Vengeance

by Michelle Madow

  VENGEANCE

  Part Two in the Transcend Time Saga

  Michelle Madow

  Vengeance

  Published by Dreamscape Publishing

  Copyright © 2011

  This book is a work of fiction. Though some actual towns, cities, and locations may be mentioned, they are used in a fictitious manner and the events and occurrences were invented in the mind and imagination of the author. Any similarities of characters or names used within to any person past, present, or future is coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author. Brief quotations may be embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  DEDICATION

  To Tiffany, who has been so helpful with getting the Transcend Time Saga into the hands of readers. You went above and beyond, and it means so much to me. Thank you for your hard work, and for your constant enthusiasm in my writing!

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Thank you for picking up this story and reading it—I hope you love it as much as I loved writing it!

  Thank you to my awesome agent, Christine Witthohn of Book Cents Literary Agency, for her hard work and for encouraging me to continue with this series. Taryn Browning, my amazing critique partner, it’s been great going through the process of publishing with you! My mom, for reading this story over and over to make sure it was ready for publication. My dad and brother Steven, for believing in my stories, and in me as a writer. My cousin, Jackie L, for loving Remembrance and encouraging me to speak to her middle school about the book. Jackie B, for helping me edit this story, and for not being afraid to be honest in her edits. To everyone in my Voice in Modern Fiction class, for helping me make this story the best it can be. And to Giselle, Melina, Emma, and Tiffany, for their participation in the Vengeance cover reveal.

  Lastly, and most importantly, to everyone who purchased a copy of Remembrance, recommended it to a friend, or blogged/Tweeted/YouTubed about the book—THANK YOU a million times! Your support means the world to me. I am so lucky to have you in my life. I hope you enjoy Vengeance!

  CHAPTER 1

  “I’ll see you in school on Monday.”

  I hated the casual way Lizzie said those words. She was acting like she hadn’t stolen my boyfriend, come over to apologize, and expected us to be best friends as if nothing had changed. It made me want to throw the stapler on my desk at her face. Instead, I glanced at my planner and shuffled a few papers around as if they needed to be rearranged. They didn’t.

  “Right,” I said, refusing to look at her. I wanted Lizzie to leave. Every second I saw her made me angrier than the last.

  She watched me like she expected me to say more—like she expected me to tell her I couldn’t wait to see her at school. When I didn’t, she turned around and left. I could tell she was disappointed, but what did she expect? She knew I was interested in Drew from the first time I saw him walk into our History classroom. I’d been honest with her about my feelings for him from the beginning.

  When Drew and I started dating, everything was great, like a fairy tale. Whenever we spent time together, whether we went out for ice cream, dinner, or watched a movie at my house, we had fun. At least I thought we did.

  But apparently he enjoyed Lizzie’s company more than mine.

  I pushed the red mask I wore to the Halloween Dance off the desk and watched it fall to the floor. Then I kicked it into the wall for added effect. Stupid mask. The night of the dance was supposed to be incredible. Then Drew cancelled so he could see his family in New York for the weekend, and when he came back he was distant. His mind was somewhere else—somewhere I couldn’t reach. No matter how hard I tried to get him to lighten up, it was impossible.

  He broke up with me two weeks later. I saw it coming, but that didn’t make it less devastating. I didn’t understand what I’d done to make him so uninterested in me. When I asked, he gave me the “it’s not you, it’s me” excuse, as if that would make it okay. It was so lame, so cliché—he could have given me a decent reason. A real reason. One minute he was happy with our relationship, and the next he was done with me, tossing me aside like I never mattered to him in the first place.

  Shannon pulled me aside a week later and told me she saw Drew and Lizzie together in a boat on the lake behind their houses. I didn’t want to believe her at first. But both of them were acting strange and secretive—it was the only explanation that made sense. I couldn’t help but wonder how long they planned on keeping their relationship from everyone.

  Then there was the biggest, most hurtful question of them all: How long had they been seeing each other behind my back before Drew broke up with me?

  I hated thinking about it.

  I tried talking with him about it at Shannon’s party, but as soon as I started getting somewhere, Lizzie barged in and ruined everything. Drew ran after her, leaving me alone and forgotten. It was humiliating.

  I walked up to the mirror in my room and glared at my reflection. What was so wrong with me that I wasn’t good enough for Drew? That he left me for my best friend—correction: my ex-best friend—without looking back?

  I ran a hand through my long, dark hair, trying to figure it out. My nose had a perfect ski-slope shape that people went to plastic surgeons for, my skin was smooth and free of any blemishes, and my green eyes tilted upwards at the ends in a way that guys found alluring. I didn’t doubt that I was prettier than Lizzie. Her curly hair was constantly out of control, her skin was too pale, and she looked like she should be a freshman instead of a junior.

  Despite all of that, Drew chose her. And Lizzie went along with it. She knew about my feelings for Drew—how I loved Drew—and she still took him away from me. Then she had the nerve to come into my house and tell me she thought Drew was her soul mate and she hoped I understood where she was coming from.

  The last thing I wanted was to be friends with her. To top things off, it wasn’t the first time something like this had happened. At least it was forgivable all those years ago with Jeremy, since I never told Lizzie about my feelings for him in the first place. Jeremy was different from other guys—he was one of my close friends. I was afraid if I let him know I thought there could be more between us, it would mess up our friendship. So I kept it to myself.

  In eighth grade he told me he wanted to ask Lizzie to the Valentine’s Day dance. Not knowing how to respond, I froze and told him I thought it would be a great idea. They went to the dance together, and in less than a month they were an official couple. He never knew about my feelings for him, and I always thought it was best that way. He and Lizzie were good together. It was my fault for not taking action sooner, and I wasn’t about to get between them. I got over him a few months later.

  But with Drew … this was a different situation. Lizzie knew about my feelings for him, but she went for him anyway. Everyone might think Lizzie’s an angel, but I knew better. She was selfish, and she was going to pay.

  Still staring in the mirror, I made myself a promise.

  I was going to get revenge.

  CHAPTER 2

  My cell phone buzzed on my nightstand, waking me up the next morning. I turned over to check the clock, groaning when I saw it was 11:00 AM. I couldn’t fall asleep last night because I kept thinking about everything that had happened with Drew and Lizzie at the party on Friday, and how my chances of getting him back looked like they were slim to none. I just wanted to lie in bed all day, watch sad romance movies, and maybe get some homework done. Anything to keep my mind off Drew and Lizzie.

  I glanced at the caller ID and saw it was Shannon. She wasn’t the type of person who liked to be ignored, so I picked up the phone and answered it.

  “What’s up?” I asked, my voice
hoarse from just waking up.

  “Hey, Chelsea. We’re going to the mall today,” she said. If she noticed how she woke me up, she didn’t let on.

  “When?” I rubbed my eyes and flopped over in bed. My white pillowcase was covered with black smudge marks since I’d forgotten to take off my makeup the night before. Hopefully it wouldn’t stain.

  “Whenever you’re ready,” she said, her voice chirpy and bright.

  “You never struck me as a morning person,” I grumbled.

  She ignored my comment. “So, I’ll pick you up in thirty minutes?”

  Apparently I was going to the mall today, whether I liked it or not.

  I had to give Shannon some credit though—I was happy someone was reaching out to me. She was the one who stayed with me at her party when I cried in the bathroom for an hour after Drew chased after Lizzie. I didn’t understand the motives behind her sudden kindness, but I appreciated it. Lizzie was usually the one who helped me through tough times, but since she couldn’t help when she was the one making me upset, I was glad Shannon could. Plus, I loved the mall. Maybe a trip there would help me feel better about this mess.

  “That sounds good.” I tried to put some gratitude into my tone. “I’ll see you soon.”

  I managed to get out of bed and changed into jeans and a red, long-sleeved shirt. Red was my best color, and even though it was only a mall trip with Shannon, I still wanted to look good. I put on some light makeup—nothing too extreme since it was daytime—and was ready to go with ten minutes to spare.

  I went downstairs to say hi to my dad, but he was nowhere to be found. That was strange, since he was normally up by now, drinking a cup of coffee and reading the Sunday paper. I did find a note that he left, letting me know he had gone out for breakfast and would be back soon.

  I wondered who he had gone out with. My dad had been doing this a lot recently—going out to get food and being vague about his company. I couldn’t help thinking there was a possibility he was dating. He hadn’t been on many dates since my mom passed away when I was in third grade. No one would ever be able to replace her, but I would be happy if he was making an effort to get himself out there. I’d been telling him he should for years.

  I didn’t have much time to think about it before my cell phone buzzed in my back pocket.

  I’m outside, the text from Shannon read.

  On my way out, I replied. I grabbed my jacket and gloves from the front closet and put them on before leaving the house, watching out for patches of ice on the sidewalk as I headed towards Shannon’s Lexus SUV. She had on huge pink designer sunglasses, and her short blonde hair was ironed straight, not a strand out of place.

  “You’re looking better,” she said as I got into the car, lowering the pop music blaring from her speakers.

  “Thanks,” I said, even though I felt anything but. These past few weeks, full of rejection from the two people I cared most about in the world, had worn me out more than I ever thought possible.

  I didn’t say anything for a few seconds. Then Shannon asked, “So, have you talked to Drew since the party?”

  “No.” I shook my head and gazed out the window, not wanting to think about Friday night more than I had to. “I almost called him a few times, but it felt too pathetic. I’m not going to be that girl who won’t stop calling her ex and annoys him to death.”

  “Good move,” she agreed. “You don’t want to make him happy about breaking up with you.”

  “Definitely not,” I said. “But I do want him to regret it.”

  Shannon raised an eyebrow. “Did you have anything in mind?” she asked.

  “I was up for a while last night trying to think of something,” I started, glad she was willing to listen. She even seemed on board to help. I wasn’t sure why she cared, but I did like having someone to talk with about it all.

  “And …” she prodded.

  “Nothing.” I sighed and sat back in the seat. “All my ideas seemed lame—finding someone else to date to make him jealous, telling him I’m okay being friends with him and then having him regret breaking up with me in the first place, or wearing hot outfits to school to make sure he notices me. I couldn’t think of anything that would work. And I have this feeling, even though it doesn’t make sense, that this wasn’t supposed to be how things ended with us. That we’re supposed to be together. It sounds nuts, and I feel like an idiot for thinking it, but I can’t shake the idea that everything happening now is wrong. It’s all off, and I can’t explain why.”

  Shannon pressed her glossed lips together and nodded, like she wasn’t sure how to respond.

  “I know it sounds crazy,” I said. “Forget it.”

  “No.” Shannon shook her head and tapped her French manicured fingernails on the steering wheel. “That’s all very interesting. In fact, I might be able to help.”

  That wasn’t what I was expecting. “If you have any ideas, I’m willing to listen,” I said. “I need all the help I can get.”

  “Alright.” She flipped her short blonde hair over her shoulder and looked at me before turning her attention back to the road. “This might sound strange, but hear me out. Have you ever seen that store in the mall, Mystic Pathways?”

  “The one with the crystals in the display windows?” I asked. I’d seen the store and even been inside it once—but that was a few years ago, with Lizzie as a joke. I still remembered it clearly though. It was dark inside, and full of beads, old books, and unidentifiable herbs. Plus, the lady who worked there was strange. She reminded me of the old scary women in fairytales—the ones who give candy to children before kidnapping them and cooking them in the oven.

  “That’s the one.” Shannon nodded. “My great-aunt owns it. She’s into all that magic stuff. Promise you won’t tell anyone though, cause it’s not something I publicize around school.”

  “Hold up a minute.” I tried not to laugh at the thought that popped into my mind. “Are you saying your aunt thinks she’s a witch?”

  “No!” Shannon exclaimed. “Don’t be ridiculous. She’s not a witch. She’s more like … well, I guess if you want an exact term, you could call her a psychic. And she can help you.”

  I stared at her in shock, but she stayed focused on the road. Not that I could blame her. What she said was embarrassing. I mean, come on. She wanted me to believe her aunt is a psychic? Last night I told Lizzie that fairy tales and soul mates and supernatural stuff doesn’t exist, and I meant every word of it. Now I’m supposed to believe Shannon’s aunt is a psychic who owns a mystical shop in the mall, and that she can help me put Lizzie in her place?

  “That sounds crazy,” I said.

  “I know,” Shannon agreed. “But didn’t you say that you and Drew were supposed to be together, and Lizzie messed everything up?”

  “I did,” I admitted. “But it was stupid. It would be nice if fate was real, but it isn’t.”

  Shannon pulled the car into the mall parking lot and started to search for a space. “Are you one hundred percent sure?” she asked.

  I just don’t believe in it.” I shrugged. “I’ve never seen anything to prove it could exist. It would be nice if it did, but I can’t force myself to believe in something that I don’t think is true.”

  “I wouldn’t believe it either, but in the beginning of the school year my aunt cornered me at a family dinner,” Shannon said. A car nearby started to back out, and she put on her turn signal to reserve the spot. “She told me a boy was going to transfer into our school, and he was going to start dating a girl, but there was a chance he would leave this girl for someone else. She said when that happened, she wanted me to bring the first girl to her. Doesn’t that sound like what happened with you, Drew, and Lizzie?”

  “It does.” I chewed on my pink-painted thumbnail as Shannon parked. “But it’s so vague. Stuff like that happens all the time in school. It’s more likely this was coincidence—not that your aunt is a psychic who predicted everything that was going to happen between the three
of us. It makes no sense.”

  “I know it doesn’t,” she said, yanking her keys out of the ignition and turning toward me. “But I promise my aunt is better at explaining it than I am. Can you at least give her a chance? If after you talk to her you still don’t believe it, I’ll drop it. But you never know—maybe she can help. And none of your other ideas were any good. You can use all the help you can get.” She narrowed her eyes in her trademark intimidating way, and I knew I didn’t have much of a choice—at least if I wanted to stay friends with her.

  “Fine.” I huffed. “I’ll give it a chance. But don’t get your hopes up. Magical stuff isn’t my thing.”

  “And telling people that I’m related to someone who’s into ‘magical stuff’ isn’t my thing either, but my aunt told me to tell you, so I’m listening to her,” Shannon said. “Just don’t tell anyone at school. If you do … well, let’s just say you’ll regret it.” She raised a plucked eyebrow and smirked to let me know she was joking. But even though I’d only been friends with Shannon for a few weeks, I knew not to piss her off. If there was a “Queen Bee” at school, she was it. Making her angry would be social suicide. I’d hit a new low when my boyfriend dumped me for my best friend, and I wasn’t about to make my life worse by making the most popular girl at school hate me.

  “I won’t tell anyone,” I promised. “I don’t want anyone to know I was in that store, either.”

  “I’m glad we have an agreement.” Shannon tossed her hair over her shoulder and opened the door to get out of the car. “Remember to keep an open mind. It’s not very often my aunt wants to help someone so much, so at least try to take her seriously.”

  I followed her into the mall, wondering what on Earth I was getting myself into.