Inevitable (28 page)

“No.”
But he kissed me
. That meant something. That was more than going out.

“Then why should he officially break up with you?”

Her logic made sense, but I refused to buy it. “No. We’re still together.”

“When was the last time he talked to you?”

“Just three days ago. Thursday in school.” Was it really three days ago? Three days ago that he had kissed me?

“And it’s Sunday. Why hasn’t he called you?”

She was right and it infuriated me. I jumped up. “Doesn’t matter. I want it to be official.”

Dana stood up too. “Okay. So you’re going to put on a big show and dump him?”

Big show? I wasn’t going for dramatics here. “Uh, no. I’m going to call him and tell him it’s over.”

Dana bit her lower lip. “No, girl. You want to make him hurt over this. You want to make him writhe in agony that he let you go.” She jumped up and took my hand. “Let’s go.”

“Where are we going?”

“Shopping. You have a heart to break.”

I had a momentary panic attack. “What about my mom? She’ll kill me!”

“We’ll be fast. She’ll never know you left!”

I glanced at my watch. It was just after noon. “Fine. But we’re back here by two o’clock!”



I stood with Dana inside a dressing room and laughed at the reflection of my body contorted inside a tiny black dress. It sucked itself to my skin like a mold, making my butt stick out and my hips look angular. “Dana.” I shook my head. “There’s no way on earth I’m wearing this.” I wasn’t even sure I could get it off.

“You look hot.” She growled and made a clawing motion at me.

“Cute.” I tried twice to get the zipper between my fingers but failed. “Use those claws to get it off.”

She clucked her tongue. “Shame. What are you going to get now?”

“Something practical.” She gave me a stern look, so I added, “And sexy.”

She crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. “All right. Let’s see what you come up with.”

Dressed in my own clothes again, I stepped out and began perusing the racks. I’d never dressed  up for Aaron before, so to be honest I wasn’t sure what I wanted. I figured I’d know it when I saw it.

It only took me two minutes to find it. A short navy dress with a belted waistline and white chiffon cap sleeves. Totally me.

Dana smiled as soon as I pulled it on. “Fabulous. Now we just need shoes and hair.”

I pushed upward on my wavy brown hair. “I already have hair.”

“Yes, and we need to tame it.”

I frowned. “What’s wrong with it?”

“I love your hair, Jaynie, you know I do. But we need something different for this occasion. Something striking. We want Aaron to take one look at you and think, ‘Uh-oh. I made a mistake.’”

“Well, one of us is going to think that,” I grumbled.

“What?”

“Nothing.” I gave her a perky smile. “Carry on.”

We picked out a pair of shoes and I bought the whole ensemble, trying not to flinch at the price. This had better be a truly awesome break-up.

“Next stop, salon.”

She was way too excited about this. Dana seemed to have forgotten that the whole point to this shopping spree was so I could kill my pathetically dysfunctional love life.

My phone vibrated in my purse. I paused to pull it out, but didn’t recognize the number. I opened the text, my eyes scanning the message.

J- thngs didnt work between us. Sorry. Ur great. B happy. A

I gasped. “It’s from Aaron.” My knees nearly gave out, and Dana guided me to a bench in the mall. “He broke up with me by text,” I whispered, numb.

“By text!” Dana echoed angrily. “That scumbag!”

What a charade. I knew better than to try to change things. “It can’t be beat, Dana,” I snapped, clutching the phone in one hand like a grenade. “For all I know, the only reason he broke up with me so quickly is because I made the decision to break up with him.” I stood up, feeling foolish with my bag of new purchases dangling from my fingertips. “I”m taking these stupid clothes back.” What had I been thinking? What an idiot. Like something pretty would make him take me back.

My phone trembled in my hand, and I snapped it open without checking. “What?” I bit out, hoping it was Aaron.

“Miss Lockwood?”

I paused, trying to place the voice. “Yes?”

“This is Lieutenant Bailey.”

“Oh, of course!” I gripped my bag, thoughts of Aaron fleeing. “I’m so glad you got back to me! I’ve—”

“Miss Lockwood,” he interrupted, and for the first time I noticed that he sounded impatient. “I need to know where you got your information.”

“Wh-what?” I stuttered.

“We’ve gone through everything Hannah owns, from her car to her computer to her phone. She doesn’t have any of your contact information. Her brother also states he was with her the same night you say you were, and he has no idea who you are. Either you were secret friends, or you’re lying.”

His cold accusation fell on my ears, and I shivered. Dana was watching me closely, and I wondered how much she could hear.

“So unless you would like to give us a substantial reason for why we should believe any of the evidences you’ve given us, your entire testimony will be considered misleading and thrown out.”

He was absolutely fed up with me. I could tell. And he no longer took me or my fears seriously. I closed my eyes. Would he believe me if I told him about my abilities?

The worst that could happen is that he wouldn’t. He would think I was crazy, laugh at me, and ignore my pleas. Pretty much just like he was doing now.

“I need to talk to you in private,” I said. “I’ll tell you everything.”

Silence reigned on the line. I glanced around, my paranoia returning as my break-up adrenaline faded. Could my stalker be here? Was he watching me?

“Monday,” he said. “Be here at seven-thirty in the evening.”

“Okay,” I said, but I could tell from the way the cell phone didn’t reflect my voice that he had already hung up.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

I
put my phone down and sat down on the bench, trying not to hyperventilate. The mall felt stiflingly hot. I took several deep breaths and wrapped my fingers around the bench as sights and sounds swirled around me.

“Jayne?” Dana hovered over me. “Are you all right?”

I groaned and put my head in my hands. Lieutenant Bailey didn’t believe me.

Dana took me by the elbow and pulled me up. “Let’s get you home.”

The plastic bag rustled in my hand, and I shook her off. “I need to return this.”

“Not now.” Her voice was firm as she guided me through the mall. “You’re a mess. Besides, that dress looks great on you. Find some other guy, show Aaron you’re over him.”

Even the raging turmoil in my head wasn’t enough to keep my heart from squeezing when she mentioned Aaron’s name. “He won’t care. Don’t you get it? I know how this story ends.”

We were outside of the car now, moving quickly through the parking lot, and I was glad. I couldn’t shake the feeling that people were watching us. The police thought I was a liar... some psycho chick wanting attention.

“And how is that?” Dana lifted her chin, a bit of a challenge in her eyes.

It took me a moment to remember what we were talking about. “They go to school together. They get married. The end.”

“How does he die, then?”

Death. I shuddered. “She kills him.”

Dana gasped. “What? Jayne! You have to warn him!”

I shook my head, tasting bitterness in my mouth. We climbed into Dana’s car. She turned it on, and the locks slid down automatically. My shoulders relaxed at the click, then tensed again when she rolled the windows down. “They get a divorce. He won’t give her the house, so she has someone kill him.”

“Jayne! And you’re just going to let that happen?”

“I’ve done what I can to stop it! I can’t!”

“Does he know you can see the future?”

“Yes.”

“Then tell him! Tell him what you saw!”

“He won’t believe me, Dana.” I didn’t realize I was crying until I tasted a salty drop on my lip. “He’ll think I’m being malicious or manipulative or something, making it up.”
Just like the police.

Dana stopped at the red light and looked at me, her eyes wide and woeful. Then she sighed. “If you say so, Jaynie. But I think if it were me, I would never give up on the man I love.”

I sputtered, my face warming to my roots. “Love? Who said anything about love?”

“Then why are you crying?”

I wiped viciously at my traitorous eyes, swallowing several times. “Something in my eye. Can we roll the windows up?”



Dana offered to stay with me, but I turned her down. I wasn’t in the greatest of moods, and I wanted some alone time. It was two o’clock by the time we got home. She talked to my mom, distracting her while I deposited my purchases upstairs. I came down, hugged her goodbye, and pleaded a headache to my mom. She let me go rest, but only after threatening to keep me home from school until Adelle’s house was ready.

Actually, the thought of burying myself in the house and finishing up my project was rather inviting.

But first things first. I needed to make a list.

I sat down at the desk in my room and pulled out a piece of paper. Starting at the top, I wrote down my feelings.

Frustration. Toward the police for not believing me.

Anger. Toward Aaron for breaking up with me through  a text message.

Embarrassment. For spending too much money on stupid clothes.

Despair. Because nothing I do will ever change the future.

Hurt. Hurt hurt hurt. Aaron.

The last line brought tears to my eyes, and I flung my head onto the desk, sobbing. I’d tried so hard not to fall for him, but I realized now that had been about as stupid as thinking I could make him stay with me instead of Libby. Falling in love with him had also been inevitable.

Stupid, stupid Aaron.

I took the list and ripped it up, then flung the pieces around my room. Letting my angry energy drive me, I headed downstairs.

“Mom?” For once, she wasn’t baking. I wandered into the sitting room. “Mom?”

She paused the movie she was watching. “Yes, Jayne?”

“Can I borrow the key to Adelle’s house? I want to finish up the project.”

“Sure.” She dug around her purse and pulled out a keyring. “Are you feeling better?” She eyed me, probably noticing my swollen face.

“Yeah. A bit.”

“Lock it up after you.”

“Will do.”

I slipped out of the house, wanting to get this project finished up before nightfall. Just in case it didn’t go so quickly, I took my car the few blocks to Adelle’s house.  Had anyone followed me here? I did the deadbolt and the chain. Being alone made me nervous, and I almost gave in to the temptation to call Dana and have her join me.

Don’t be a wimp,
I told myself.
You’re the only one here.

With that note of encouragement, I threw myself into the task. I organized the remaining papers and restacked the boxes. I found a few journals, but they were empty. I flipped through them anyway, and a loose paper floated out of one and drifted to the ground. I picked it up.

The time has come to pass Dekla on. She no longer needs me.

“Dekla,” I whispered, letting the paper slip through my fingers. Not declare, and definitely not de-claw. But what on earth was Dekla?

Time to visit Adelle again. I pushed myself off the carpeted floor, my fingers already hitting the speed dial on my phone.

“What’s up, Jaynie?” Dana asked, her words distorted by what I assumed was a Dum-Dum.

“I need to you look something up for me.” I locked up the house and slid into my car. “D-E-K-L-A. Google it for me and tell me what comes up.”

“On it.”

I hung up, content to let Dana do my research. Adelle and I were going to have a little chat. But I had to hurry. It was already three-thirty in the afternoon, which only left me three hours before the game.