Daniel scoffed. “Okay, you want to play games. Fine.” He released me and sauntered off.
“Thank you,” I said to Zack.
“Your taste in guys is lacking.” He turned to leave.
Since I was wildly attracted to Zack, I’d say his comment was quite accurate.
“What was that about?” Maya asked as he stomped off.
I nodded toward the double doors and we moved in unison. “Daniel expects me to get back together with him.”
“Ew.” She grimaced, slowing her pace. “You don’t want to, do you?”
“No way. But apparently, that doesn’t matter to him.” I rubbed my wrists where he’d grabbed me. My ex had gone from a jerk to downright creepy.
† † †
At lunch, I found Maya with Trevor and Zack. I tensed. It was either sit with Zack or leave myself open to Daniel. Not that I was afraid of him. Thanks to my new strength, I was afraid for him and I didn’t want to end up in a position where I had to explain to the paramedics — and possibly the police — how Daniel got hurt. Better to avoid him altogether.
Gina sat with Natalie and some of the same girls she’d scorned all year. That was their problem though. Unlike Daniel, Gina seemed to understand what she’d done was a deal breaker. That or she never cared about me at all. Either way, she was out of my life.
I ate in silence while Maya appeared to be lost in another world chatting with Trevor. Zack stayed at the opposite end of the table, which was easier, because at that distance we weren’t obligated to talk.
“I’m hitting the ladies room,” I whispered to her when I’d finished eating. “I’ll see you after school.”
Maya smiled, then returned to Trevor. She gave me more attention before they’d started talking. But she was so happy, how could I be jealous? I made my way down the nearly deserted corridor. Hearing footfalls, I spun around.
I sighed. “What do you want now?”
“I’m sorry, okay? It’s just… you drive me crazy.” Daniel stopped in front of me, but he didn’t try to touch me. “Autumn, please. Give me a second chance. You owe me that much.”
He seemed imbalanced and I didn’t want to push him over the edge, but I couldn’t let him think it would ever happen between us. “I owe you? What the hell for?”
“Autumn, I still love you.” He stepped forward.
I backed up and my shoulders hit the lockers. He pressed his palms low and flat on either side of me, so it would be harder to duck under and get away.
Gazing into his eyes, I saw the pattern. His future. He was the guy who’d treat his girl like garbage, then beg for forgiveness and repeat the cycle all over again. But I wasn’t that girl, the type who’d put up with it.
Even though he was kind of freaking me out, I kept my voice steady. “But I don’t feel that way about you anymore.”
He raised an arm to stroke a finger along my cheek. “Aw, don’t be like that. I don’t think I can live without you.”
I gagged as the warmth of his breath hit me in the face. “You’ll have to.”
“C’mon, baby, one more chance.” He aimed for my lips, but I turned my head to avoid him.
“Get the hell away from me.” My hands curled into fists.
“You know you want me back. Why fight it?” Daniel dove for my neck.
I thrust a shoulder up to deflect his mouth. “I mean it. Get off me!”
Zack appeared out of nowhere. “Let her go, Daniel.”
“This is none of your business, New Boy. Keep walking.” Daniel’s gaze stayed on me as if willing me to go along with it.
“I don’t think so.” Zack took a step forward.
Daniel released me and glared at him. By his stance, it was obvious he’d only let me go to free up his fists so he could pound on Zack. “You think you own her because she sat at your table during lunch? She’s mine.”
Zack moved fast enough to make my head spin, getting right up in Daniel’s face. Before that moment, I hadn’t realized how big he was, standing about two inches taller than Daniel. “I don’t want to own her and neither should you. Don’t ever let me catch you bullying any girl again.”
“What are you going to do about it if I do?” Daniel’s smirk remained firmly in place.
Zack grabbed him by his shirt, easily lifting him a foot off the ground, and shoved him into the lockers. Daniel’s legs dangled as he struggled. Zack slowly eased his grip, allowing Daniel to slide down against the cold metal.
“I won’t annihilate you today, no matter how much you provoke me,” Zack said. “But only because it would upset my mom.”
Daniel straightened his shirt and forced a laugh. I could smell his sweat and knew he was scared. “Mama’s boy, huh?”
Scared, with suicidal tendencies, apparently.
“Don’t push it, lowlife.” Zack raised his brows at me expectantly.
I glanced around at the faces that had gathered. Why did my boy drama always draw a crowd? Cassidy Lieberman never gets a crowd and I happen to know she’s dating Eddie and Peter at the same time.
If I left with Zack, everyone would think something was going on between us. Bad idea. But if I didn’t, it would be as good as choosing Daniel. In his mind anyway. So I followed Zack, weaving past kids rushing to their classes. The bathroom could wait.
“You think you can make it through one day without my help?” Zack glanced at me with a bored expression as I walked beside him.
This time, I didn’t thank him. His attitude was wearing on me. “Who said I needed your help?”
He whirled around. “That guy is unstable. You got some kind of death wish?”
I straightened my spine. “I can handle him myself.”
His gaze traveled over me, from my toes and back to my eyes. “Really? Because where I’m standing, I see a hot girl and a psycho nearly twice her weight. Hardly a fair fight.”
Goosebumps prickled my neck. “You think I’m hot?”
He scoffed and shook his head. “That’s what you got out of that?” Before I could reply, he’d turned on his heel and gone to class.
† † †
As I left my last class, Gina was waiting at my locker. Figuring I could get my stuff out of it later, I kept walking, but she shadowed me.
“Autumn.”
I ignored her.
“I’d like to talk to you. Please.”
I stopped abruptly and turned on her. “Between you and Daniel, I can barely breathe in this school.”
She scowled. “Daniel’s stalking you?”
“I’m amazed you haven’t already heard.” Word of Zack’s rescue should’ve spread like wildfire.
Her chin trembled. Did she genuinely like Daniel? I hoped not. I wouldn’t wish the creep on anyone. Not even Gina.
“Can we talk in private?” she asked.
Gina no longer had the power to hurt my feelings, so what harm could it do? “Sure.”
Inside an empty classroom, she closed the door. “What I did was wrong. I shouldn’t have let my feelings for Daniel affect our friendship.”
I was about to tell her that forgiveness came easily, but trust was a different matter entirely. She didn’t give me a chance.
“If you’d gone to the party like you promised,” she continued, “Daniel and I would’ve never had the opportunity to hook up.”
Any guilt I may have felt vanished. “And the excuse for making out the other times?”
“You know Daniel. His girlfriend wasn’t around and, well, he can be pretty persuasive.” She gave me a sheepish smile.
From what I witnessed in the bathroom stall, she could be persuasive too. “Whatever you say. But you and I will never be friends again.” I turned to go.
Gina yanked me back by my arm. “I was trying to be nice, because I felt sorry for you. But you blew it.” She glared. “And when I’m done with you, not even your geeky friend John will want anything to do with you.”
Fury brewed in the pit of my stomach and I raised my voice, my pal
ms itching. “You hooked up with my boyfriend and somehow you have the right to screw me over? How does that work?”
She gave me a hateful look, the one she reserved for people she loathed the most. “Don’t think I didn’t notice how you’re always staring at Zack. You knew I liked him! You already had Daniel, but you had to have Zack too.”
Wow, she and Daniel were made for each other. “You’re delusional. Take them both. I don’t care.” I twisted out of her grasp and shoved her against the wall. “I just want my stuff back — my suede boots and anything else you’ve borrowed and never returned. Like the pink heels you wore the other day when you were making out with someone else’s boyfriend. The leather jacket—” Her gaze fixed on a point behind me, but I ignored it. She was probably faking me out hoping I’d get distracted so she could get the advantage over me. “I want the pink skirt, the black Twilight T-shirt, the—” Her eyes wandered again, and this time the door opened.
I sensed it was Zack without needing to turn around. Crap. The way I had Gina cornered did not make me look good at all. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Zack quirking a brow.
I shrugged. “She started it.”
“Which required bullying?” he asked.
My fists clenched. To prevent myself from looking any worse, I backed up and made a sweeping gesture toward Gina. “She’s all yours.”
“Thanks, Zack.” Gina rubbed her shoulder — which I hadn’t even touched — while gazing up at Zack with wide, moist eyes. “I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t shown up. We’re still on for Saturday, right?”
“Yeah. I’ll see you later. I need a minute with Autumn.” He glanced at me, one eyebrow up as though I’d misbehaved.
Gina moved behind Zack where he couldn’t see, then smirked.
I wanted to slap her. To keep myself from going after Gina, I focused on Zack. “Why are you even here? You’re always around.”
He shook his head. “Extortion is beneath you, don’t you think? Well, maybe not.”
“How do you know I wasn’t demanding my things?” My nostrils flared and I raged inside, my body vibrating. “Never mind. Just get out of my way.” I was too incensed to stick around. I stormed past him and down the hall toward my car, praying it would start. I needed to get away before I detonated.
CHAPTER TEN
Much to my relief, my car fired up right away.
At home, I stomped through the house and tried to think of anything that would calm me down. Wait. Where was my backpack? It contained all my homework.
In my locker at school.
After Gina had distracted me, I’d forgotten about it. I wanted to weep in frustration.
Hearing my phone beep, I tried to remember where I’d left my purse during my fit of fury when I’d flown through the front door. Spotting it on the kitchen table, I rummaged through it. Two texts from my mom.
Sweetie, check your email STAT.
I scrolled to the next message.
Check ur email. Why arent u answering ur txts?
Apparently, I’d been too emotionally distraught to hear my phone go off. My fingers flitted over the keyboard in reply. My poor parents were probably worked into a frenzy imagining all the reasons, none of them good, why I hadn’t answered.
I’m fine. Checking email now.
I sprinted up the stairs, raced to my laptop and rapidly scanned my inbox.
Hi Sweetie,
We love Arizona. In fact, we’ve decided to stay a few extra days past the completion of your father’s job. We’d like to see the Grand Canyon and there’s an art festival coming up. We plan to come home before going to Montana, but we’ll be in touch with the return flight details.
We’re very sorry to miss your birthday, but to make up for it, we’ve decided to buy you that car you keep nagging us for. Isn’t that something?
Shocking, actually. But the last thing I’d do was question it and risk them doing a take-back. I eagerly read on.
However, we do have some stipulations.
Of course they would.
We’d like you to hang onto the money you’ve been saving for a car until we can get together and agree on its use. In other words, don’t blow it on a shopping spree.
The second condition is that you not buy a brand new car due to how much it depreciates once you’ve driven it off the lot.
Mom, always practical.
We don’t care what kind of car you buy
Score!
so long as it gets decent gas mileage, has enough power to get you out of a tight jam when necessary and has low miles.
I could handle that.
Our last condition is that the car must be thoroughly inspected by someone at the auto shop. We’d prefer Timothy, but we trust him to delegate it to someone competent.
Oh, almost forgot. We wired fifteen thousand dollars into your account. Use it to pay for the mechanic, the car and whatever else car-related that pops up.
Fifteen grand? Woo-freakin’-hoo.
We trust you to make good choices. Happy shopping. And happy birthday. We love you.
Love, Mom and Dad
Hallelujah! A new car! Who knew blackmail could be so rewarding?
I didn’t need to be told twice. I speedily typed in a message full of thanks and telling them I was off to see Timothy. Scooping up my purse, I flew out the door. Memories of my rotten day faded and I could barely contain my excitement as I drove the three miles to the auto shop.
After arriving at the garage, I waited until Timothy finished with a customer, then approached the counter.
“Hi, Autumn. Problem with your car?”
“Not exactly.” I explained the situation, the words spewing from my mouth.
“No problem,” Timothy said. “When you find the car you want, give me a fifteen minute warning and drive it over.”
“I have to bring it here?” I squeaked. “And if it doesn’t pass your inspection, I have to return it and start all over with a different car?”
“That’s the way it’s done.” Tim seemed like he felt sorry for me, but not enough to give in. “I have too much work to do here at the shop.”
“It’s just that I don’t know the first thing about cars. I could bring you twenty before finding a keeper. I’d be happy to pay one of your employees to go with me.” There would still be plenty in the budget for a great car.
“I’m sorry, Autumn.” He shook his head. “I wish I could help you.”
Oh, no. This couldn’t be happening. My parents’ behavior was totally out of character and I couldn’t blow my chance before they snapped out of it. I mean, hello? Wiring fifteen grand when a week ago they could barely leave me alone for an hour? Who knew how long the aliens would control them?
My eyes teared. “But I know zilch about cars.”
“You know what?” Timothy rubbed his chin. “I have a part-time kid I can spare for a couple days or so. Just for you.”
That was when I felt it. His presence. Oh, God, please no. As if in slow motion, I turned to see Zack getting out of his Jeep. He’d changed into a navy blue shirt that matched Timothy’s.
Could it be that the future of my car was now in Zack’s hands?
He approached, eyes narrowed at me.
“Autumn, this is Zack. Zack, you’re going to help this nice, young lady find a car her parents would approve of. You’re in a hurry, right, Autumn?”
I nodded.
“We can do without you for a few days while you take care of her. Work out the schedule with Autumn.” He switched to me again. “You guys are good customers, so I’ll only charge you twenty bucks an hour.”
Totally doable. “Great.”
“Did you want to start today?” Timothy asked, glancing at the clock on the wall. “You’ve still got time before car dealers close.”
Could I handle another dose of Zack so soon after the Gina incident? The answer was clear. If it meant getting my car even one day sooner, yes. “If he’s up for it.”
Zac
k groaned, but too low for Timothy to hear. “Isn’t there anyone else who can do this?”
Timothy cocked his head, eyes turning into slits. “You’re not qualified to advise her on a car?”
“I am, sir, but—”
“Excellent.” Timothy jotted an address on a slip of paper and handed it to me. “I suggest Abraham’s Auto Sales. They have good, affordable cars and they’re close by. At Weatherly, go south and it’s right on the corner.” He swiveled to his left and looked past me. “May I help you?”
A woman to my right bellied up to the counter.
Reluctantly facing Zack, I said, “You ready to go?”
“Can we take mine as opposed to…” He eyed my car.
“If we take mine, maybe I can trade it in.”
“Or sell it privately and get more for it,” Zack countered.
“Okay. I just need to lock it up.” I headed toward the Taurus.
“Yeah, because there’s someone out there who’s dying to steal that car.”
I turned and glared.
He gave me a sheepish smile. “Sorry. Couldn’t resist.”
I gave him a look that said I wasn’t amused, then forged on. Inside my car, I rolled up the windows, then got out and closed the driver’s side. Something didn’t sound right. The door hung off kilter, so I bumped it with my hip and it closed fully. I backed up and stared at the indentation my thigh had made. Great. Like my car wasn’t unsightly enough.
Willing myself to relax, I jumped into the Jeep and strapped on the seatbelt. The vehicle began to move.
“Want the radio on?” he asked.
Would Zack bond with me over a favorite song? Not likely. But the music might keep my mind off the awkwardness of being stuck with him. “Sure,” I said.
He fiddled with the radio until he found a station with The White Stripes and their beats pounded from the speakers.
The ratty soft-top wasn’t airtight and the windows were down. Tendrils of hair escaped and whipped me in the face. I gathered most of it into a ponytail with one hand while my other hand stayed busy trying to capture the rebels.
“Would you like the window up?” Zack asked.
I spared him a quick glance. “Uhm, sure.”
Without hesitation, he rolled it up. “Want the air on?”