The Infected, a PODs Novel

by Michelle K. Pickett

  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.”

  “So, why aren’t you mingling so he can get to know the high school hierarchy?” I twirled my finger around the expanse of the gym. “Because I don’t particularly want to encourage another date, so I’m trying to make this one miserable for both of us. He has the personality of a rock.” She dropped her forehead against the table, banging it several times, making the leaves shuffle across the plastic, orange table covering.

  “Keep knocking yourself in the head like that and your personality will match your date’s. You can be rocks together,” I said with a chuckle.

  Her head on the table, Jenna turned and looked at me. “At least he’s easy to look at even if he is boring as sin.”

  “Not as easy as that one.” I nodded my head toward the guy standing at the door, guiding a girl out with his hand on her lower back.

  “Holy rippled abs, Batman. We have a new hottie on campus.”

  “Don’t get your panties in a wad, ladies.” Tim leaned his hip against our table. “That’s Brody Victor. He just transferred from Stanton High. He’s the bad boy your mamas are always warning you about. You know, the love ’em and leave ’em type. Rumor has it he’ll date you ’til he does you, and then he’ll drop you cold.” Tim shrugged a shoulder and inspected his fingernails. “At least that’s what my cousin who goes to Stanton told me. And I have it on good authority that he did her and dropped her.”

  “Hey, Tim, when’d you get here?” I hugged him before he sat next to me.

  “Don’t hug me. My features are too delicate. They couldn’t withstand a run in with Jaden’s fist,” he whispered, looking around the gym.

  “Jaden’s not here.” I bumped my shoulder into his. “You know he doesn’t do these dances.”

  “How’d you manage to get him to let you come without him?” Jenna glanced at me over the rim of her paper cup.

  My gaze fell to my lap, and I mumbled, “What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”

  “No, it’ll just hurt you if he finds out.” Jenna puffed out her cheeks and let out a breath.

  “Well, we’ll just make sure he doesn’t find out, chic
kie.” Tim smiled and patted me on the hand. His mop of brown curls fell over his forehead and into his eyes, and I had to bite my bottom lip to keep from giggling. Sometimes, he reminded me of my neighbor’s labradoodle. But even with his untamed curls and puppy dog eyes, he was one of the nicest people who ever lived in my opinion. He was my closest friend, next to Jenna.

  Jenna looked over her shoulder. “Karen’s here.”

  “No way!” My voice cracked, and my heart dropped to my toes. “She’s supposed to be out of town with her parents. That was the reason I came tonight. I didn’t think the little hussy would be able to spy on me and report my every move to Jaden.” My stomach felt like someone put it in a blender, and sweat beaded under my hair at the back of my neck.

  “You have the worst luck, Willow, I swear,” Tim said.

  “Don’t I know it. If she’s seen me, I’m sure she’s texted Jaden by now.” My gaze wandered and landed on the school’s new hottie. I watched as he led his date out of the gym. “I saw him at the football game last night.”

  “Who?” Tim looked up from the napkin he was tearing into strips and lighting on fire with a lighter he had in his pocket. Jenna grabbed the pieces of napkin away from him.

  “Jeez, Tim. People are going to think you’re a pyromaniac if you don’t knock it off.”

  “Yeah, I’m the chess club captain, first-rate nerd, math geek, and pyromaniac. I think I have my bases for unpopularity covered. My life mission is complete.”

  I shook my head and laughed. “The new guy. He was at the game last night, and he introduced himself to me. Sort of.”

  “Clearly, he’s new to the school if he dared to introduce himself to you,” Jenna said. “He must not know about the Jaden property laws.”

  “Stop it. I’m not his property and he knows it.” Jenna and Jaden didn’t play well together. Jenna was convinced he treated me like a piece of meat. Although I wouldn’t admit it, I didn’t totally disagree.

  “Come on, Tim. Dance with me.” I pulled Tim from his chair by the arm. “You’re the only one that would get a free pass if Karen tells Jaden I was here.”

  “Why?”

  “’Cause Jaden thinks you’re gay,” I answered, leading him to the dance floor. I heard Jenna laugh so hard that she choked on her punch.

  Tim and I swayed on the dance floor. His arms were wrapped loosely around my waist. I placed my hands on his shoulders. We kept a safe distance between us, so we didn’t give anyone the wrong impression. We were just friends dancing together. Nothing more.

  I didn’t see him come into the gym. It wasn’t until he was right behind Tim, ripping his arms away from me that I knew I had a problem, and my heart did a nosedive.

  “Put your hands on her again and you’ll lose them,” Jaden shouted. He always liked to make a scene.

  “Jaden, you know Tim and I are just friends,” I said with a frustrated sigh.

  “Get outta here,” Jaden growled at Tim through clenched teeth before grabbing me by the arm and pulling me off the dance floor.

  “Knock it off. I wasn’t doing anything except dancing with a friend.” I tried to jerk away from Jaden’s grip. He tightened his hand around my arm.

  “We’re leaving.”

  “No. I’m staying. You can leave.”

  Jaden turned and looked at me. A vein throbbed in his neck. “I’m not having my girl stay at some cheesy school dance embarrassing me. There’s a party at Jamieson’s house. His parents are out of town. My people are there, not at some dumpy, loser-filled school dance.”

  “I’m not going to the party. It’s just an excuse for everyone to get drunk and hook up.” Jerking my arm from his grasp, I stepped away from him. I could feel the tips of my cheekbones heating. Adrenaline bounced off the walls of my veins.

  Jaden jerked my purse off the chair and jammed it in under his arm. “Did you drive?” he asked quietly. That tone scared me more than him yelling.

  I swallowed down a thick lump. “Yes.”

  His hand shot out and grabbed my arm before I had an opportunity to move. “Let’s go. I’ll bring you back for your car later.” Jaden pulled me to the door of the gym. I looked back at Jenna. Her lips were pressed in a straight line. I hated what I saw in her eyes when she looked at me. Disappointment.

  I wish I could tell you, Jenna. I wish you knew why I put up with his shit. Why I can’t kick the jackass in the nuts and lay him out on the floor like he deserves. But he knows. And as long as I do what he wants, he promised not to tell.

  “How’d you know I was here?” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Karen smirk. The bitch.

  “Karen texted me. Do you know how embarrassed I am to have you at a dance full of geeks and losers?”

  Like your cousin, Karen?

  “Oh, and yanking me off the dance floor and dragging me out isn’t embarrassing?” I pushed at his hand, trying to pry it off me.

  “Get in.” Jaden opened the door of his Mustang.

  I’m just going home,” I told him. “Let go of my arm, Jaden. You go to your dumbass party, and I’ll go home. Problem solved.”

  Jaden put a hand on my head, pushing it forward, and an arm under my legs. I let out a small scream when he lifted me off the ground. He shoved his knee against my hip to move me sideways into the car. “You’re going. Get. In. The. Car,” he said through clenched teeth. He slammed the door, walked around to the driver’s side, and slid into his seat. I sat with my arms crossed over my chest and stared straight ahead. “Fasten your seatbelt.” Jaden drummed his thumbs on the steering wheel. “I’m not asking again, Willow.” The muscles in his neck were corded, his lips were puckered in a frown, and I knew he wasn’t giving in.

  With a sigh, I pulled the strap across my body and clicked the buckle into place. “I don’t want to go to the party. Just let me go home.”

  “I don’t care what you want.”

  “Willow, Jaden’s here,” my mom called.

  I skipped down the stairs to meet him. He was gorgeous standing at the bottom of the stairs waiting for me with a bouquet of flowers. In it were two Birds of Paradise.

  “This is for you.” He smiled and handed me the flowers.

  “Birds of Paradise.” I fingered the flowers. “You remembered.” I looked at him and smiled wide. It’d been weeks ago that we’d walked through the shops downtown. We passed a flower shop with a display of Birds of Paradise in the window. I’d never seen them before, and I told Jaden how beautiful I thought they were. How unique—their odd shape that really did resemble a bird at certain angles.

  “Of course I remembered. I remember everything you say, Willow.” He brushed a lock of hair from my face. I glanced at him through my lashes and smiled.

  “Here.” My mom took the flowers. “Let me put these in a vase so you two can get going.”

  “Thanks, Mom.” Jaden and I started out of the door. “So, where are we going?” He threaded his fingers with mine as we walked to his car.

  “Well, Jamieson is having a party, but I know you aren’t really into those, so I thought we’d see a movie instead.”

  I smiled up him and emotions filled me—so many I couldn’t identify them all. That was the night I fell for Jaden. I thought he was the most perfect boyfriend on this planet, or any other. Not many guys would give up a party with his football teammates for a girl. Just my guy. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was.

  Jaden squealed out of the parking lot, breaking through my memories and thrusting me back to the present. He cut off another car. The driver honked, and Jaden flipped him off. I held on to the dashboard as he sped down the road, swerving in and out of traffic, driving at least twenty miles over the speed limit.

  “How much have you had to drink?” I asked, gripping the center console so tightly that my fingers turned white.

  “Not enough.”

  “So you’ve already been to Jamieson’s party.” He didn’t answer me. “So it’s okay for you to go to a party by yourself, but I can’t go to a stupid school d
ance? Who were you hooking up with? Sarah?”

  “Jealous, baby?” He smirked.

  I rolled my eyes. “Disgusted.” Jaden pulled up to Jamieson’s house. Cars were parked along both sides of the road. Jaden pulled into the driveway and took a sharp right into the front yard. He wouldn’t park his precious car near anyone else. Someone might touch it. He threw the car in park and got out, not waiting to see if I’d follow.

  The party was in full swing. Music blared, and people danced on the front lawn, laughing and acting like a bunch of drunken fools. One girl, I didn’t know her name but I’d seen her around school, was on her boyfriend’s shoulders, her tank top wrapped around her stomach. Her boobs were on display for anyone who cared to take a peek. And Jaden did.

  Closing my eyes, I turned my face away. Tears pushed the back of my eyes, demanding to be let free. I squeezed my eyes tighter.

  “She’s pretty.” I watched the tall blonde walk across the room. She’d been crowned a member of the homecoming court during halftime at the game. “Her.” I nodded my head in her direction.

  Jaden gave her a quick glance and shrugged a shoulder. “She’s okay. I think you’re beautiful.” He kissed the side of my neck up to my ear. “You’re the only girl I have eyes for.”

  Jaden elbowed me to get my attention. “Get me something to drink, Wills,” he said, dropping down on the porch steps next to one of his friends from the football team. They bumped fists and ogled the Vegas-showgirl-wanna-be.

  Well, he certainly has eyes for other girls now… at least their boobs. Crap. I hate these parties.

  “Don’t call me that.” I hated Jaden’s nickname for me. He knew it, and I was certain that was why he used it.

  I pushed my way into the house and through the crowd of people to the kitchen, where the kegs and a variety of other liquor were laid out. I grabbed a Coke from the fridge and a beer for Jaden. When I shoved my way back through the crowd to the porch, I saw Sarah in her tight mini skirt and clingy, white T-shirt—barely long enough to cover her boobs—sitting next to Jaden. She had one arm wrapped around his waist, her finger hooked in a belt loop on his jeans, while the fingers on her other hand twisted a lock of his blond hair around them. I took a deep breath and sighed before walking to them.