Stephen peered at him, blinking a few times. “Do we know you?”
“Jayne does.” Aaron looked at me, though he made no motion to approach me.
I swallowed and took a step back from Stephen. “Aaron, this is Stephen. He’s on the lacrosse team. We’re—” I choked and forced the word out, “friends. Stephen, this is Aaron. He’s new, from England.”
“We’re together.” Now Aaron hooked a finger through one of my belt loops and pulled me closer to him. I leaned into him, relief warming my body. He claimed me. We were together. At least for the moment.
Stephen rubbed a fist into his eye and looked at me again. “Wait, I don’t get it. You’re seeing someone, Jayne?”
I stuck the tip of a finger in my mouth, anxiously seeking a fingernail. Finding it already chewed off, I gnawed on the side of my finger instead. What should I say? What did Aaron expect me to say?
“Looks like it,” Aaron replied, and for the first time I heard a note of a challenge in his voice. “Is that a problem?”
“Hell it is!” Stephen’s green eyes flashed and he glared at me. “Did you start seeing him before or after you kissed me?”
I was glad it was dark, because I knew my face was burning crimson. “You kissed me!” Oh heck, why did he bring that up? What would Aaron think of me now? “Stephen, don’t make a scene. We can discuss this later.”
“Right.” Stephen glared at me, his jaw clenching and unclenching. My gut twisted when I saw that he was genuinely distressed. “Whenever you decide it’s worth your time to call me, that is.”
I pushed my guilt aside. He hadn’t been too concerned about my feelings when he cheated on me with Jessica, after all. “I’ll call.” I hoped he would read my eyes. I was begging him to go.
Stephen met my gaze. He knew I hated confrontations. “Whatever, Jayne.” He paused a moment, then shrugged and walked away. Probably to get another beer.
I felt bad for thinking it, but it was true. That’s what he did when he was upset.
The pressure on my jeans relented, and Aaron pulled back. “Is that over?”
“I’m sorry.” I pressed a hand to my head. “Maybe we should just go.”
“If you want. So.” He smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “You should have told me you have a boyfriend.”
“Ex. Ex-boyfriend.” Such a shallow way to describe the extent of mine and Stephen’s relationship. I was wrecking this, I could feel it. No wonder Aaron preferred Libby over me. What a mess this night was turning out to be. I gnawed anxiously on my thumb nail, looking anywhere but at Aaron.
He pried my hand from my mouth. “Let’s start over and pretend like we just got here. Look, there’s Dana. Shall we say hello?”
“Yes.” I took a deep breath.
“Come on, then.” Aaron slipped his fingers around mine and pulled me forward. My stomach fluttered at the contact and some of my nerves relaxed. I’d offered Aaron an out, and he hadn’t taken it. For now, at least, he was only interested in me. The question was, should I run while I still could? Or should I take what I could get?
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
We neared the group of kids next to Dana. She no longer danced, but lay sideways on the rotting leaves next to the fire, singing to herself. Twigs and dirt clung to her face and hair.
Aaron glanced at me, and I knew what he thought.
“I’ve never seen her like this,” I tried to explain. But it was useless. Dana was making a fool of herself.
“I’m sure it’s not her,” Aaron said. “It’s those blokes she’s with.”
Right. We could blame the stupid college kids. I pulled away from him and marched into the group of boys, ready to tell them off. Just because they were of legal drinking age (and I had my doubts) didn’t mean they could be so irresponsible. I grabbed one by the arm.
“Hey, pretty sister,” he said, hooking me by my jeans. “Wanna play?”
“Let me go!” I yanked backwards, angry words on the tip of my tongue.
“What’s the matter?” He slinked closer, fingers clutching at my pants again. “You grabbed me, remember?”
“Let her go.” Aaron was suddenly there behind me, his jaw tight.
“Hey! She grabbed on to me.”
“Is there a problem here?” A third guy, this one with greasy hair and a gold hoop in his left ear, stepped between us. He was so covered in bonfire smoke that I didn’t realize he was the bearer of the lemon smell until our eyes met.
In an instant, the world around me faded.
The car is careening down an empty street. Laughing, Hank takes another swig from his beer. “Who’s up for dancing? Let’s go Samba!” He shakes the steering wheel to mimic the gesture of hips moving, the car swerving from lane to lane.
“I’m up for it!” Chad, in the backseat, has his arm around Dana, whose face is flushed, eyelids heavy. “I bet you can shake it, huh?”
Dana offers a limp smile, eyes drooping closed for a moment.
Hank checks them out in the rearview mirror. “She’s plastered, man. You gonna get some.”
Sirens start up close by, and he jerks the wheel, nearly taking out a fire hydrant. He swears violently. “Cops! On my tail!”
“Lose ‘em!” Chad looks visibly alarmed, excitement and stupor gone. “Faster!”
Hank speeds up, jumping through the empty street. The police car gains on them, coming close enough to ram the vehicle. He pumps his foot on the gas, willing the stupid car to move.
Around the corner another police car, lights already flashing, enters the intersection and stops in front of Hank’s car. Gasping, he yanks the steering wheel to the side and tries to avoid the roadblock. His reflexes are too slow, though, and his car jumps onto the sidewalk.
For a moment Hank sees everything in slow motion: the police lights, the bumping sidewalk, the approaching light pole. And then his side of the car smashes into the pole. The window shatters on impact and Hank cracks his head on the pole before everything goes black.
I took a step back, sputtering and shaking. Where was I? Nausea curled around my stomach and I swallowed several times. Breathing deeply, my head aching, I bent over, resting my hands on my knees.
Hank laughed, an ugly, nasal sound. “I think it’s time for her to go home. She’s already had too much.”
Strong hands gripped my shoulders and pulled me up. “Jayne?” Aaron said. “Are you all right?”
“Yes.” I straightened, coming back to my senses. “I’m fine.” Lifting my eyes, I saw her, standing on the other side of the bonfire. The flames struck strange shadows across her hollowed cheekbones, the evanescent white gown blowing in a non-existent breeze. I yanked on Aaron’s arm. “Aaron. Look there, through the bonfire.”
He squinted and followed my finger. “Okay?”
“Do you see a woman?”
He glanced at me and turned back to the fire, his brow furrowing. “You mean, like in the flames?”
“No, no. On the other side.”
“No.” He squinted at me. “Did you see someone?”
She still stood there, only now I thought I saw a smile on her lips. I let his arm go, feeling triumphant. I had just proved it. Only I could see her. “No, I didn’t. Just wondering.”
Forget the woman. I had to talk to Dana. My heart raced with anxiety. What happened to her? I hadn’t Seen her future. Did she die in the car accident, like Hank? No matter what happened, I had to keep her out of that car. I spun toward where she lay on the ground, only she wasn’t there anymore. I panicked. Had they left already? “Where’s Dana?”
Aaron pointed a few yards across the sand. Dana leaned into Chad, the dude who had been in the backseat with her, and swayed to music. “Give me a minute.”
Aaron’s eyes were creased with concern. “Can I help?”
With a sinking feeling I realized I wasn’t helping our date much. I kept getting weirder and weirder. Well, it wasn’t in our destiny to be together. Dana, I still had a chance to save. “Not right now.�
�� I steeled myself and walked away from him, approaching my best friend. “Dana.” I touched her arm, annoyed at the uncertainty I felt. “Can I talk to you?”
She turned and regarded me. “Hey, was that you that caused the commotion back there?”
I flushed. “I need to talk to you.”
Dana glanced around and lowered her voice. “Jayne, you’re acting strange. People are noticing. Lighten up, okay? It’s a party.”
Tell me about it. I took a deep breath. “Dana, let’s go. Let’s leave this place.”
“’Scuse us a sec.” Dana flashed a smile at Chad and moved a few steps away. As soon as we were alone, the smile dropped off her face. “What’s your problem?”
“My problem?” I echoed. “Since when do you drink?”
She had the grace to blush. “I don’t usually drink, okay? But these are older kids. They’ll take care of us.”
“We’re leaving.” I took her hand and started to pull.
“Whoa, Nelly!” Dana backed up. “Who are you? I don’t think so, girl. I’m having fun. You don’t like it, you go.” She shooed her hands at me.
This was not going the way I wanted it to at all. Why had I thought she would just come with me? She needed more evidence. With a sinking heart, I knew she wouldn’t believe me. I should’ve told her years ago.
But I had to try. “Okay, I’m going to tell you something.” I took a deep breath and blurted, “I can see the future. I know I’ve never told you about it, and I’m sorry. But I saw you getting in the car with that guy,” I inclined my head toward Hank, “and getting in a car wreck. I don’t know if you were hurt or not, but the thing is, Dana, you can’t get in that car with him. You need to leave with me.”
She stared at me, mouth agape, for a full five seconds, and then burst out laughing. “Oh, girl. Fabulous story! And I was feeling bad for drinking. How many have you had?”
“What?” I blinked. “Dana! I haven’t been drinking! Are you insane? I’m telling you the truth!”
She shook her head, her lips compressing into a tight line. “Forget it, Jayne. I don’t know what you’re playing at, but I’m officially annoyed. See ya.” She flounced back to Chad, ostentatiously avoiding my eyes.
I curled my hands into fists. Well, what had I really expected? That she’d just believe me?
I’d hoped, anyway.
Fighting tears, I turned around to see Aaron standing a few yards away. In the flickering firelight, leaning against a thick tree trunk with his hands in his pockets, he looked like Clark Kent, reincarnated. Just needed a pair of round glasses.
I took a deep breath and stumbled toward him, twisting my ankle on a dead branch. I bent to massage my leg, hoping he couldn’t see the moisture in my eyes.
“What’s going on?” he asked softly.
What was I supposed to say? If Dana didn’t believe me about my Sight, Aaron certainly wouldn’t. I decided to go with gut feelings. Nobody could argue with those. “Something doesn’t feel right. About those boys Dana’s hanging out with. But I couldn’t convince her to leave them.”
Aaron touched my forearm, a brief gesture that left a bubbly feeling in my chest. “What don’t you like about them?”
I hugged my torso. “The way they touch her, the alcohol, their ages—they don’t care about Dana. She’s going to get hurt.”
“Dana seems like a smart girl, Jayne. She’ll be careful.”
“She’s drunk.” I spat the words out, anger washing over me again. “She’s not being careful. She’s not acting like herself at all.” Dana, a flirt, sure. That’s who she was. Dana, getting slammed at parties and going home with strange men—that was not her.
“Tell you what.” I could tell Aaron didn’t think my doubts were warranted. But I knew he was searching for a way to appease me, as well. “Let’s go to a coffee shop, get something to drink. We can invite Dana.”
I put my head in my hands. He’d never want to see me again after tonight. I must look like such a psycho to him: coming along to a party, getting in an argument with my ex over who kissed who, spazzing out on my best friend, insisting that the guys with her were nutty... yeah, I’d probably never want to see me again, either. “Sure. Whatever. It’s worth a try.”
I watched through my fingers as Aaron walked over to Dana and talked to her.
She shook her head, gestured to the people around her, then waved. Aaron trudged back, his brown shoes kicking up small clouds of sand.
“Well, she doesn’t want to come. Shall we go?”
I nodded, the taste of defeat bitter on my tongue. I followed Aaron through the sand, my heart heavy. What was going to happen tonight? Was that the last time I would see Dana?
I stopped walking. What was wrong with me? I couldn’t give up like that. This was her life we were talking about! “We have to make her come with us, Aaron.” I turned around and ran back.
Before I got to Dana, though, Hank stepped into view. He had his own ditzy chick on his arm. I switched directions and converged on him. “Hey, you! What’s the matter with you? How can you be here giving beer to high schoolers? And then you think you can drive after this? You’re freaking drunk!” I shook with anger. At least he didn’t smell like lemons anymore.
He glanced at his friends and then started laughing. “I like ‘em feisty, but you take the cake, baby. Cool yourself in the water and then come back.”
I shook my finger in his face. “You listen to me. You’re not driving anywhere tonight, and you are certainly not taking her”—I shoved a thumb toward Dana, who turned to watch the conversation—“with you!”
His eyes roved to Dana. “She don’t have to go anywhere she don’t want to. She’s a free woman.”
“Jayne!” Dana’s face turned bright red. “What are you doing?”
I turned on her. “You’re drunk. And being stupid. Let’s go now, before I call your parents and tell them where you are.”
I thought the parents card would be a trump, but I was wrong. Dana sputtered a moment before marching toward me. “You dare, Jayne Elizabeth Lockwood, and I will never speak to you again. Never! I’m not leaving with you, so go!”
I was ready to drag her away forcibly, but Hank intercepted me. “Now, one thing’s pretty clear, spaz girl. She don’t want you here. So go ahead and exit the scene. Nice and pretty. Good girl.” He patted my rump and gave me a shove.
“Don’t you touch her!” I don’t know where Aaron came from, but suddenly he was there, fists clenched, ready to fight for my honor. As touching at that was, now wasn’t the place.
“Let’s just go.” I grabbed his wrist and tugged him backwards. My hands shook with frustrated anger. I wasn’t going to lose this one. Somehow, I had to find a way to change it.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Aaron started the car in silence. I didn't want to talk about what had just happened, either, so instead I pulled out my cell phone. My fingers trembled as I dialed Dana's house phone. Sure, she might never speak to me again, but at least she'd be alive.
“Hello?” The deep, groggy voice of Dana’s father answered on the second ring. I glanced at Aaron’s car clock and my heart skipped a beat. Twelve eleven. Almost a quarter after midnight.
“Mr. Sparks, it’s Jayne.”
He cleared his throat, and I knew I’d waken him. “What’s the matter, Jayne?”
“It’s Dana.” I gripped the phone tighter, trying to control my tremors. In my peripheral vision, I saw Aaron looking at me. “She’s at a party, and she’s with a bad crowd. I couldn’t get her to leave.”
“Is she in trouble?”
I almost said no but changed my mind. “Yes.” I closed my eyes. I’d doomed her. Her father would either call the police or personally retrieve her, and Dana would be caught. She’d hate me.
“What’s the address?”
I fed it to him before hanging up my phone, letting my hand drop into my lap. Tears leaked from my eyes, and I stared out the window. I brushed the tears away as they rolled down my
cheeks.
“What’s going on, Jayne?”
Aaron’s soft voice broke through my reverie, and I looked at him. “I can’t really explain it. But I know something bad is going to happen. Dana’s got to leave there, and not with those guys.”
I saw the way he studied me, intense blue eyes flicking over my face. “She’s going to be well angry with you.”
“Yeah.” I nodded. “I had to, though.”
The car gave a sudden lurch, sped up, and stopped. I stared at the road in front of us, not comprehending why we weren’t moving.
Aaron sat for a moment before hitting the steering wheel and throwing the door open. “I just bought this two bob car! What a mug! What’s wrong with it now?”
I climbed out as well, the air a lot nippier without the bonfire. My face felt stiff where the salty tears had dried. “Now? Does this keep happening?” I looked over the dark green BMW, wondering how something so expensive could be faulty.
Aaron popped the hood. “Last time it was the battery. Replaced it. Then it was an oil leak. In England you’d get nicked for selling a bad car!”
“Here we have someone inspect it before we pay,” I tried to joke. Aaron pressed his lips together, obviously not amused.
“Yes, well, let’s see where the problem lies this time.”
I fished around in my purse. “We can just call a tow truck. I’m covered for emergencies on my parents’ insurance.”
“Give me a minute,” Aaron grunted.
I waited while Aaron messed with the car. Every time he started it, the engine turned over, but that was it. It didn’t respond to any attempts to go forward or backward.
I didn’t know anything about cars, but I felt like a useless log sitting inside, so I got out and hovered by Aaron, pulling his jacket close around my shoulders. It smelled like him.
“I give up.” Aaron closed the hood. “Guess we’ll use your emergency card.” He climbed back into the car and sat there, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel and gazing out the window.
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