Beautifully Unnatural: A Young Adult Paranormal Boxed Set

by Amy Miles

  My brain engaged and I returned his smirk. “And you’re so much cooler?” I turned and headed to my next class.

  Once I rounded the corner, I exhaled, sure I didn’t sense Zack close by. I couldn’t think about how I knew when he was near. Couldn’t think about a lot of things right now. I just needed to watch where I went and how fast I moved, especially where Zack was concerned.

  After my last class, I stopped at my locker. As I rooted around for the books to take home, I felt thick arms wrap around my waist, lips nuzzling the back of my neck.

  “You ready to go to Bill’s Bean and Brew? We’re due for some quality time together,” Daniel whispered in my ear.

  No, I wasn’t ready for that at all. But it would give me the perfect opportunity to end things. That is, if we actually made it to the coffee shop and not some deserted road for quality time. But since I really wanted to have that talk with him, I’d take what I could get and fend him off.

  “I’ll meet you outside.” I shoved my books back in the locker and faced him, fully expecting to dodge him when he swooped. Instead, he flashed me that same sweet smile he used to give me before we started dating. Too bad the sweetness wouldn’t last.

  Daniel took off. I turned to follow when I noticed Zack sauntering toward me. Why couldn’t his locker be at the other end of the hallway?

  Zack gave me a thumbs up, mouthing, “He’s a winner,” as he passed me.

  I hated that Daniel was such a creep and Zack had judged me by that.

  I needed to get this breakup on.

  Sighing, I resumed the book search, loaded up my backpack and headed to Daniel’s car. Right outside the double doors, I saw Gina twisting her hair around her finger as she talked to Zack.

  Could he be the mystery guy she’d hooked up with at the party over the weekend? Except that Gina had said Zack had a girlfriend. Maybe he’d recently become available.

  Zack seemed to like Gina just fine, but he couldn’t stand me. A feeling deep inside me fought its way up. Jealousy. Which I need to get over, because Zack didn’t like me and all. He and Gina were probably perfect for each other. They could sit together at lunch and judge everyone.

  As I approached my car, I noticed the rear tire all plump and healthy. I searched the lot, expecting to see someone walking away with a car-jack. No such luck.

  Who’d filled it up? If my dad had noticed — which was unlikely since I’d parked across the street yesterday where he couldn’t see that side of my car — he would’ve insisted on driving me to school or at least mentioned it to me and warned me to be careful. Zack maybe?

  I dumped my backpack in the Taurus and scanned the parking lot for Zack. Instead, I spotted Daniel’s black Audi gleaming just several cars away. Daniel casually leaned against the passenger side, glaring in another direction and oblivious to my presence. I followed the path of his gaze to Zack and Gina, wondering what Zack had done to annoy him — besides being way hotter than him.

  “Hey,” I said, as I approached.

  “Hi, babe. You should park your car on the street, so we don’t have to rush back before the gates get locked.”

  I backtracked to my car, but halted two steps later and spun around. Knowing Daniel, he’d invite Jeff and Natalie. We wouldn’t be alone at all. “I can’t go for coffee.”

  “Okay, but you said you wanted to talk. Get in and we’ll drive around the block or something.”

  Which was what I’d wanted. But did I really want to be trapped in his car with him?

  “Actually, I really need your help with something,” Daniel said, his blue eyes pleading. “I’d rather not talk about it here.”

  I sighed and climbed into the Audi. I was about to put on my seatbelt when he gripped my arm.

  “Not so fast.” He leaned over, cupping my face. “You look really pretty today.”

  I leaned back, so Daniel’s mouth couldn’t reach me. Instead of noticing my retreat, he gazed past me and frowned. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Gina and Zack talking at his car. My tummy fluttered. So not the reaction I wanted when seeing him. He gave Gina a wave, then went back into the school.

  “What’s with you and Zack?” I asked.

  Daniel pivoted in his seat and started the engine. “For starters, he’s a total tool.”

  Whatever. I probably wasn’t going to get anything else out of Daniel, so didn’t try.

  As he barreled through the gate and swerved into the lane, which was how he always drove, I pondered what I’d say. How did you go about telling someone you don’t like them anymore?

  My palms moistened and I racked my brain for the right words. Then I stared out the window and noticed we were a few hundred yards from Angeles National Forest — with plenty of secluded spots hidden by trees. Why was I not surprised that he’d driven me to a very private place to park?

  Daniel killed the engine under a covering of trees and unhooked his seatbelt.

  I scooted toward the door. “We’re not parking this time, Daniel. We need to talk.”

  “We can do that later.” Daniel lunged, his mouth devouring mine. As he squished against me, my elbow wedged against the door and his weight on my chest pressed into my air passages. I couldn’t breathe.

  CHAPTER SIX

  “Daniel!” I shouted. “I wanted to talk, not make out.”

  He lifted his head, brows drawn. “You mean you were serious?”

  “Yes.” I shoved, but his full weight made him hard to budge. Disgusting. “Get off.”

  “I don’t mind getting off. Just put your hand right here—”

  “You know what?” I gritted my teeth. “Just take me to my car. Now.” He didn’t even deserve the speech, whatever it may have been. After today, I’d never speak to his stupid ass again. He’d get the idea soon enough.

  “What? We just got here.” He aimed for my mouth, his tongue poking past my lips.

  I shoved harder, blasting his back into the dashboard.

  “Ow!”

  “I said no.” I adjusted my shirt.

  “Damn it, Autumn. You’ve kept me waiting for weeks. I swear, I’m not waiting until prom night.”

  “Prom night?” My face skewed. He assumed I’d sleep with him then? Oh, he had some nerve.

  “Come on, baby. I promise you’ll love it.” Daniel reached over and hit the button to make my seat recline, then he pounced. In a flash, he was climbing over to my side, trying to kiss me again.

  I turned my head. “If you don’t get off me right now, I’m going to scream.” My arms thrashed until my palm connected with his chin. He yelped. “I’m not kidding. Let me go.”

  “Fine.” He clambered over to his own seat and rubbed his jaw. “But I’m done waiting, Autumn. You’d better start getting your priorities straight.”

  “Screw you, Daniel.” I shifted in the seat so my back faced him. The creep didn’t speak another word after he started up the Audi. A few blocks from the school, I couldn’t take it anymore. I didn’t want to be in the same city with him, much less the confined space of a car. “Pull over and let me out.”

  “What?” He glanced at me briefly.

  “I said stop. I can walk the rest of the way.”

  “Whatever.” Daniel swerved dangerously and bumped the curb.

  “Don’t you dare come near me ever again,” I hissed. Without looking at him, I swung the door open, leaped out and slammed the door shut. His tires screeched behind me.

  Still trembling from rage, I texted my mom to tell her I’d been delayed, then sprinted to the school. The run felt good, liberating. Barely winded from the exertion, I climbed into my car and leaned back in the driver’s seat.

  What an ass. I shouldn’t have waited so long to dump him.

  A knock on my window made me jump and my stomach clenched, thinking it was Daniel. Not out of fear, but revulsion.

  Zack motioned for me to roll the window down and I did. A whiff of his woodsy, earthy scent invaded my nose and I stared into piercing green eyes.

 
“Car not starting again?” He pulled his cell out and looked at the screen.

  To check the time, I assumed. Apparently, subtlety wasn’t a quality Zack possessed. If he was short on time, why did he bother stopping at all? “What are you still doing here?” I asked.

  “Detention.”

  “On your second day at a new school?” I scrunched my nose.

  He exhaled and aimed his eyes at the sky. “Tried to break up a fight, then your boyfriend said I started it.”

  Daniel rated high on the douche meter, for sure, but that high? “What about the guys who were fighting? They pin it on you too?”

  “Yep.” He straightened and folded his arms over his chest.

  I made a conscious effort to keep my jaw from dropping. Zack didn’t seem the type of guy to let someone walk all over him that way. Daniel and his creepy friends would fully deserve anything Zack dished out.

  He rolled his eyes. “Are you stranded or not?”

  I blinked, still stuck on Daniel and his evil deed. “I haven’t tried.”

  “Why don’t you try it now?” He lifted one brow.

  “Geez, no one’s forcing you to stay. I’m sure you have more interesting things to do.”

  “Yeah, like get to work, which I’ll be even later for if you don’t speed things up.” He gave me the hurry up motion with his hand. “Start it.”

  I turned the key and the car fired to life right away. My gaze returned to the open window, but Zack was already yards away.

  “Zack. Wait.” Leaving the motor running, I scrambled out of my car and chased after him.

  He pivoted on his heel and faced me. “What?”

  “Did you fix my flat?”

  His eyes darted to my tire. “Somebody did.”

  “So it wasn’t you?”

  “You think I fixed it for you?” Zack gave me a really good are-you-crazy-look.

  I lifted my chin. “You didn’t answer the question.”

  “Really?” Zack laughed once. “You’re going to make me even later to work for small talk?”

  “I just want to know if I should thank you for fixing my tire. You don’t have to be such an ass.”

  “You and Daniel act like you’re better than everyone else, but I’m an ass?” He shook his head, his mouth twisting.

  The thought of being lumped in with a guy like Daniel made my stomach churn. I opened my mouth to tell him that Daniel and I were so over. “Listen—”

  “Spare me your devotion to him, okay?” Zack grimaced. “You guys remind me of this lady when I was a stock boy at Dollars and Deals. She’d come in with her fake blond hair and fake boobs and treat me like her personal slave. Ran me around and never once thanked me.”

  “Uhm…” I didn’t get it. My boobs were real and I wasn’t blond. He should’ve been able to figure out by looking at my car that I wasn’t rich either.

  “One day, this guy came in and we ended up talking about cars. After a while, he shook my hand and thanked me for my help. All I did was point him to the paper towels.”

  I frowned, trying to guess Zack’s point to the story.

  “Turns out he owns all the Dollars and Deals across the country, yet he didn’t act like he was better than me. After talking with him, I felt good about myself. It made me realize that truly decent people treat others with respect. That’s what makes them better. Not how many things they own or how popular they are.”

  I tilted my head, hoping he wasn’t saying what I thought he was saying.

  “They don’t go around acting like they’re superior and making everyone else feel like crap.”

  “Oh.” I blinked, finally getting it. My mind reeled in outrage. “You mean like what you’re doing right now?”

  Gina was a hundred times the snob I was — if I was one at all. Why was Zack nice to her? And if Zack was right about me, I wouldn’t be friends with John or Ashley.

  But seeing him scowl froze the words in my throat. Next thing I knew, Zack had turned his back on me and lithely jumped into his Jeep. As he disappeared beyond the gate, my hands balled into fists.

  I couldn’t let myself care what he thought.

  After texting my mom, saying I was still alive, I hopped into my car and drove. I took the long way home, through windy roads that hugged the edge of the forest, until my anger dissipated.

  Once at my house, I found my mom sitting in my dad’s lap on the couch.

  “Hey,” I said. “Dad, were you at my school today?”

  “No, why?” he asked.

  I shrugged. “Thought I saw you from the back.”

  My mom smiled. “He was home with me all day.”

  So who fixed my flat?

  After dealing with my ex, then putting up with Zack, I wasn’t very hungry during dinner. I ate anyway while doing my best not to think of radioactive spiders and exposure to toxic chemicals.

  I couldn’t have been the only person in history to have strange powers. There had to be someone I could talk to or somewhere I could go for information. Other than a doctor.

  After dinner, I quietly retired to my room and ignored the stream of apologetic texts from Daniel as I continued my research.

  † † †

  As I drove to school Tuesday morning and thought of Daniel, my blood boiled. His behavior yesterday made civil conversation with him impossible now. Little quivers of revulsion traveled my body at the thought of him ever touching me again.

  Later, when I entered the cafeteria for lunch, he and Gina huddled next to each other at our table. As I made my way through the room, I saw her glance at me. I smiled, but she immediately averted her eyes without even a nod. Did Daniel tell her what happened or was she mad at me again? Whatever. All I cared about was avoiding more drama.

  I snagged a tray and stood in the food line, leaning over to peer through the glass and see what they were serving today. My entire body went stiff, sensing who was behind me in line.

  Vowing to ignore Zack, I continued to scan the food bins ahead. As I moved forward to close the space between me and the person in front of me, I felt him move up as well. He was so close, I could feel the warmth radiating from him.

  I spun when he leaned into me and inhaled. “Did you just sniff my hair?”

  His brows rose in innocence. “Why would I do that?”

  “Never mind. Just give me some elbow room, would you?” Maybe some distance would silence the fluttering in my belly.

  The corners of his mouth curved up. “Flatter yourself much?”

  My eyes narrowed. “Now I’m a snob and conceited?”

  “If you say so.” He twisted to face the trays, as if the food was infinitely more interesting than anything I had to say.

  I clenched my fists and held my tongue until it was time to collect my food, then wasted no time getting to my friends’ table. I’d even found a spot where I couldn’t see Zack. As though sensing my mood, John and Maya didn’t ask why I’d skipped sitting with Daniel and Gina. As the minutes passed, I chilled and the smiles came easier.

  Daniel materialized next to me as I walked to fifth period, grinning. “Hey, babe. Will you wait for me after school? We can do something together after.”

  I stopped right in the middle of the hallway and turned on him. “Don’t act as if nothing happened yesterday,” I said, struggling not to slap the smile off his face.

  “Oh, I know nothing happened yesterday.” He snorted.

  My palm twitched. “You know what I mean.”

  He must have realized how truly pissed I was, because the cocky grin disappeared and his gaze dropped to the ground.

  “I know and I’m sorry. I was about to apologize, but I’m just so happy to see you.” His eyes focused on my chest.

  I stared at him, knowing we had less than two minutes before class — not adequate for everything I burned to say.

  “Just to be clear, Daniel, we’re over.”

  “What?” His mouth dropped open. “Because of yesterday?”

  I scoffed. “Yes
.”

  “Oh, come on. I was just playing around.” He gave a short laugh. “You’re not breaking up with me over that.”

  He was acting like it was some big joke. Whatever. He’d figure it out eventually. I spun around and rushed to my next class.

  At the end of the school day, Maya found me on my way to my locker. “Going straight home?” she asked.

  “Almost. I need to talk to Daniel really quick.” I dropped books and a notebook into my backpack and threw it over my shoulder. “I dumped Daniel at lunch and he won’t stop texting me. If he has any hope we’ll work things out, I need to crush it.”

  “Wow.” Maya’s eyes bulged, then her face broke into a grin. “That’s a pleasant surprise. Details, please.”

  “Sure. But later, okay?” I wiped my moist palms on my jeans.

  She grinned. “Alright. I’ll walk with you for moral support, but we need to stop at my locker first.”

  As I shadowed Maya down the corridor, I noticed Trevor and Zack approaching. “Now’s your chance. Don’t forget to smile,” I whispered. “And slow down, so we don’t have to screech to a halt in case he looks like he wants to talk.”

  Trevor’s eyes moved to Maya and her face lit up.

  “Hey, guys,” she said.

  Trevor looked like a speeding freight train was headed straight for him.

  “You can do it. Just stay friendly,” I whispered in her ear. “Ask him how he is.”

  “How’s it going?” She smiled at them.

  Trevor nodded, still staring. Zack nudged him in the ribs. When Trevor still didn’t move, Zack dragged him forward by his arm.

  Maya didn’t miss a beat. I wondered if she’d ever taken acting classes.

  “How was the party last Saturday?” she asked Trevor.

  Trevor flinched when he got another jab in the ribs. “It was okay.”

  Zack’s lips moved, but with the mob in the corridor and locker doors banging, I couldn’t make out the words.

  “I didn’t see you there.” Trevor shoved his hands in his pockets and inched toward Maya, his eyes darting around. Definitely not the usual confident Trevor I’d noticed. Zack punched Trevor in the arm and took off.