could I not be? I’ve got the most beautiful girl in the school cheering for me.”
Her knees went a little weak at the compliment, and she felt guilty for not being more excited about his game. Football was really important to Trevor, and as his girlfriend, it was her duty to support him.
“I’ll be cheering louder than anyone,” she promised, squeezing his hand.
He grinned again. “Speaking of Homecoming,” he began, “what color flowers do you want?”
Trevor was so thoughtful. Annabelle didn’t know of any other guys who thought to ask their girlfriends about what color of flowers to get them. Delighted, she squeezed his hand again. “White,” she told him, “to go with my dress.”
“You’re wearing a white dress?”
She considered. “It’s black and white,” she corrected, thinking of the lovely dress upstairs in her closet.
He smiled. “Well I’m sure you’ll be beautiful. And white it is.”
She smiled back, and then settled under his arm to watch television.
Chapter Nine
Annabelle’s heart pounded as she walked toward the back entrance of the school. Everyone knew only the trouble makers hung out on the back entrance steps, so almost no one ventured back there. Still, she had made a promise to give the skirt to Ebony, and she hadn’t seen her all day and had no idea where her locker was.
Steeling her nerves, half-praying the stairs would be deserted, she pushed open the back door. Almost in unison, ten heads turned to look at her, and most of the looks were unfriendly. She forced a weak smile, feeling her knees tremble slightly.
“Annabelle!”
Gratefully, she looked over at the retaining wall, where Ebony was perched… between Will’s legs? Annabelle felt her heart fall into her stomach. Why was Ebony…?
And then she remembered the two Goth teens at the mall… the boy leaning over the girl, shielding her from view. The girl kissing the boy’s cheek in the food court. It had been Will and Ebony the whole time. She had just never thought about it since then.
Ebony was dating Will.
She felt it like a punch to her stomach, though she couldn’t explain why. Or why she felt hot, burning tears in her eyes.
She forced her smile back. “I brought this for you,” she forced herself to say, hoping they thought the strain in her voice was because they were all staring at her with wide, unblinking eyes. She handed the skirt, which she had wrapped in a handkerchief, to Ebony, staying as far away from her and Will as she could without looking strange.
“Thanks!” Ebony said enthusiastically. “I can’t wait to wear it. I may even wear it tomorrow, if I can find the perfect things to pair it with. I’ll bring it back on Monday.”
Annabelle carefully avoided eye contact with Will, keeping her gaze focused on Ebony, and tried to hide her hard swallow. “Sure. Whenever you get a chance.” She forced herself to smile at the rest of the group. “I’ll see you later,” she said to Ebony, then turned to the door.
“You don’t need to leave!” Ebony objected quickly, to Annabelle’s horror. She tried not to cringe as she turned back, but Ebony had vaulted off of the wall between Will’s legs and was reaching for her hand, her eyes kind and welcoming. “Really,” she insisted, her voice softer and more sincere, intended o
nly for Annabelle’s ears. Then, raising her voice teasingly, she added, “There’s only a couple of us who bite.”
“You liked it!” a boy from the bottom of the steps called out.
“Made him think I did,” Ebony told Annabelle lowly, winking a heavily made up eye. Annabelle felt a weak smile form on her lips. Ebony really was a wonderful girl—it made sense for her to be dating a nice guy like Will.
And besides that, who Will dated had nothing to do with her anyway. Why was she so upset about it?
Annabelle vacillated for too long to give an answer. Ebony took her arm and led her, to her horror, back to the wall where Ebony and Will had been sitting together. Ebony sat her down by Will’s feet, then straddled the wall on Annabelle’s other side, despite her skirt, which she tugged around herself. It was, Annabelle realized weakly, the “safest” position.
She was keenly aware that no one was talking, and slowly looked down at the stairs, where every eye was trained on her. Startled, she straightened, looking back at them in bewilderment. Could they see up her skirt? She had perched on the edge of the wall with her legs crossed to keep that from happening. Was her hair messed up?
No… It was because she was one of the “in” crowd, and she was invading their territory.
“Stop salivating,” Ebony suddenly ordered, sounding exasperated. Annabelle looked over at her with wide eyes, and Ebony returned the look with an eye roll. “They see a pretty girl and they don’t know what to do with themselves. Just ignore them. How were classes today?”
Classes? Ebony didn’t know anything about her classes, and yet she was acting as though they’d been talking about them forever. Was she doing it to make Annabelle more comfortable? Or was it because she was trying to tell the others that Annabelle was okay to talk to? It didn’t matter. Annabelle wanted to throw her arms around her.
“Boring,” she admitted.
Ebony laughed and to her right, Will scoffed. Annabelle couldn’t bring herself to look at him above his chest, and quickly returned her attention to Ebony, who leaned back against the wall. “No kidding,” she drawled, then launched into a story about her teacher who had put half the class to sleep—complete with imitations.
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