Vengeance

by Michelle Madow

  “Very interesting,” Genevieve said once I finished. “But in this life things don’t seem to be working out the same way, do they?”

  “No,” I said, sitting back in disappointment. My chest tightened at the memory of Drew running after Lizzie at Shannon’s party, and of Lizzie telling me she thought she and Drew were “meant to be.” If only she knew what I had seen—that in the past Drew ended up with me, not her. I doubted she would act all high and mighty then. “Even when Drew and I were together, there were times he would act distant, and he wouldn’t tell me what he was thinking. Then he started to pull away, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get him back. It was all because of her—Lizzie.” I sneered when I said her name. “It’s like she put a spell on him. He’s entranced by her, and I have no idea how to make things right between us.”

  “And what if I told you I could help?” Genevieve asked.

  “I’m listening.” I folded my hands on my lap, waiting for her to elaborate. I wasn’t sure what she could do for me, but I was out of other options. I was willing to do anything at this point.

  She got up and walked to a wicker basket in the back of the room, opening it and pulling something out. It was a vial, capped shut and filled with tinted red liquid. It looked like diluted cranberry juice. She held it to her forehead, closing her eyes and muttering something I couldn’t understand, and then walked back over to the chair to sit again.

  “Take this,” she said, holding the vial out to me. “It’s something special I made myself, with the expectation that someone who needed it would be coming to me soon.”

  I reached to take the vial from her, surprised by its warmth. “What is it?” I asked. “And what do I do with it?” Capped shut with a rubber top, it was like something from a laboratory. I swished it around. The liquid inside was about the same consistency as water.

  “Tonight is the full moon.” Genevieve’s eyes took on that chilling look again. “You want things in this life to end up the same way they did in your past life, don’t you?”

  “Yes.” I nodded. “I do.”

  “Then what you have to do is simple,” Genevieve said. “First you must drink the solution. It’s very important you do that before the other steps. Then you will light a candle—I’ll give you one. After the candle is lit, write your wish on a piece of paper. Word it exactly as I say.” She paused for a second, watching me closely to let me know how serious she was about this part. “You will write, ‘I wish everything in this life between me, Drew, and Lizzie will end up the same way it did in our past life.’ Once it’s written, close your eyes and recall the images you saw in your past life regression. Focus on the way things ended with you and Drew in the past, and how you want it to turn out the same way in the present. Once you’ve recalled everything you saw, look into the flame and burn the paper with your wish on it. When the paper is gone, you may blow out the candle.”

  I stared at her like she’d lost her mind. “It sounds like you’re asking me to cast a spell,” I said, waiting for her to deny it. It was one thing to think about hallways and doors and seeing something that could possibly be a past life. But to drink potions, light candles, and burn papers with wishes written on them? That was way beyond my comfort zone.

  “That’s exactly what I’m asking you to do,” she said, her voice flat and serious. “You wanted help, and I’m giving you what you need. Making that solution was not simple.” She paused to examine the vial I held in my hand. “It’s rare that I give someone such a valuable gift. At the very least, take it home and think about it. You have until sunrise to make your decision. If you don’t go through with it tonight, then you will have to wait until the next full moon, and the solution will no longer be at its full strength.”

  I looked at the potion again, wondering what was in it. I had a feeling I didn’t want to know the answer.

  “Fine,” I gave in. “I’m not going to promise anything, but I’ll think about it.”

  “Good,” Genevieve said, relaxing in her chair.

  I couldn’t help but wonder why she wanted me to do this so badly. What was in it for her? Not that it mattered. If it helped me, that was all I cared about.

  “Don’t tell anyone about what we did in here today,” Genevieve continued. “Not Shannon, and especially not Lizzie or Drew. They will try to tell you lies to confuse you, to make you doubt yourself, but you need to trust what you saw. As long as you do what I told you, fate will make sure everything ends up the way it did in the past. That’s what you want, isn’t it dear?”

  “Yes,” I agreed, holding the vial tighter in my hand. “More than anything in the world.”

  CHAPTER 6

  Shannon must have understood that what went on between me and Genevieve in the back room wasn’t supposed to be shared, because she didn’t ask any questions about it while we shopped for the rest of the day. Even though I loved the mall, it was hard to focus on shopping after everything that had just happened. I had to remind myself when Shannon was speaking to me, and to respond appropriately. We ended up buying a few things, mainly in the form of clothing, and after a few hours decided to head back to her house. Shannon told me Amber was going to meet up with us there, and the three of us were going to hang out. She thought some girl time would help get my mind off everything. Maybe she was right. At least it was better than sitting around my house with nothing to do, waiting for the full moon.

  I clutched my purse during the drive, the vial with the potion and the candle tucked inside. The idea of using the potion seemed ridiculous, but I wasn’t against trying it. The worst that could happen would be it not working. Still, before I did anything drastic I wanted to know if this was something I could fix on my own, without outside help.

  The only way to do that was by talking to Drew.

  Gathering up my courage, I took out my cell phone to text him.

  Are you busy right now? I wrote, pressing send without giving myself time to second guess what I was doing.

  I hated being so forward—I usually let guys do the chasing—but I had to talk to him before doing Genevieve’s spell tonight. Also, when Drew and I dated, we spent tons of time together. We ate lunch together every day, and after school I would go over his house and we would do homework. I’d thought of him not only as a boyfriend, but a friend as well. He owed me a better explanation about what he did, and why he did it.

  I prayed he wasn’t with Lizzie right now, but Lizzie and I had been friends for long enough for me to know she had dinner with her mom on Sundays. I hoped she was doing that instead of hanging out with Drew.

  My phone buzzed a few seconds later, and my heart raced at the prospect of what he wrote back to me.

  I’m not busy. What’s up?

  I smiled at the response. He could have ignored me, but he didn’t. That had to be a good sign.

  Coming back from the mall with Shannon. We’re gonna hang out at her house for a bit. I’ve been thinking a lot about what happened in the past few weeks, and since you live so close to her, I was wondering if I could stop by for a few minutes. Just to talk.

  I pressed send without re-reading it. His response arrived in less than ten seconds.

  I’m not sure that’s a good idea …

  My heart dropped when I read the message. But on the bright side, it wasn’t a no. Maybe I still had a chance with him.

  Just a few minutes? Lizzie came to talk to me last night, wanting to be friends again, but I couldn’t. I want to talk to you to try to understand what happened, so I can forgive her.

  It was a lie, but I sent it anyway. It didn’t matter how I got to be alone with Drew—just that I managed to do it. From there, he would realize how much he missed me and what a bad choice he made ditching me for Lizzie. If Genevieve was right and we were together in the past, it made sense for us to be together in the present.

  He couldn’t fight fate.

  When the phone buzzed with his response, I was afraid to see what he’d said. I forced myself to loo
k anyway.

  Okay … you can come by. But I have homework to do for tomorrow, so you can’t stay long.

  It wasn’t much, but I smiled anyway. It was finally time for me to make things right again.

  “Can you drop me off at Drew’s?” I asked Shannon.

  “Is that who you were texting so furiously?” she asked.

  “Yep.” I tossed my cell into my purse. “He said he’ll talk to me, and I can go over now. That’s okay, right? I’ll come back to hang out with you and Amber after I talk with him. Everything’s been so hectic the past few days, and I haven’t had time alone with him since your party …”

  “It’s okay,” she said. “You should talk to him. He lives two houses from mine—but since the houses are far apart, I’ll get out at mine and you can take my car to his so you don’t have to walk in the cold. That way I’ll be home when Amber gets here.”

  “Thanks,” I told her. “And thanks for everything else today … bringing me to Genevieve’s and all.”

  “No problem.” Shannon laughed. “As long as you don’t mention it to anyone at school.”

  “I won’t,” I assured her.

  “But as a friend, can I give you some advice?” she asked. I knew she was going to give it anyway, so I nodded for her to continue. “Before you go to Drew’s, you’ve got to do something about your hair and makeup.”

  CHAPTER 7

  After re-applying my makeup and running Shannon’s CHI straightener through my hair, I pulled in front of Drew’s house, nervous about whatever was about to happen. Even though he was my boyfriend first, now he was Lizzie’s. I was betraying her by being over there.

  I wiped the thought from my mind. Lizzie was the one who stole Drew from me. I had every right to be there.

  If life really ended happily ever after like Lizzie believed, I would get the guy in the end. But life wasn’t a fairy tale, and I had no problem doing what was necessary to get what I wanted, even if it meant playing dirty.

  I felt sad for a moment, thinking about the friendship Lizzie and I once had. In elementary school we built forts out of blankets and pillows and staked claim to them, talking forever and not allowing our parents inside. In middle school, when we had sleepovers, we would do each other’s makeup and hair, then stay up watching reality television and made-for-TV movies. At nighttime in the summer we used to walk to the park near my house and watch the stars. Lizzie would tell me what the constellations meant, and we would make wishes. I never believed they would come true, but I wished anyway. In high school, I saw less of her because she was dating Jeremy, but we still stuck by each other. Whenever I needed someone to talk to and ask for advice, Lizzie would be there for me, even if it meant talking on our cell phones late into the night when we had to wake up early the next morning. She was my only true friend.

  I had no idea what made her change into a selfish, boyfriend-stealing brat.

  I put Shannon’s car into park and picked up my cell phone from my purse. I’m outside, I texted Drew.

  Come in, he wrote back.

  My stomach fluttered. I didn’t know why I was nervous to see him. We dated for two months, and during that time we were around each other a lot. But things were different now. Back then I thought he wanted to be with me. Now he would be thinking about Lizzie when we were together. The thought made me feel sick. What did Lizzie have that I didn’t? Why did she always get the guy?

  The nervousness turned to anger at the reminder of everything that had happened in the past few weeks. I had every right to be at Drew’s right now.

  The freezing wind assaulted me the moment I stepped out of the car, and I wrapped my arms around myself in an attempt to stay warm. Next year I would apply to colleges in California, Arizona, Texas, and Florida. Then I would be able to wear cute dresses all year long and not have to deal with terrible winters. Lizzie and I started talking about colleges in warm climates over the summer, and even though I no longer wanted to go to the same college as her, a warm place was still the plan.

  When I reached the huge wooden front doors of Drew’s house, I was so cold my lips must have been blue. I raised my hand to knock, but the door opened before I had a chance.

  I looked up into Drew’s brown, gold-flecked eyes and froze on the spot. He was still tan even though it was almost December, and his hair was styled in his typical “messed up but still super hot” look. He wore dark jeans and a black shirt, and even though he wasn’t wearing anything different, something about him seemed changed. I couldn’t figure out what it was, but then it came to me. He looked more relaxed than usual. He looked … happy.

  Happier than he had ever looked when he was with me.

  “Do you plan on coming in, or are you going to stand on my steps and freeze to death?” he asked. He didn’t sound glad to see me, but he didn’t sound annoyed either. I had no idea what was going through his mind.

  “I’m coming in,” I said, taking a step inside.

  Even though I’d been there a bunch of times, the magnificence of his house never ceased to amaze me. Everything in it was antique, except for the electronics and the modern furniture in Drew’s room. It felt like stepping back in time.

  He shut the door behind me, and I knew this was it. I had to come up with something to say to make Drew want me back.

  But why would he want me back when he seemed so happy without me?

  The thought made my eyes water, and I swallowed, blinking the tears away.

  “So … how have you been?” I asked.

  This was not getting off to a good start.

  “Great, actually.” He stuck his hands in the back pockets of his jeans and glanced out the window. I could tell he was uncomfortable. “What’s this you were telling me about wanting to ‘forgive’ Lizzie?”

  I took a deep breath and tried my best to gain my composure. Acting unsure of myself was no way to make Drew see that I was the one he should be with.

  “That’s not why I really wanted to come over,” I said, strutting through the entrance hall as if I lived there. The jeans I was wearing made my legs look amazing, and I wanted to show them off. “Can we sit somewhere? Your room, maybe?” I turned to face him and curved my lips upward, raising an eyebrow suggestively. Maybe my natural charm would be enough that I wouldn’t even have to use the potion to get him back.

  His eyes darkened at the realization of why I had really asked to come over. “I don’t think that’s a good idea …” he trailed.

  “Come on.” I pouted. “Won’t you at least hear me out? We were together for two months, and then I turn around to find you dating the girl I’ve been best friends with since elementary school. You owe me more of an explanation.”

  The scenes I saw while in the back room at Mystic Pathways flashed through my mind—the ones of Drew and me at the dance and then later at an altar—reminding me I was right to be here. The idea of past lives still seemed strange, but I knew what I felt. Drew and I were meant to be together. Fixing things between us shouldn’t be hard.

  “We can go to the family room,” he decided. His tone was firm—there was no changing his mind. I also knew not to push it, since the last thing I wanted was to drive him away from me.

  “Sounds great.” I smiled.

  He led the way to the family room, and I followed a step behind him. Memories from earlier in the school year flooded my mind. I remembered the first time he showed me his house, when he seemed so happy watching me admire everything as he took me on the grand tour. I wished everything between us now was as lighthearted as it was then. What had happened to change it all?

  The answer came to me quickly—Lizzie. Luckily Drew’s back was toward me, so he didn’t see me sneer when I thought about her.

  In the family room, an armchair and a couch faced a flat-screen television attached to the wall. Under the TV was a marble fireplace. My heart sank when Drew sat in the armchair. Not having much of a choice, I perched on the end of the sofa closest to the chair, crossing my legs in his direc
tion. I read in Cosmo that this was a subtle way to let a guy know you were interested, and employed the technique whenever possible.

  “So …” he started, leaning back in the chair and tapping his fingers against the armrest.

  I took that as a clue to start. “Were you and Lizzie together before we broke up?” I asked.

  “No.” He looked straight at me when he said it, and I could tell he was being truthful. At least that was a relief.

  “Okay.” I paused, hoping he would say something to continue the conversation. When he didn’t, I asked, “How long were you thinking about wanting to be with her when we were together?”

  I cringed after asking. It sounded like we were playing twenty questions or something lame—made even lamer by how I was the one with all the questions, and he didn’t care to ask me anything.

  Because he didn’t care about me.

  I pushed the thought out of my mind. It hurt too much to think about. He dated me first—he chose me first—which meant he had to care about me.

  “I don’t know.” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “It just happened. I’m sorry, Chelsea. I shouldn’t have dated you knowing how I felt about Lizzie. It was wrong. If I could go back in time and change it, I would, but I can’t. It’s just how it is.” He paused, deep in thought, and continued, “Sometimes it’s impossible to control how you feel about someone. That’s how it is with me and Lizzie.”

  His words hit me hard. “Does that mean you wanted to be with Lizzie from the beginning?” I asked. “For the whole time we were together?”

  He nodded. “I’m sorry,” he said. “It wasn’t fair of me, I know. But like I said, I can’t change it now. Someday you’ll find the right person for you, but that person isn’t going to be me.”