Darkest Dawn

Bri unlocked her phone to check the time then scrolled around the screen to her text messages. She pressed Jake’s name to open their recent conversation.

Come by the diner tonight. We need to talk.

Bri had received the message around seven the night before. Her mom had already been passed out in bed. The papers she’d been reading were spread across her lap in an unruly mess. By the time Bri had stacked everything neatly on the nightstand, cleaned up after dinner, and done a load of laundry, it had been eight-thirty. And with the stupid laws that went with her driver’s permit, she couldn’t go anywhere in the car past eight without an adult. She’d contemplated dragging Abbey’s unconscious body into the car but did wonder how she’d get back in the house after. It was one thing going down the dangerously steep driveway; it was a different thing entirely getting back up.

Her message remained the last part of the conversation. Sorry. Let’s talk tomorrow?

She knew he could only get on his phone at the beginning and end of his shift. All night she wondered what Jake wanted to tell her. Lately their relationship had been leaning toward something more than the friendship they’d had since middle school. “Hello?”

Bri shoved off the floor and leaned on the banister, her chin resting on her arms. Her best friend, Max, stood in the doorway, her short black hair pulled back in a tiny ponytail at the top of her head, with a thick curtain of bangs shading her already dark eyes. She arched an eyebrow at Bri.

Bri shrugged. This wasn’t the first morning battle.

“Mrs. Taylor!” Max called. “If I’m late again, Mrs. Brewster is going to kick my ass.”

The bathroom door opened. Bri looked over at Abbey who was fully dressed and in the middle of pulling her hair into a bun as she walked back to her bedroom. “Watch your language, Maxine. And Madelyn and I are on the best of terms. I will explain your tardiness, if necessary.”

Bri checked her phone again. They would be at the tipping point of being just in time for first period and being late. She groaned. At this rate, she wouldn’t get a chance to see Jake until lunch. Her fingers hovered over the phone screen. Ultimately she decided to wait until she could see him in person. He had wanted her to come to the diner last night so it was something he wanted to say to her face. A hole widened the pit of her stomach.

Bri lifted the handle of the suitcase she’d placed at the top of the stairs earlier that morning. Abbey came out of the room, her hands on her hips, scanning the area.

Bri tapped her finger on the handle of the bag. Abbey grinned and fluffed Bri’s hair before taking the bag and gliding down the stairs. “Thanks, sweetie.”

Max stuck her tongue out and Bri’s mom flicked Max’s ponytail playfully. “Let’s get a move on, ladies!”

Bri flew down the stairs and bumped Max with her arm. Max wrinkled her nose and followed Abbey out of the house. Bri closed the door behind them, checking that the lock was in place. She and Abbey had been a duo since Bri was born, months after Abbey’s boyfriend had split. They shared the household tasks and made up for each other’s downfalls—Bri mostly making up for Abbey’s—but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Abbey slid into the passenger seat. “Chop chop!”

Bri jogged to the driver’s side of the car, avoiding the rain so it didn’t make her hair go from straight and smooth to frizzy and unruly. She slid into the driver’s seat and checked her phone one last time. Even though the day had started off rough, she had a feeling today would end up okay. All she had to do was make it until lunch.

***

Bri navigated the road, the windshield wipers thumping. The rain had picked up after they got into the car. At that point she knew they were going to be late but she’d rather that than end up in a ditch and never hear what Jake had to tell her.

One of the perks of Abbey being the school librarian was prime parking in the faculty-assigned parking spots. Bri pulled into the busy lot at a snail’s pace so she wouldn’t run down any of her classmates. The car crawled behind a group of popular seniors, who didn’t care that a vehicle was behind them. As sophomores, Bri and Max weren’t at the bottom of the social ladder but certainly far from the top. They kept to themselves. Though Jake breezed up and down the ranks as he wished. Being the golden boy of both baseball and basketball teams had its advantages.

Bri pulled into one of the teacher’s spots and put the car in park. “Max, there are two umbrellas under the seat.”

Max shuffled under the seat and came up empty-handed. “Don’t see them.”

“Hmm,” Abbey murmured, her bottom lip trapped under her teeth.

Bri groaned. “Seriously?”

“Well I did use them,” Abbey said lightly. “I may have left them inside.”

The warning bell for first period shrilled outside.

Abbey reached into her bag and pulled out two plastic grocery bags. “A little rain never hurt anyone.”

Bri unbuckled her seatbelt and braced herself, peering back to Max who shot daggers at Bri’s mom. Loving daggers, of course.

Max reached over the seat and kissed Abbey on the cheek. “I’m finding a new ride.”

Abbey grinned. “Without me your life would be so uninteresting each morning.”

“At least we’d be on time!” Max pulled the bag over her head. As a straight-A student she was determined to end her high school career without so much as a blemish on her record. That included perfect attendance.

Bri tossed the keys to Abbey and kissed her cheek. “See you Sunday night?”

“I’ll text you when we get there!” she called as Bri hopped out of the car.

“Love you!”

Bri was already soaked before she could get the bag on her head. She and Max raced to the front of the school just as the final bell rang. They climbed the front steps and shoved through the front doors, pulling the dripping bags from their heads.

Max’s shirt clung to her body. “Awesome,” she deadpanned.

Bri took Max’s bag and threw them both into the nearby recycling bin. Her socks squished with each step.

They quickly scaled the two flights of stairs, their shoes squeaking over the linoleum floors. Max’s breathing was heavy and Bri was on the verge of breaking a sweat. They picked up their pace at the top of the steps and rounded the corner to the classroom.

First period was English. Bri peeked into the room. Mrs. Brewster had her back to them. Max grunted something under her breath and opened the door. Mrs. Brewster turned. Her long fingers were wrapped around the phone attached to the wall. “Okay,” she said into it though her tone suggested she was not okay. At all.

Abbey had called her in the knick of time. Mrs. Brewster’s eyes were on them as they made their way toward their seats in the middle of the first two rows. Their peers were quiet yet Bri could feel their stares. Her skin pricked with embarrassment. She’d have to remember to set the clocks back an hour and hide Mom’s phone so they could attempt to get to school on time.

Mrs. Brewster hung up the phone. “As I was saying…”

Her voice faded in the background as Bri lurched forward. Something had blocked her feet. She instinctively grabbed the closest thing, which happened to be football defense Tommy Sanders. His reflexes were incredible. His hands clamped onto her arms hard enough that she knew she was going to bruise. Better than face-planting in front of the class. She ignored the snickers and muffled laughter from her classmates as she looked down to see a bright pink backpack on the floor at her feet. She tasted blood. She nodded to Tommy in thanks and realized that none of what had just happened was her fault. A pair of emerald green eyes innocently peered up at her.

Chloe Hudson reached down and picked up the bag that Bri knew she had intentionally put in the way. “Watch where you’re going, Freak,” she said under her breath.

Bri blinked, feeling the contact lens in her left eye. Chloe had dubbed Bri with that cruel nickname. Her two different-colored eyes had always been fodder for her peers making fun of her. Even though she had purchased a green contact lens to match the right eye, the nickname had already stuck.

A tightly packed ball of paper sailed across Bri’s periphery and nailed Chloe in the head.

Chloe narrowed her eyes and snapped her head toward the assailant.

Bri glanced over her shoulder to see Max sliding into her seat, her eyes fixed on Chloe.

Bri continued down the aisle, her skin prickling. She sat at her desk, which was right next to Max’s. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” Max balled up another sheet of paper from her notebook. “I always have your back.”

Mrs. Brewster continued with her lesson, completely unaware of the exchange. Bri tried hard to concentrate on her teacher’s voice and resisted the temptation to rip out all of Chloe’s stupid blonde hair. Forget about her. She took a breath and relaxed into her chair. Chloe had been on her for a long time. Bri would get her revenge during swim practice.

***

The rest of morning classes dragged like molasses going uphill. As each bell struck, Bri’s heart rate kicked up an extra few beats. She checked her phone several times each class, but there was no text from Jake. She shouldn’t have expected anything else. He had to keep up a good appearance for his team. The staff had no issues bringing down any jock who disobeyed the rules of conduct. Bri really wished he’d make an exception. He had to realize he was making her insane.

The lunch bell shrilled just as her history teacher, Mr. Dale, started writing that night’s assignment on the board. Everyone stood up but he blocked the door. “Read through the next five chapters tonight; there will be a pop quiz tomorrow.”

“Isn’t the idea for us to be surprised?” future valedictorian Holden Jeffers asked.

He dodged a spitball just as Mr. Dale spoke. “I’ll be sure to surprise you next time.”

Bri filtered out of the room with the rest of the class. Mr. Dale had a tough exterior as the football coach but he was a softy. He was one of Bri’s favorite teachers and since he taught history, a subject outside of her comfort zone, she needed him on her side as much as she could.

Bri met Max at her locker and shoved her bag inside, making sure she grabbed lunch money before closing it. She tucked the phone and money into her back pockets and leaned against the locker next to hers. Kids rushed down the hall toward the cafeteria.

Max groaned and struggled with her bag.

“Want some help?” Bri knelt next to her. Max had taken four advanced classes this semester. With advanced classes came massive textbooks.

“Okay.” Max placed her hand on the bag, balancing it in place. “One, two—”

They slammed the locker shut seconds after Max’s fingers moved out of the way of the metal door.

Max rubbed her hands together. “I’ll deal with that mess later.” She looped her arm through Bri’s. “Ready?”

***

Bri’s palms started to sweat and her heart raced. Before lunch, they always met Jake and Tucker outside the boys’ bathroom closest to the cafeteria. Tucker Langley had been Bri’s neighbor in her condo complex since his parents split when he was eight. As the only two kids in the fifty-plus complex, they bonded quickly. Even though Tucker was a so-called ladies’ man, he never forgot his roots.

The excited buzz around them turned inward in Bri’s ears as they rounded the corner. Her eyes went right to Jake. Her heart fluttered as she watched Jake act out a conversation for Tucker.

Bri’s mouth went dry and she stopped in the middle of the hallway. Someone pushed her from behind and she made a noise, enough to catch Jake’s attention.

She couldn’t look at his piercing eyes. Instead she focused on his shoes.

“Will you cut your hair already?” Max said to Tucker.

Bri was relieved at the reprieve. She needed a minute to compose herself, even though she’d spent the entire night and morning thinking about Jake.

Tucker grinned. His ink-black locks were the longest she’d ever seen them, pulled at the nape of his neck in a ponytail. “Jealous?”

Bri ran her fingers through her own hair, which had finally dried out from the rain. She twisted a chunk around her hand and pushed it away from her face.

Jake leaned against the wall confidently, one foot up against it and his hands in his pockets.

Bri’s heart raced. To the untrained eye, he appeared calm. The hands in the pockets were a definite sign that he was nervous too. This could go either way.

“Relax,” Max said under her breath, knowing full well that Bri was a ball of jitters.

Bri shrugged. “I’m fine.”

Max snorted a laugh. “Your panic-stricken face suggests otherwise.”

Jake’s eyes widened. “You put your contact in today.”

“She never leaves the house without it,” Max commented.

Bri glanced at Max.

“But last night …” He trailed off. The corners of his eyes tightened.

“Let’s leave the lovebirds alone.” Tucker winked at Bri and grabbed Max’s bag, leading her away.

Bri opened her hands at her sides. “About that. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” he interrupted. “Maybe it wasn’t the right time.”

Bri’s throat tightened. They stood in silence, staring at each other. Bri cleared her throat. This was not turning out as she expected. Someone pushed her from behind and she caught a hair flip from Chloe as the girl walked by. Earlier she had been fueled with revenge but now she was incredibly annoyed. “I couldn’t leave that late. Mom fell asleep.”

Bri turned back to Jake and his eyes bored into hers. The skin around his eyes crinkled at the corners as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words. “You didn’t—”

“Another late night?” Bri said at the exact same time. She wanted to lighten the situation even though her insides were tangled in a knot.

The hallway cleared out and she didn’t want the awkward conversation to go on any further. At least not without food in her stomach. In her hurry to get Abbey ready, she’d forgotten to eat breakfast.

Jake nodded slowly. “Yeah. Late night.”

“So …” She dragged the word out. “What did you want to tell me?”

He blinked several times. Yet nothing came out of his mouth.

She reached out and touched his shoulder and he jumped. Not something she imagined him doing from her touch. She fought back the hot tears behind her eyes. She looked away to hide them.

“Sorry,” he said. “Dad’s had me working late these past few weeks. I think it’s starting to catch up with me.” He shook his head, revealing the disarming smile that always made her heart melt. His hand trailed down her arm and his fingers twined through hers. “Let’s talk after practice?”

She nodded. As much as she wanted to know exactly what he had to say, she didn’t want to push the subject. Not when he’d made his intentions perfectly clear by touching her more intimately than he ever had before.

He pulled her to his side and she failed in her attempt to hide her glee.

They arrived at the cafeteria. The line for the hot buffet nearly reached the door. Instead of going elsewhere, Jake squeezed her hand, leading her to the line. Her stupid imagination hoped that it would be because he wanted to hold her hand longer. The thought was hard to shake when he didn’t let go. She was light-headed. The feeling intensified and for more than one reason she was happy he was holding on to her. She really needed to eat something before she face-planted in front of the whole school.

Thankfully, the line moved quickly. The cafeteria workers had their routine down to a science since the kids barely had thirty minutes to buy and eat their food. Jake and Bri lingered on polite conversation, the weight of whatever he had to tell her pressing around them like a thick fog. But they’d been playing this game for some time. What was the harm in playing for another few hours?

CHAPTER THREE

Sloane

The warm shower I’d taken in the motel room washed away as I made my way to the school. By the time I’d walked five minutes up the road I was soaked. My jeans clung to my skin, yet I was happy I’d chosen to bring a jacket. At least most of my body was dry, though my attempt to calm my chattering teeth was unsuccessful. My mind wandered to the epic mistake I’d made last night in thinking that Jake had anything to do with my appearance in town. I’d been so wrapped up in getting answers I didn’t think at all.

Idiot.

The school came into view and I sighed. My breath billowed in front of me, weaving its way through the rain.

I rolled up my sleeve to check the time. The face of Mom’s watch blurred as the rain pelted the glass surface. I was a half hour early. Hopefully enough time to find the cafeteria. The hairs on my arm bristled. I wasn’t sure if it was because I was freezing or the promise of information. Either way, I added a spring to my step and I jogged the rest of the way.

The main road led to the front of the school. I walked at the edge of the parking lot and rounded the back of the building, keeping behind the cover of the cars in the full parking lot. I briefly wondered how I’d get into the building, and crossed my fingers that it wouldn’t be too hard. I tucked my body against the wall and made my way to a small set of stairs. I kept my hood on, even though the pounding rain had lightened to a steady mist. I didn’t need anyone spotting me. I peered through the glass doors and saw no one in the hallway. This was my best chance.

I grabbed the handle and pulled. The door opened freely but a shrill bell struck me like a bolt of lightning. I hadn’t thought of the alarm. I sprinted into the school and ducked into the closest hiding spot I could find—a cutout in the wall for the water fountain. The fountain dug into my back.

The bell stopped as quickly as it started. I glanced around the empty hallway, expecting to be caught at any second; instead, several doors opened on either end of the hallway and students poured out of classrooms. I plastered myself against the wall, temporarily stunned, though no one blinked in my direction. No teachers or administrators came out looking for me. It had only been the bell to change classes. I let out a shuddering breath and lifted the hood from my head as I melted into the moving crowd of kids. I moved my fingers through my hair and brought the strands forward, keeping my face hidden.

A thrill snaked through me. I was so close and I hadn’t come up against any roadblocks. Meeting this person had to be fate and I could barely contain myself at what was going to happen next. I glanced behind me and no one seemed the wiser. Small towns and their unlocked doors—would they ever learn? No one could get into my school. Whoever sent for me had made it all very easy. After the disaster from the night before, I wasn’t complaining.

I slowed my pace, searching for the cafeteria, when someone gave me a flat tire. A willowy blonde gasped as if I’d assaulted her. She stumbled back, her too high heels clacking. She would have been pretty if it wasn’t for her grimace. Another girl was behind her, her lip curling as if I’d hit her as well.

“Watch it, Freak!” the blonde snapped.

I raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?” I couldn’t help the white-hot anger burning inside of me.

She pursed her lips and poked a finger into my shoulder. “I. Said. Watch. It.” She accentuated each word with a jab of her finger. Her chin was raised high enough to convey her “status” over her classmates. I’d met a hundred girls like her. Her insecurities were masked by how mean she was to others.

I grabbed her finger and twisted it downward. She cried out.

I pulled her down to my height. “Oh, I heard you,” I said in a low voice.

“Chloe?” the other girl whined.

I’d dealt with plenty of girls like this one in every school and even though I should have kept a low profile, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to set her straight. “You touch me again and you will lose that finger.”

I let her go and she stumbled away, holding her hand against her chest. Her eyes narrowed to slits and her breathing was almost as ragged as mine. “You’re going to regret that.”

We were at a standoff and a few kids gathered around us. I waited for her to make the first move. Instead, the two girls walked away.

A few other kids stared at me and I immediately regretted the unwanted attention. I needed to find this person and get out. I scurried down the hall and approached two girls walking together in front of me. “Where’s the cafeteria?”

Neither looked at me yet one of them spoke. “Left then left.”

“Thanks.”

I followed her directions, keeping my head down, not risking any more attention to myself. I checked my watch again. I had five minutes. I chided myself. I should have let it go when the girl Chloe came at me. I couldn’t let go of the “freak” comment. I’d been called many names about my eyes throughout the years and even though I pretended like it didn’t bother me, the way she said it had struck me the wrong way. Being the bigger person was never my forte.

I found the cafeteria quickly and stood at the end of the long line outside of the room so I’d be in a prime location for whoever was searching for me. The line continued to grow as we moved forward. My eyes darted over all the faces. As I got closer to the doors of the cafeteria my body temperature rose. I checked my watch again and the clock on the cafeteria wall. They both were in sync and read 12:01. My chest deflated. If this person expected me on time, where was he or she? I got out of line and shuffled toward the back. The note said to meet behind the cafeteria. I stumbled over someone’s foot and turned, coming close to taking a backpack to the face before catching myself and moving out of the way.

I sprinted past him. A mumbled “bitch” followed me. I didn’t care. I got out of line again and moved in the opposite direction. I should isolate myself. Maybe I’d be easier to spot? I stopped at a row of lockers outside of the bustling cafeteria. The hallway was less traveled at that point and a few of the bulbs flickered above me, creating an annoying ringing sensation in my ears.

The room tilted around me and my shoulder slammed into the wall. I pressed my hand against the cool surface to steady myself while taking in a few deep breaths. I hadn’t eaten anything since the night before but I’d gone longer without eating before and this never happened. I blinked a few times but the scene before me blurred as a fuzzy darkness outlined my vision. I’d had the same sensation every time I got my blood drawn at the doctor.

Don’t pass out. I repeated the mantra in my head a few times. A volcano rolled around my stomach as I fought to keep consciousness. Heat spread through me like wildfire, making beads of sweat form at my brow.

A blurry sign for the bathroom was up ahead and I lurched toward it. I barely made it through the doors before my legs gave out from under me. Sharp pain ripped through my legs as my knees connected with the tile floor. I grabbed the edge of the sink. I took a breath and the room stopped spinning. I waited a few seconds before lifting myself from the floor. I dropped my bag under the sink and pressed both hands against the cool porcelain.

One of the stall doors opened and I flinched, expecting another confrontation.

Instead, a girl with short black hair emerged from the stall, her mouth stretched in a satisfied smile. “I thought for sure you and Jake would be inseparable now.” She clicked her tongue and turned on the sink next to mine. Her eyes moved over my body from her mirror as she washed her hands. “Why are you wet?”

I swallowed once, giving myself a moment to compose myself. How did she know about Jake? I turned to the sink and tucked my hair behind my ears. “It’s raining.”

“I thought after this morning you would have avoided the rain. Unless—” She closed the tap and turned to face me, her hands dripping between us. “He kissed you!”