by Alice Moss
Liz actually laughed for real at that. “Candi—you are that popular!”
“Yeah, but he’s like mega-popular. It’s a kind of popular that you and I can only dream of, Liz. I wouldn’t have thought he was Faye’s type, though.” Candi nodded toward where the pair was still chatting. “They’ve been talking for ages.”
Liz felt the knife twist again and turned away. “I think she’s writing a piece on him for the Miller,” she muttered.
#
“I don’t get it,” said Faye. “If you’ve got an amazing car like that, why does that man drive you to school every day?”
Lucas shrugged. “It’s Mom’s car, not mine. I’m not supposed to have it.”
Faye raised her eyebrows. “Will you get in trouble?”
Lucas shrugged again. “So, what’s your favorite band?” he asked, ignoring her question.
“I’m the one who’s supposed to be asking you the questions,” laughed Faye. “And you haven’t given me an answer to any of them yet!”
Lucas grinned. “Well, maybe the ones you’re asking just aren’t any good,” he suggested.
“Hey!” Faye feigned outrage. She had to admit, an evening in Lucas’s company had changed her mind about him. He could be sarcastic, but he was charming and funny, too. She made a mental note to tell Liz as much when her friend appeared from wherever she’d disappeared to. “I’ll have you know I’m a brilliant school journalist. I’ve won prizes and everything.”
“Oh yes? Let me guess—for that amazing story you did on Farmer Giles’s giant potato last year?”
Faye felt her mouth drop open. “The farmer’s name was Baxter, actually. And you’ve been researching me?”
Lucas shrugged. “Well, you were so angry with me for that National Enquirer joke I made when we first met, I thought I’d better see who I was dealing with, Flash.” He glanced at her, serious for a second. “We didn’t really get off on the right foot, I guess.”
Faye shrugged. “Maybe not.”
“I’d like to be friends now, though,” Lucas added, clinking his glass against hers. “I could really do with some fun people to hang out with here.”
“Ah, then you really need to meet Liz,” said Faye, looking around for her best friend. “She’s the most fun person I know.”
“Is that the pretty girl you hang out with a lot?”
“Yeah—she’s been my best friend since we were, like, three. She’s fantastic.” Faye smiled. “You think she’s pretty?”
Lucas shrugged. “Sure. I mean, it’s not an opinion or anything. She just is. I like her outfit tonight. It’s different than what she usually wears.”
Faye nodded, pleased that Lucas had noticed—Liz would love that! “She looks gorgeous. Look, I’ll go find her so you two can get to know each other. I don’t know where she’s disappeared to.…”
#
Jimmy Paulson was going on about something to do with the International Space Station, and Liz had had just about enough. She kept staring at him, wondering if he was actually cute, as Faye seemed to think, or just stupid. But thinking about Faye took her back to Faye and Lucas, which was just too awful to contemplate. She’d had to go stand someplace where she at least couldn’t see them being together, so it wouldn’t hurt so much.
This was the worst party ever.
“Liz!”
Liz looked in the direction of the voice and saw Faye pushing through the crowd. She’d like to turn her back and make it clear that her former best friend was the last person she wanted to talk to right now, but she already had her back to the wall.
“What?” she said brusquely instead, pulling out her mirror again and making a show of reapplying her lipstick. Her reflection stared back, and she could see the hurt in her own eyes. Anger surged through her. She shoved the mirror back into her purse, stepping a little closer to Jimmy as if the two of them had been in an intense personal conversation.
“I’ve been looking all over for you! Where did you go?” Faye looked perfectly happy, as if she was having the time of her life. Which she probably is, Liz thought, furious, since she’s spent all evening with Lucas Morrow!
“Oh, you’ve been looking all over, have you?”
“Yeah.…” Obviously picking up on her sarcastic tone, Faye looked at her strangely. “What’s the matter?”
“So, when you were looking all over for me, Faye—was that just in the ten seconds this evening when you haven’t been glued to Lucas Morrow’s face?”
Faye looked shocked. “What?”
“It’s disgusting,” Liz stormed. “You’ve been all over him. Everyone’s talking about it!”
Jimmy tried to interject, timidly putting up his hand. “Um, I’m not—”
“Oh, go away, Jimmy,” Liz snapped.
“Don’t talk to Jimmy like that!” Faye protested. “Stop being an idiot, Liz—come on, come talk to Lucas. He thinks—”
“Oh, so now I’m an idiot, am I?” Liz’s rage was beginning to bubble over. “Some best friend you turned out to be, Faye McCarron.”
“Liz, I don’t understand what you’re talking about. One minute we were both talking to Lucas, and the next minute you’d vanished. I only stayed there because I wanted to talk to him for the article. And it was a good talk, I think.”
“Sure,” spat Liz. “It looked really good from where I was standing—good for you, that is. You knew I liked him, Faye. And now you’re going after him yourself. How could you?”
“I’m not! We were just talking!”
Liz had had enough. She pushed off from the wall and shoved Faye out of the way, spilling some of her drink in the process. “Well, don’t think you’re getting a ride home from me, McCarron. You can walk, for all I care!”
Chapter 13: Night Terrors
Faye couldn’t believe what had just happened. How on earth could her best friend think she would do such a thing, especially when Liz had made it so clear that she was totally head over heels for Lucas?
And then, as Faye thought about it, anger began to take over. What sort of friend thought about another friend like that, period? And over a stupid boy! And even if Faye had wanted Lucas for herself, what right did Liz have to get upset about it? As if she’d somehow put a label on him saying TAKEN, or something? Unbelievable!
Faye looked at her watch. It was 10:30 p.m.—early, considering the party was due to go on until midnight and Aunt Pam had told her she could stay to the end. But she was no longer in the party mood, and anyway, she’d just lost her ride. She didn’t feel like going around to all her friends, begging them to drive her. She’d have to explain why she wasn’t going back with Liz, which would just be embarrassing and would add fuel to whatever rumors were already going around the party. Anyway, Faye didn’t really feel like spending any more time in the same room as Liz. Even if she hadn’t been doing what her friend had accused her of, Faye had to admit that she’d had fun talking to Lucas—which only made her feel more confused and angry. She just wanted to go home, alone, right away.
Making up her mind to walk, Faye was about to search for Candi to say goodbye when she spotted Liz. She had her arms around Lucas’s waist and was pulling him toward the dance floor. Faye turned away, feeling something suspiciously like jealousy. She had to get out of there.
Heading for the door, she slipped out of the cabin unnoticed and made her way into the woods.
Though it was dark, the sky was so clear that the moon shone silver on the snow, lighting her way. Faye set off in the direction of Winter Mill, avoiding the track and instead cutting through the trees, heading for the road into town. She wasn’t worried about getting lost—she’d spent so much time up here as a child, exploring with her father, that she knew the forest as well as she knew the town itself. The music and chatter followed her for a while, but soon it faded until all she could hear was the crunch of her boots on the undisturbed snow.
She had just topped a small ridge when a horrible noise shattered the quiet. It was a raw, animal
howl—a noise unlike anything Faye had ever heard before. She froze, terror gripping her heart and thumping it against her rib cage.
She waited there, not daring to move, but after several minutes there were no more awful sounds. Her heart calmed, and her fear gradually faded away.
It must have been an owl, she thought to herself. Or maybe someone up at the party, making stupid noises. You weren’t listening properly, that’s all. There’s nothing scary in these woods.
Faye began to move again, more quickly. Her party clothes really weren’t that warm, and standing still had chilled her to the bone. She rubbed her hands up and down her arms to warm herself. Maybe walking wasn’t such a great idea after all.…
Then she saw something out of the corner of her eye. Or at least, she almost saw it, a fleeting movement among the trees to her left, too quick to pin down. She kept going, hoping she was imagining things. Instead, to focus her thoughts, she concentrated on where she put her feet among the hidden, snowy tree roots, wishing now that she hadn’t worn heels. But then she saw it again—a fluid shape, sliding swiftly between the tree trunks. She shivered as a cold slice of fear went down her spine.
It was a wolf, its yellow eyes flickering in the dark of the forest.
Her heart began to beat faster again. She changed direction, moving to her right, away from the predator. But then she saw another—they were on either side of her, moving quietly through the trees.
Faye’s heart jumped and fluttered. Two wolves? She’d heard of them in these woods—loners, coming over the border from Canada to hunt—but never of more than one at a time. What if there was a whole pack?
There came another howl, high-pitched and terrifying. And then, something else—another sound, farther away but just as fearful—the creepy, mournful wail of a horn that rose and then died away on the wind.
The howl went on and on. It came from somewhere behind her, and Faye found herself running, trying to open her purse and pull out her phone. She looked left and right and saw that the wolves were still following her, easily keeping up. They wound around tree trunks as they loped through the woods, faster and faster, closer and closer.… Faye managed to pull her cell out, but her cold fingers fumbled as she dialed and she lost her grip. The phone fell, disappearing into a snowdrift. Sobbing, Faye didn’t dare stop. Instead she ran on, gathering all her strength.
She heard snuffling close on her right as one of the wolves checked her scent. Then the horrible sound of the horn pierced the breeze again, dousing Faye in a fear so cold that she felt numb.
She slipped, went sprawling headlong in the snow. She thought she felt the creature’s breath on her neck and forced herself back to her feet, not even pausing to brush off the snow as she ran again. Her clothes were wet now, and she was freezing cold. She felt her teeth began to chatter, and her fingers ached. Her mind flashed, suddenly, to the body in the woods. Was this what had happened to him? Maybe he hadn’t died from cold after all; maybe … Faye shook herself, clearing her head. Panicking wouldn’t get her anywhere.
It can’t be that much farther to the road, she told herself, trying to keep calm enough to think clearly. Just keep going. If you can make it to the road …
Something snapped at her heels and she screamed, the sound echoing into the trees as she twisted to get away. She spurred herself forward, feeling branches scratch at her face and pull at her hair.
Then the wolf was at her heels again, its teeth grazing against her calf. She stepped on a rotten tree branch, concealed beneath the flawless snow. It crumbled under her foot, and she stumbled, right under the beast’s nose.
Chapter 14: An Unexpected Encounter
Faye tried to right herself, but the stumble turned into a fall and suddenly she was rolling down the slope full-tilt. She opened her mouth to scream but shut it again as dirty snow and dead leaves made her cough instead.
She scrabbled desperately with her hands, trying to grab on to the trees as she rolled past, but she couldn’t. She thought she was going to fall forever, but suddenly the ground leveled out. Her head struck something harder than the surrounding mulch—tarmac! She had rolled onto the road, which had been sanded against the snow.
She could still hear the wolves howling as they chased down her scent. She scrambled to her feet, ignoring a sharp pain in her elbow.
A roar sounded behind her, but it wasn’t an animal this time. Faye spun on her heel, throwing her hands up to shield her eyes from the fierce glare of the headlight that appeared around the bend in the road, cutting through the darkness like a knife. She tried to get out of the way but, disoriented by the chase and her fall, didn’t know which way to leap. She recognized the sound of the vehicle as a motorbike as it bore down on her.
Faye held her breath, but in the split second that she waited for the collision, the bike skidded around her. She watched as the rider fought to control his bike. Its back wheel kicked out against the blacktop as it hit a patch of stubborn snow and slid until it was almost horizontal against the road’s icy surface. She could see the rider holding on grimly, his leather-gloved fingers gripping the handlebars for dear life. He and the bike spun in a semicircle around her quaking figure. Faye stood, rooted to the spot, waiting for the rider to crash to the ground.
But he didn’t. With a monumental effort, he pulled the bike upright, completing the semicircle he had cut on the treacherous ice and coming to a standstill with his front wheel just inches from her legs. The engine idled, suddenly quiet.
In the vast moment of silence that followed, Faye could hear her breathing, even louder than the beating of her terrified heart. She could feel herself shaking, her teeth chattering with cold and fright.
“What the—?” said the rider, struggling to catch his own breath. “Faye? It’s Faye, isn’t it? What the hell are you doing out here? I could have hit you! I could have killed—”
She had a second to wonder how on earth he knew her name before the rider’s words were cut off by another wolfish howl from somewhere in the trees. The rider pulled off his helmet, and Faye found herself face to face with Finn, the biker boy from the mall. He stared up at the forest, his face dark with anger.
“Get on,” he ordered. “Behind me. I’ll take you home.”
Faye didn’t hesitate. She straddled the bike’s wide seat and wrapped her arms around his waist. As soon as he felt her weight behind him, Finn kicked the engine into gear and roared off down the road toward the lights of Winter Mill.
She’d never been on a bike before. It was exhilarating to race with the wind through the night. She held on as tightly to the boy as she dared, her face against his warm, heavy jacket. It smelled of leather, an old smell but not unpleasant. Her heart was still beating, but as she felt the muscles of his back move where she was pressed hard to him, her fear melted into deep excitement.
“Where do you live?” she heard him shout as they approached the town.
“McCarron’s Bookstore,” Faye called back, hoping that the wind hadn’t snatched her words away before he had heard them.
The ride was less than ten minutes, though as the bike pulled up Faye wished it could have lasted an hour. The boy killed the engine and kicked down the stand, leaning the bike into it. Faye slid off, pushing her windswept hair back from her face, and found she had to catch her breath once again. “Thank you,” she managed to say as he removed his helmet and pushed himself off the bike.
He stood in front of her, eyes shadowed so that Faye couldn’t tell what he was thinking. “I guess that makes us even,” he said at last.
“Even?”
He smiled then, briefly. “For what you did in the mall.”
“Oh. Right. You didn’t owe me—”
“What were you doing out there in the woods?” he asked, cutting her off. “Don’t you ever go out there alone, you hear me?”
She was shaken by the urgent tone of his voice, talking about a landscape she’d known since she was a child. “I was just walking home. I’ve done it a thou
sand times.”
“Well, don’t. Not now. Not anymore.”
“Why?” she asked, trying to make sense of everything that had happened. “Those were wolves out there. They were chasing me—but there was something else, too. It sounded like … like a horn, or something. Do you know what that was?”
The boy looked away. “I don’t know. I just know it’s not safe up there. Please … Faye, please promise me you won’t go up there again.”
Faye felt her heart lurch. “How do you know my name?”
Finn shrugged. “I heard your friend call you. At the mall.”
“Thank you,” she whispered. “I was afraid. Really afraid.”
Finn took a step toward her. Faye held her breath as he raised one hand and traced a finger along her cheekbone where a branch had scratched her. “You don’t have to be afraid,” he told her softly. “Not while I’m here. Never while I’m here.”
He was so close. Her eyes flicked to his lips, and she wanted to feel his arms around her. Her heart stuttered and she met Finn’s gaze, finding it so intense that she could hardly breathe. He dipped his head forward, and she thought he was about to kiss her. But then he froze. He dropped his hand as if her skin had burned him and stepped back, turning abruptly to look up at the McCarron’s sign.
“So the woman who runs the shop—that’s your mom?”
“Uh—no,” said Faye, sent off-balance by the sudden change of atmosphere. She swallowed her disappointment, embarrassed that she’d misread his intention. “No, my mom’s dead. That’s my aunt Pam.”
Finn nodded, glancing at his boots and then at the bike key in his hand—anywhere, apparently, to avoid looking back at her. “I like her. Anyway, I’ve got to go.”
“You were out there,” Faye blurted, suddenly desperate for him to stay. “You were out in the woods tonight. Why?”
He stared at her for a second and shrugged. “I like the moonlight.”
Then he jammed on his crash helmet and swung his leg over the bike, gunning the engine. A second later, he was gone, without even pausing to say goodbye.