“I’m supposed to make sure you’re waiting at Jaden’s car.” Karen linked her arm around mine and pulled me toward the parking lot.
“What, you’re his personal spy and wrangler now?” I rolled my eyes. “I was on my way to his car. It’s not like he’s gonna hurry or anything. He takes longer than a girl to shower and change.”
Karen laughed. “True, but he wants you safely in the car while you wait for him to pretty himself up for you.”
The gravel parking lot crunched under our feet as we made our way to Jaden’s car. Karen kept her arm linked with mine like we were besties. We so weren’t. I could smell the reefer in her hair and cheap liquor on her breath.
When we reached Jaden’s cherry red Mustang, I slid into it and, with a sigh, sank into the soft, black leather seats. I waited thirty minutes before Jaden sauntered out of the school and slipped into the car. He leaned over, wrapped his hand around the back of my neck, and pulled me to him for a hard kiss, his tongue invading my mouth. Lifting his head, he smirked. “Hi. Sorry it took me so long,” he murmured, his hand snaking under my shirt.
Whatever. I’m used to waiting.
“That’s okay.” I held my e-reader between us. “I read while I waited.”
“You always have your nose in a book. Live a little.” Soft lips grazed across the skin of my neck.
“It’s kind of hard to live life on the wild side while I sit in your car and wait for you to blow-dry your hair, Jaden.”
Pushing away, he glared at me. “Check the attitude.” He started the car and pulled out of the parking lot, taking a left, the opposite direction of my subdivision.
“Where are you going?”
“There’s a party at Jamieson’s.”
“I’ll miss curfew. I need to go home.” My hands balled into fists in my lap. I took a deep breath to stay calm. “Just because you don’t have a curfew doesn’t mean you can ignore the fact that I do.”
“Damn it, Wills, I’ll miss half the party if I have to take you home,” he said through clenched teeth.
“Don’t call me that. I have to go home, Jaden. You know I have a curfew. Why do we have to fight about this every time we’re out?”
With a curse, he made an illegal U-turn, tires screeching against the pavement. I grabbed the dash to steady myself. He didn’t speak to me the rest of the ride, and when he pulled into my driveway ten minutes later, he shifted the car into reverse and waited for me to get out. I barely had time to shut the door before he squealed out of my drive and sped away.
Breathe. He won’t break me. Breathe. I’m stronger than he is. Breathe. Just breathe.
“Willow? Is that you?” my mom called when I walked through the door.
“Yeah.”
“Did you have a nice time at the game?” She walked around the corner and smiled at me.
I shrugged a shoulder. “I guess. We won.”
“That’s good, huh? Why the sad face, then?” She cupped my chin in her hand, lifting my face to look at her.
“Jaden. He’s mad that I couldn’t go to a party because of curfew.” I blew my hair out of my eyes.
“Oh. Well, next time, just call me. You could have gone. As long as you’re with Jaden, I know you’ll be okay.” She patted my cheek and kissed the tip of my nose.
If you only knew. “I will next time. He’ll like that.”
“Better hurry up to bed. It’s getting late,” she told me, “but try to be quiet. Ralph has another migraine.”
That was code for he drank himself into oblivion and passed out. So we tiptoed around the house and spoke in quiet voices—we did not want to wake the beast.
Nodding, I gave her a hug. “‘Night, Mom.”
I climbed the stairs and went into my bedroom. Closing the door behind me, I flipped the lock closed and tossed my things on my bed, before going into my bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth. I crawled in bed, closed my eyes, and braced myself for the nightmare that was sure to meet me in my sleep.
The same scenes played over and over in my dreams. The secret no one could know—the one Jaden used to blackmail me. The one Ralph taunted my mom with. The secret that changed our lives. No. Ruined our lives. If she’d only done something. Anything. But she just stood there and watched. Listened. And then it was over… and the real nightmare began.
Breathe. Just breathe.
“Hey, Willow, I didn’t know you’d be here tonight. I thought Jaden hated these school dances?”
I sat down next to Jenna. “Jaden didn’t come with me.” Looking at her date, I smiled. “Hi.”
He nodded in greeting. Most guys didn’t speak to me. I dated Jaden. I was off-limits, and he made sure everyone knew it—and since most people were scared of him, they stayed at a safe distance.
“Oh. He let you off the leash tonight, huh?” Jenna asked. Sarcasm laced her words.
“Something like that.” I shrugged and picked at the plastic covering on the tables set up in the gym for the school’s fall welcome back dance.
I took in my surroundings. The gym was decorated in oranges, yellows, and reds. Streamers hung from helium balloons floating overhead and brightly colored silk leaves were spread across the tables. Twinkle lights were strewn everywhere. A photographer had set up a photo booth in one of the corners, complete with bales of hay, dried cornstalks, and pumpkins.
“Who’s on the decorating committee this year? These decorations are a disaster, and the photographer’s booth looks more like a farm threw up in it than a fall scene.”
“I know, right? It’s heinous. The head of the decorating committee should be put in front of a firing squad.”
“You’re so funny.” I bumped my shoulder into Jenna’s. “You did a great job, Jenna, except for the photographer. I still say he missed the memo on the theme.” Giggling, I watched the girls perch on top of the hay bales while their dates stood next to them, waiting for their photo to be taken. All they needed was a pitchfork to hold and the look would’ve been complete.
“Yeah, well, it was either him or one of those giant, blow-up pumpkins you see in people’s yards.”
Jenna and I met in sixth grade, just after the first week of junior high. We shared a table in science class, and it didn’t take long for us to become besties. Now we shared everything—well, almost everything.
There was one thing no one knew, not even my best friend. And it had to stay that way. Only, somehow Jaden found out. The thought made bile rise in my throat, leaving a fiery trail behind. And that was why I stayed with him—so he’d keep my secret.
“Hey!” Jenna snapped her fingers in front of my eyes. “What world were you visiting?”
I looked at Jenna and smiled. With her flawless mocha skin and warm chocolate eyes, she was stunning. Her soft ringlets were styled in a perfect up-do to show off the backless soft pink, silk dress she didn’t just wear—she owned. When Jenna walked into a room, people noticed. She would dominate America’s Next Top Model. I told her she totally needed to audition for the show after graduation.
“I’m here, just looking around at everyone. No one really changed over the summer.” I waved at some friends across the gym.
“Nope. Look at Kirsten dancing with Jason. Her dress is about to ride up so high that she’s gonna give everyone a peek at what color her thong is. She’s as skanky as ever.”
I laughed. “Yup, and Jason still loves it.”
“Well, most guys are pigs. They’re probably all looking to see if they can get a peek.”
Her date huffed next to her. “I’m going to get something to drink.” His chair screeched across the floor when he stood.
“Who’s the guy?” I watched him stalk to the snack table and grab a cup of punch.
“Earl. He’s the one I told you moved down the street a few weeks ago. My ever-so-helpful mother told his mom that I’d show him around. They thought it’d be cute if we came to the dance together, so I could introduce him to people. After all, I didn’t have a date or anything.” Jenna rolled her eyes. “Sometimes, I think my mother hates me.”