Opposite of Ordinary: (The Fareland Society, Book 1)

by Sorensen, Jessica

  “I wanted to.” His chest crashes against mine as his eyes zone in on my mouth. “I’ve wanted it to happen for a long time.”

  His words cause reality to rise over my head. He may think he’s wanted to kiss me for a long time, but if he knew the truth, he wouldn’t be here. And I’m a horrible person for letting things get this far.

  I start to pull back, but he seals his lips to mine before I get the chance. I freeze, unsure what to do next: pull away and admit everything, or keep pretending, lying, being exactly the girl who the brunette on the sofa accused me of being.

  My good side is about to win as I pull away, but he chases my lips. And when he parts my lips with his tongue, I’m yanked out of the water and back into Dreamland again.

  Suddenly, I’m kissing him. And I mean, really kissing him, our tongues tangling, our bodies pressed so close together that I can feel his heart hammering. And when he lets out a groan, I practically lose my way in Wonderland.

  Pulling him closer, I back us up against a mushroom and kiss him like it’s my first kiss. I kind of feel like it is, mostly because I’m me in this moment, and not some girl kissing a guy because he’s popular or because her best friend told her to. I’m just a girl, kissing a guy she likes so much she can barely think straight.

  When he grips my sides instead of wandering toward the bottom of my dress, I think I might like him even more.

  He breaks the kiss for a second to ask, “Am I doing okay?”

  “More than okay,” I reply breathlessly, grabbing his suspenders and yanking him back toward me.

  His hat falls off his head as our lips reunite. Then we kiss until my lips feel swollen, until my heart is on the verge of combusting, until my mind is so lost I barely comprehend the lights above us turning on.

  “Maxon,” I whisper through shallow gasps. “Did the lights just turn on?”

  He sucks on my bottom lip before pulling away and blinking dazedly, his fingers on my waist tightening. “Huh?”

  I drift away from Dreamland as my eyes widen. “The lights are on.”

  He tilts his head toward the ceiling then looks back at me. “Clarissa must’ve done it for some reason. I’m sure it’s okay.” He leans back in, his lips magnetizing toward mine.

  “Well, well, well, what do we have here?” The sound of Queeny’s voice sends a shock of fear and anger through my body.

  I spin around, positioning myself in front of Maxon, keeping her as far away from him as possible. “What are you doing here?”

  Her heels click against the cement floor as she ambles around the mushrooms, laughing when she notices my costume. “When my cousin called and told me you were here, she didn’t paint a very good picture of what was going on. That’s okay. It’s much better seeing it in real life.”

  “Cousin?” I ask before it dawns on me. “The Mad Hatter girl is your cousin?”

  “Not by choice.” She stops in front of me and crosses her arms. “I’m grateful she called and told me what was going on. And as a thank you, I’ll acknowledge her in the hallway.”

  “Wow, lucky girl.” My tone drips with sarcasm.

  She glares at me like she wants to throttle me. “At one time, you thought so.”

  “At one time, I believed you were my friend.”

  “Not my fault you were that stupid.”

  I open and flex my hands. “Why are you here?”

  When she glances at Maxon, the biggest demon smirk I’ve ever seen possesses her face. “You haven’t figured that out yet?”

  I span my hands to my sides in a protective move. “You’re not going to do anything to him.”

  “Ash, relax.” Maxon steps beside me, his gaze never wavering from Queeny’s. “I’m not afraid of her.”

  “You should be.” Queeny shimmies her hips as she steps toward him. “I’m about to ruin that little fantasy you have of thinking Ash is a sweet, innocent little girl who just got caught up on the wrong path.”

  And just like that, I become achingly aware of why she’s here.

  Queeny sees it on my face, too, and pure glee shimmers in her eyes. “The real question is: are you going to tell him … or me?”

  “Oh, shut up,” Maxon tells her with a glare. “Do you seriously think I’d believe anything that comes out of that lying mouth of yours?”

  Queeny doesn’t look at him, fixated solely on me. “So? Which one is it? Do I get to break his heart or do you?”

  “I hate you,” I tell her. It’s a ridiculously immature move, but I’m panicking.

  My confession wasn’t supposed to happen like this. I was supposed to give him a letter, stained with my soul, and he was supposed to be able to go somewhere private and read it. Not learn about it in front of Queeny, who is going to enjoy his pain and humiliation way too much.

  I’ve messed up everything because I’m selfish. I’m not a good person. I was just pretending to be.

  Puzzlement contorts his face as Maxon notices my shift in demeanor. “Ash, what’s going on?”

  “I need to tell you something,” I choke out. “Something really bad.”

  He hesitates, swallowing nervously. “Okay.”

  “It’s about the science fair last year,” I say quietly, staring down at the ground. “And you guys getting disqualified because someone lied and said you cheated.”

  He doesn’t say anything, which is the worst kind of silence.

  “I’m the one who told the committee you cheated.” I meet his gaze, afraid if I look away, he’ll vanish. “I’m sorry. I hate myself for doing it, and I wish I could take it back, but I know I can’t.” My apology sucks and is nowhere near even a summary of the words I penned on paper. But when hate fills his eyes, I’m not sure even my letter could’ve saved me.

  “Maxon,” I start, stepping toward him. “I’m—”

  “Don’t. Just don’t.” He steps back, shaking his head.

  I freeze. “I’m so sorry … But I … Can you …?” I struggle to form coherent words as anxiety chokes me.

  He balls his hands into trembling fists as he moves farther away from me. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me a week ago. And after Clove and I told you how upset we were that we couldn’t compete this year, that we lost our chance at getting scholarships.” He sucks in a tremulous breath then lets it out. “Why didn’t you tell me then?”

  “Because I was scared you guys would hate me,” I whisper, sucking back the tears. “And because I’m a coward.”

  He moves even farther away from me. “I don’t know what to say. I really don’t … I can’t … I just …” He takes off toward the house, shaking his head.

  “This was so much fun.” Queeny laughs.

  “You’ve had your fun,” I grit out. “Now leave!”

  She gets in my face. “Never. I will never be done with you until I’ve broken you into a million pieces.”

  A cold chill rushes down my spine, but anger sweeps through me, erasing it. “Get out of my face,” I snap, then swing around her.

  “This isn’t over!” she shouts after me.

  I ignore her, walking away.

  Wishing I’d walked away from her a long time ago.

  20

  It takes me a few minutes to work up the courage to go inside Clarissa’s house and search for Clove and Maxon, but eventually, I stop being a big ol’ chicken and make my way back inside. A part of me worries Maxon told everyone, but when hardly anyone glances in my direction, I realize my own stupidity. Maxon isn’t the sort of guy to spread rumors about people. No, that’s my thing. Well, the old Ashlynn’s thing.

  After searching the living room and the kitchen and not finding Maxon, Clove, or even Clarissa anywhere, I decide to message them. Since I left my phone in the car due to this dress having zero pockets, I make my way outside. But as I reach the end of the driveway where Gabby’s car was parked, I slow to a stop, realizing her car is gone.

  They left without me? Why?

  I rub my hand across my forehead and let out a lou
d sigh. Could this day get any worse?

  Exhaling a stressed breath, I turn around to go back inside and borrow a phone, but I slow to a stop when Clarissa steps onto the front porch.

  “You can’t come back in here.” She crosses her arms. “Not after what you did.”

  I swallow hard. “Maxon told you?”

  “No, I overheard him telling Clove. And they’re really upset.” She shakes her head. “Honestly, I haven’t seen Maxon this upset since … And Clove … I can’t let you come in here and upset them more.”

  My chest tightens as I picture the hurt look on Maxon’s face when Queeny told him about what I did. Then I imagine what Clove looked like when Maxon informed him of my betrayal. That sweet, happy smile he always sports is probably gone, and I’m responsible for that.

  I hurt them, the two sweetest guys I’ve ever met.

  “I’m so sorry. I really am. I meant to tell them … I had these letters …” I wrap my arms around myself. “I really messed up.”

  “Yeah, you really did.” She twists around to go back inside, but then she pauses, a drop of sympathy trickling across her face. “Just give them some space for a bit, okay? And then maybe try to give them those letters.” Her expression hardens again. “I just hope you’re not lying and that you really are sorry.”

  I suck in a breath, fighting back tears. “I’ve been sorry since the day I did it.”

  She wavers, then starts back inside again.

  Something occurs to me.

  “Clarissa, wait.” I step onto the bottom stair of the front porch as she turns back around. “Do you know where my brother and Gabby went?”

  “To the store to pick up more bags of candy for me because Clove ate most of the M&Ms.”

  “Oh.” I frown. “How long are they going to be gone?”

  She lifts a shoulder. “I’m not sure. You can text them and ask.”

  “Yeah … My phone’s in the car, so …” I shrug.

  She rolls her eyes then stuffs her hand into the pocket of her dress and hands me her phone. “I don’t have your brother’s number, but Gabby is in my contacts.”

  “Thanks.” I tap open her contacts and send Gabby a quick message.

  Me: Hey, this is Ashlynn. My phone’s in your car, so I’m using Clarissa’s. I’m just wondering how long it’s going to be before you guys get back here.

  It takes her a moment to respond.

  Gabby: Hey! I actually got a flat tire on our way back, so we’re going to be a bit.

  Awesome. But, what do I expect at this point?

  Me: Where are you guys exactly?

  Gabby: We’re near the gas station on Main Street and Cherry Blossom Avenue.

  That’s a few miles away from here, but a doable distance to walk.

  Me: I’m going to head down there, if that’s okay?

  Gabby: What? Why? Did something happen?

  Me: I’ll explain when I get there.

  I probably won’t, though, unless I have a breakdown. At this point, I might. I feel so shitty, guilty, and pissed off at myself, and the really sucky part is I have no one to blame but myself.

  Gabby: Are you sure you want to? It’s a couple miles away.

  Me: I’ll be fine.

  Gabby: Your brother says to wait.

  I sigh heavily.

  Me: Look, I’m not allowed to be here anymore, so I’m going to start walking.

  I probably sound rude, but I feel like an idiot. Tears are burning in my eyes and all I want to do is get out of here so I can have a meltdown without an audience. Plus, it’s clear no one wants me around.

  “Thanks for letting me borrow that.” I hand Clarissa back her phone. “Tell Maxon and Clove I’m sorry.” It sounds so lame to have her pass along the message, as if two words are going to make up for what I did. But it’s the best I can do for the moment.

  Trying not to cry, I start down the path toward the driveway.

  “Where are you going?” Clarissa calls out.

  I twist around and walk backward, looking at her. “Gabby got a flat tire. They’re just a ways down the road, so I’m going to walk to them.”

  Wariness floods her expression. “You can hang out on the porch. You don’t need to walk anywhere, especially in those shoes.”

  “I’ll be fine,” I assure her, although I might end up taking off the shoes.

  She hesitates, as if wanting to say more, but no words leave her lips.

  I take that as a go-ahead to get my ass off her property, so I do, walking away with no one but myself for company, something I better get used to from now on.

  Clarissa’s house is located on a pretty desolate road where the houses are acres apart from each other. Barely any cars pass by as I start hiking down the side of the road.

  As the sun lowers behind the hills, it starts to occur to me that maybe this wasn’t such a great idea, especially since I don’t have my phone. The last thing I want to do is walk around by myself in the dark, which is probably why Lucky said not to walk to them. Still, sitting around on Clarissa’s front porch is the last thing I want to do. Maybe I can just go back and camp out near the trees beside Clarissa’s house until Gabby and Lucky get back? That idea sounds a lot better than walking around in the dark.

  Turning back around, I start back toward the house when headlights cast across my back. Moments later, I hear a car pull up behind me.

  Figuring it’s Gabby and Lucky, I turn back around. But it’s not Gabby’s car. It’s a large SUV with tinted windows.

  My heart soars through the roof, and I reel around to run like hell as all the SUV’s doors are opened and four people climb out. They’re dressed head to toe in black and wearing creepy-ass skeleton masks.

  I immediately open my mouth and let out the loudest scream I can muster while running as fast as my shoes will allow.

  I’m not positive who they are, but I have an inkling this has to do with Queeny’s whole revenge vendetta against me. That is, until the tallest of the four figures runs up, grabs me by the waist, and wrestles a cloth bag over my head. That’s when I question if perhaps Queeny has nothing to do with this. I mean, she’s a bitch and everything, but this is beyond illegal. Then again, she’s done a lot of illegal things …

  I gasp as they pull me backward.

  The cloth bag has a hole where my mouth is, which seems odd, but it’s a good thing, because it allows me to breathe and to scream.

  “Let me go!” I shout as the person picks me up.

  They say absolutely nothing, holding me against them and carrying me somewhere.

  I kick and scream and try to hit them, to no avail. The next thing I know, I’m being tossed into the vehicle, my cheek hitting the rough carpet. I instantly try to get back up, but they put a knee on my back, holding me down as they bind my legs and hands behind my back with what feels like ropes. That’s when the panic really starts to kick in.

  This is bad. So, so bad …

  My body trembles and tears spill from my eyes as I struggle to get free. I feel so vulnerable and weak, and I hate it.

  “Don’t even try to get away,” someone whispers. Then I hear a series of doors clicking.

  No one makes a sound as I hear the engine accelerate.

  Oh, my God, this isn’t happening. Please say it isn’t.

  “Did you do it yet?” someone whispers.

  Their voice is too quiet for me to tell if it’s recognizable, but it’s definitely male.

  “Not yet …” another deep voice whispers.

  “Well, get it done,” someone else hisses. “We need it to be working by the time we get there.”

  A beat of silence trickles by, and then someone mutters a string of curses. A slamming heartbeat of a second later, something small and very pill-like is shoved into my mouth. I immediately try to spit it out, but they slap their hand across my mouth and hold my lips shut.

  Panic flares through me as I attempt to wiggle the pill out of my lips with my tongue, but it starts to dissolve.


  God, no … This can’t be happening.

  A sickening feeling twists in my gut as the hand moves away from my mouth.

  I spit a couple of times, trying to get whatever the hell was in that pill out of me, but most of it has already dissolved.

  Part of me—a really naïve part—hopes maybe this is all some practical joke. Perhaps Queeny set this up and the pill is a placebo. Maybe she’s just trying to make me panic and is videotaping this entire thing. I could live with that. Seriously, if that’s what this is, then I’m okay with it.

  A handful of minutes later, though, reality smacks me across the face as a hazy fog begins to cloud my mind.

  “Help …” I manage to whisper before haziness overtakes me completely.

  21

  The next thing I see are stars shining in the midnight black sky above me. I stare at them, feeling lost and confused and hazy until my stomach starts to lurch. Then I tear my gaze away from the sky and quickly roll over to vomit.

  When I’m done, I lift my head and realize I’m lying on the ground, in the middle of a dirt road, with nothing but trees surrounding me. I’m also only wearing my bra and underwear.

  “Oh, my God,” I groan, clutching my bare belly. “Oh God, oh God, oh God,” I mutter over and over again as I push up onto my hands and knees.

  Tears veil my vision and my stomach churns, partly from wanting to puke again and partly because I can’t remember how I got here or what happened to me. The last thing I recall is walking on the side of the road, and then the SUV pulling up and masked people hopping out … being thrown into the vehicle … a pill getting shoved into my mouth. After that, the memories become foggy.

  My stomach lurches again, and I open my mouth, dry heaving over and over again. My muscles ache, my head throbs, and the confusion flooding my mind is sending tears pouring from my eyes.

  “What happened to me?” I whisper, digging my fingernails into the dirt.