What is happening to me!
“I’m not sure you should do that.” His gaze is welded to mine. “I don’t want your mom thinking I don’t like her daughter.”
I pop a piece of gum into my mouth and chew so roughly my jaw aches. “So you’d just feel better lying to her?”
He shakes his head. “I don’t not like you, Willa. I just…”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Don’t do that.”
He blinks at me, his eyes flashing blue again. “Do what?”
“Try to play off the last six years.” For a moment, I breathe easier, my head a bit clearer. “Don’t try to make excuses for why you tormented me and Brecken and probably half of our class.”
“I’m not trying to make excuses. I’m…” He pauses. “I’m sorry.”
With the trance broken, I speak freely for the first time since I got in the truck “For what exactly? The time you and your friends painted lesbian on my locker. Or when Gabe,” I make air quotes, “ ‘accidentally’ cut off some of my hair in art class sophomore year. Or how about the time you guys told the entire school that I was bulimic. That one of your stupid little girlfriends saw me making myself throw up in the bathroom.” I direct my attention to the window, my hands shaking. “You know, I had to go to the counselor because of that. With my mom. Thankfully, my mom trusted me and didn’t believe the counselor or else I probably would’ve been sent away to a treatment facility.” I shut my eyes as tears begin to burn. “And that’s just the stuff they’ve done to me. Brecken had to deal with twice as much shit.”
He doesn’t say anything at first, and I don’t want him to. What I want is for this ride to be over.
“I didn’t have anything to do with that stuff,” he says. “The locker, the hair thing, the rumor—I swear I didn’t do any of that.”
"Really?" My voice feels like an echo.
When I turn my head back toward him, his eyes have darkened again.
He slowly shakes his head. “I didn’t.”
I study him, the way he holds my gaze, and a sea of confusion funnels inside me, so potent I can barely tell what’s up and what’s down.
“You didn’t?” I whisper, then lean over and press my lips to his.
I feel the brush of lips caressing mine. I moan, opening my mouth and allowing his tongue to slip inside. But as quickly as the kiss starts, his lips are leaving mine.
I open my eyes, dazed and confused. Did I… Did I just kiss Gaige Irvins?
I stare at him, waiting for him to change into a skeleton. Wait for the hallucination to end. But even when I blink, I remain sitting in Gaige’s truck, staring at him as he gapes at me in horror.
Any hope that this morning isn’t real gradually fizzles and reality bitch slaps me.
I kissed Gaige Irvins and now he’s going to tell everyone what I freak I really am.
This is really happening.
Chapter 9
Willa
“Oh God, please don’t tell anyone I did that.” I reach for the door handle and stumble outside.
“Willa, wait,” Gaige calls after me.
I slam the door and run like hell, not toward the school but the house. I run for miles, not slowing down until I can barely breathe. Then I power walk the rest of the distance back to my house, throwing the occasional glance over my shoulder. I don't know why, but part of me hoped Gaige would chase me down and tell me everything will be okay. But he probably drove straight to the school to tell everyone that I kissed him. That I'm a freak. And maybe I am.
By the time I make it to my house, I’m on the verge of tears. But I don’t let the waterworks spring free until I lock myself in my room. Then I lie down on my bed, take out the map Brecken gave me, and cry freely as I sketch my finger over the heart.
“Brecken,” I sob, my chest heaving. “Brecken, where are you?” Hot tears spring from my eyes and stream down my cheeks. “Please answer me… I did something terrible today and think I might be losing my mind.”
The silence only makes me cry harder.
“You said you’d be here when I needed you,” I whisper. “Well, I need you now, more than I’ve ever needed you.”
Upon uttering the words, my bed begins to tilt forward. At first I think maybe an earthquake is happening, but then I realize I’m tilting forward, not my bed.
“What the—” My words die on my tongue as I tumble forward and head dive straight toward the map. But instead of hitting paper, I fall through it and land in a pile of ashes.
Scampering to my feet, I dust the ash off my clothes and peer up at the cloudy grey sky then at the acres of ash stretching before me.
Just like in the hallucination I use to have. The only thing missing is the skeleton.
A chill runs up my spine as a figure appears before me. I start to trip back, but then they turn toward me.
I freeze. “Brecken?”
He smiles at me. “Took you long enough.”
I don’t know what to do or what to say as I stand there gaping at my dead best friend. He looks the same with long eyelashes, full lips, and dark hair. The only difference is he’s wearing all black, something he rarely did while he was alive.
“Don’t worry, I’ll explain everything soon.” He extends his hand to me. “But first I need you to come with me. We don’t have a lot of time.”
“Before what?” I ask, nervously taking his hand.
His skin is warm. Alive. Strange, but familiar.
“Before you have to go back,” he says, giving my hand a squeeze.
“But what if I don’t want to go back,” I reply, gripping onto his hand.
He just offers me a sad smile then guides me further into the field of ash. I easily follow, having no clue where I’m going, or if this is even real. But still wishing I never had to go back.
About the Author
About the Author
Jessica Sorensen is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who lives in the snowy mountains of Wyoming. When she’s not writing, she spends her time reading and hanging out with her family.
Coming Soon!
Other books by Jessica Sorensen:
The Soulless:
The Curse of the Soulless
The Curse of the Soulless 2 (coming soon)
The Unveiling:
Unveiled
Unveiled 2 (coming soon)
Shadow Cove Series:
What Lies in the Darkness
A Deadly Little Game (coming soon)
Standalones:
Rules of a Rebel and a Shy Girl
The Opposite of Ordinary
Confessions of a Kleptomaniac
The Illusion of Annabella
The Forgotten Girl
Broken City Series:
Nameless
Forsaken
Oblivion
Forbidden (coming soon)
Guardian Academy Series:
Entangled
Enchanted
Guardian Academy, Dash’s Series:
The Forest of Shadow and Bones
The Forest of Shadow and Bones 2 (coming soon)
Sunnyvale Series:
The Year I Became Isabella Anders
The Year of Falling in Love
The Year of Second Chances
The Year of Kai & Isa (coming soon)
Unraveling You Series:
Unraveling You
Raveling You
Awakening You
Inspiring You (coming soon)
The Coincidence Series:
The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden
The Redemption of Callie and Kayden
The Destiny of Violet and Luke
The Probability of Violet and Luke
The Certainty of Violet and Luke
The Resolution of Callie and Kayden
Seth & Greyson
The Secret Series:
The Prelude of Ella and Micha
The Secret of Ella and Micha
The F
orever of Ella and Micha
The Temptation of Lila and Ethan
The Ever After of Ella and Micha
Lila and Ethan: Forever and Always
Ella and Micha: Infinitely and Always
The Shattered Promises Series:
Shattered Promises
Fractured Souls
Broken Visions
Scattered Ashes
Breaking Nova Series:
Breaking Nova
Saving Quinton
Delilah: The Making of Red
Nova and Quinton: No Regrets
Tristan: Finding Hope
Wreck Me
Ruin Me
The Fallen Star Series:
The Fallen Star
The Underworld
The Vision
The Promise
The Fallen Souls Series (spin-off from The Fallen Star):
The Lost Soul
The Evanescence
The Darkness Falls Series:
Darkness Falls
Darkness Breaks
Darkness Fades
The Death Collectors Series (NA and YA):
Ember X and Ember
Cinder X and Cinder
Spark X and Spark
Unbeautiful Series:
Unbeautiful
Untamed