But of course, it hadn’t been luck. He’d been standing there because I knew where the bullets would be coming from. He’d placed himself there on purpose.
In normal circumstances, Zac would have been in severe trouble with the school for bringing a Taser onto the premises. But because he’d saved lives with it, the school wasn’t pressing charges. They gave him a warning and asked him to promise to never bring a weapon onto the property again. He happily agreed.
There were, of course, a few things that didn’t add up. Like how the bullet couldn’t be found. Or how the call to the police had been placed a minute before the first shot, from an unidentified male using a landline in the school lobby.
A few guesses were thrown around. Maybe someone had picked up the missing bullet in the rush out of the school. Perhaps Danny had been the one to call the police, because he wanted to be stopped.
Only a handful of us knew that the bullet hadn’t been found because it had been flattened in Jake’s bulletproof vest. And while I hadn’t confirmed it yet, I highly suspected that Eric had been the one to make that call.
After speaking with the police, I called my parents to tell them what happened and to let them know that Eric and I were okay and that Jake would be driving us home. They left dinner early and were on their way to meet us there. They hadn’t even mentioned Eric sneaking out to the dance. They were just thankful we were okay.
Now I huddled with Zac, Claire, Eric, and Jake outside of the school, preparing to part ways.
“So… I’m guessing that after that kiss on the dance floor, you and Jake are back together?” Zac asked.
“Wouldn’t they have had to date before to be ‘back together’ now?” Eric asked.
“It’s a long story,” I told him. “I’ll explain everything to you later.”
“Yeah, sure.” He sounded so dazed that I think he would have believed anything.
Zac was still looking at me, waiting for me to answer his question.
“We’ll let you two talk privately,” Jake said, and I smiled at him in thanks. “We’ll meet you at my car.”
They walked away, leaving me and Zac alone.
“Zac…” I started, not knowing what to say. I didn’t want to do this now. I wanted to put it off until later.
But he watched me expectantly, and I couldn’t avoid it for any longer—especially since I didn’t know if I would wake up as me tomorrow morning. And we’d been through so much this week. I owed it to him to be upfront about my feelings.
“You’ve done so much for me—you’ve done so much for everyone tonight,” I said, hoping he could hear how grateful I was. “You saved lives. You put yourself in the line of fire to do it. I trust you with my life, and you’re an amazing friend. One of the best I’ve ever had…”
“But you don’t love me.” His eyes looked so sad, and my heart broke from looking at him.
“I care about you so much, and I meant it that I trust you with my life.” I wished there was something I could do or say to fix this and make everyone happy, although I knew that was impossible. “But I’m still me—not Annabelle. And I’m still in love with Jake.”
He pressed his lips together and focused on the pavement, as if he were trying not to cry. “After this week—after I’ve proven that I’ll be there for you no matter what—I hoped you would start to love me again.” He turned his gaze back up to mine, watching me with an intensity that made my heart hurt for not loving him the way he wanted me to. “As you.”
“I can’t.” I shook my head sadly. “Maybe I could have—I know I could have, in another life—but I loved Jake first. I’m sorry.”
“Maybe you’ll get Annabelle’s memories back,” he said. “You’re the one who kept saying that we don’t know what will happen tomorrow morning. And it’s not tomorrow yet. So anything can happen, right?”
“Perhaps.” A pit formed in my stomach at the reminder that none of us knew how this night would end. I could still go back to my world, or go to another one, or disappear forever.
I glanced at my watch—it was 10:25. Maybe at midnight, I would vanish and Annabelle would come back.
Or maybe not. I had no way to know.
“I have to go home,” I told him. “Because you’re right—none of us know what will happen at midnight. But I need more time with my family. With my mom.”
“Of course,” he said. “But do me a favor—call me first thing when you wake up tomorrow.”
“I will if I’m still here,” I said, not wanting to make a promise that I couldn’t keep.
“I’ll text you tonight—after midnight,” he said. “As a reminder. So when you wake up, you’ll see it.”
“That would be great,” I said. “And if I haven’t told you enough already—thank you, Zac. For everything.”
Friday, October 31
“Zac looks devastated,” Claire said the moment I joined her, Jake, and Eric at Jake’s car.
I looked over my shoulder and saw Zac’s back as he shuffled to his car. He stared at the ground as he walked, his hands shoved into his pockets. Claire was right—he did look devastated.
I wished my conversation with him could have gone differently—that I hadn’t had to hurt him—but what else could I have done? I owed it to him to be honest. And I knew that doing so was the right thing, despite how difficult it had been.
“He was a hero tonight,” I said. “He shouldn’t have to be alone.”
“Do you want me to go with him?” she asked.
“Would you mind?”
“Not at all,” she said. “But first I need to know if you’ll be okay for the rest of the night. What just happened in there…” She looked at the gym and shook her head, not needing to finish her sentence. We were probably all feeling too much right now to process it completely. What had just happened was terrifying, traumatic, shocking, and devastating. The murderous look in Danny’s eyes when he was being held to the ground—along with his lack of remorse—would haunt me for the rest of my life.
“What happened in there was awful,” I said. “But compared to the first time I lived through it… well, it’s a lot better than it could have been. We’re all alive. Danny’s in custody. We’re going to be safe.”
“Yes.” Claire smiled. “And it’s all because of you.”
“Don’t give me all the credit,” I told her. “If you hadn’t trusted me and believed in me, this week would have gone so differently. You’re an amazing friend, Claire, and I don’t want you to ever doubt how much I appreciate your friendship.”
“I’m tearing up now.” She blinked a few times and pressed her fingers below her eyes. “My makeup will be all smudged.”
“Your makeup looks beautiful.” I chuckled. “Now… go after Zac. I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”
She did as I said, and I messaged myself a reminder to call Claire in the morning.
Just in case—as Zac had warned—I wasn’t here to remember.
Friday, October 31
“And then there were three,” Eric said once Claire and Zac were gone.
“Yeah.” I watched Zac’s car disappear out of the parking lot. “We have to get home… but would you mind giving Jake and me a few minutes alone first?”
“Sure.” Eric smirked. “I need to call Liana, anyway. To make sure she got home safe.”
“Don’t go too far, okay?”
“I’ll be a few cars down.”
He walked away—I was glad to see he was still in my line of sight—and I was finally alone with Jake.
“So.” I twisted my hands together, looking up at him. “We did it.”
“We did.” He reached for my hands, and my breath caught at his touch. “And all because of you.”
“Not all because of me,” I said. “I couldn’t have done it without help.”
“I meant what I said in there,” he told me, his eyes intense. “I didn’t just say it in case we didn’t make it out alive. I love you, Anna. Only you. I know we have loose ends to
tie up with Marisa and Zac, but I want us to be together. And I want to make sure that’s what you want, too.”
“Of course it is,” I said. “I love you, too, Jake. You’re the only one I’ve ever loved. But…”
He kissed me, stopping me mid-sentence, and I wanted so badly to lose myself in his touch. But I couldn’t. Not without finishing saying what I’d started.
“Wait.” I pulled away, although I left my hands in his. “Of course I want to be with you. That’s what I’ve always wanted. But what if it’s not up to me? What if, after tonight, Annabelle comes back?”
“And what if she doesn’t?” he asked.
“It’s impossible to know what will happen.”
“You’re right,” he said. “But I know this—I love you. I loved you before the time split all those months ago. So yes, I want you to stay. I want my future to be with you. But I also know that whatever happens tomorrow is out of our control. And if tomorrow morning it’s Annabelle here instead of you, I’ll make sure she knows about everything that happened this past week. I’ll tell her everything you told me about us in your world. I’ll love her because she is you. I pushed her away once, and ever since then, I’ve wanted to fix my mistake. So no matter what happens tomorrow, I promise you this—I love you, so much, and I will never lose you again.”
I did the only thing possible to let him know how much I loved him back—I kissed him, soaking in the moment, committing every last second of our being together to my memory.
“Stay with me?” I asked, my lips brushing his. “Tonight? I want to go home—I need to be with my family—but you’re part of my family. So… stay with me through midnight? Please?”
“Yes.” He smiled and held me tighter. “I’ll be here with you, always.”
Friday, October 31
I sat in the living room with Mom, Dad, Eric, and Jake, snuggling under blankets and sipping on hot chocolate as we discussed what had happened tonight.
“I can’t believe Danny would do something like that,” Mom said again. “He’s lived next door for so long, and none of us had any idea about how troubled he was…”
“I know.” Dad placed a hand over hers. “Let’s just be grateful that no one was seriously hurt. If Zac hadn’t been at the right place at the right time—” He shook his head. “This night could have gone much differently.”
“There were so many ways this night could have ended,” I agreed.
And in other universes, each possible version of tonight had played out. They were now their own realities with endless possibilities of what could happen within them.
I hoped that I was here, in this reality, for a reason. That this was where I was meant to be.
Jake squeezed my hand, and I knew he knew what I was thinking. My mom glanced at our hands and raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. At least for now.
“What do you think will happen to Danny?” Eric asked.
“I imagine he’ll be locked away for a long time,” Dad said. “Hopefully he’ll get the help he needs.
Mom nodded, looking seriously at each of us. “I’m just so grateful that you’re all safe, and alive, and that we all have a future to look forward to,” she said.
“Me, too.” My eyes teared, because she had no idea that for months, I’d lived in a world where she was gone. I didn’t know how much longer I had here, but I wanted to appreciate every second of it. “I love you all. So much.”
“We love you too,” she said.
I glanced at the clock. 11:59.
Would I get sent back to my world at midnight—if I was even still alive there? Would I stay here? Or get thrown into another world entirely?
Please, I prayed, hoping that whatever—whoever—had sent me here could hear me, and that they cared enough to listen. After this past week, I’d earned that, hadn’t I? Let me stay.
And then, sitting there with the people I loved most, we watched the clock strike midnight.
Thank you for reading Collide! I hope you enjoyed the story. If so, you’ll be happy to learn that I’m giving you another book of mine for FREE! You can find the offer below. But first, if you loved Collide, please remember to post a review on Amazon. Amazon reviews are so helpful to authors, because if a book has a lot of positive reviews, Amazon is more likely to show the book to new customers. As an indie author, I don’t have the support of a major publisher behind me, so your reviews are incredibly helpful to the success of my books! I read every review, and love seeing the support from my readers.
CLICK HERE TO POST YOUR REVIEW
FREE BOOK OFFER: Now that you’re finished Collide, I thought you would like to know that I give away the first book of my Elementals series for FREE on my website. Just go to www.michellemadow.com/free-elementals to grab your copy! Elementals is another fast paced young adult story—if you enjoyed Collide, you’ll also love Elementals.
About Elementals: Nicole Cassidy is a witch descended from the Greek gods... but she doesn't know it until she moves to a new town and discovers a dangerous world of magic and monsters that she never knew existed.
BONUS OFFER: Because you pre-ordered Collide or ordered it during the launch week, you also get my entire Transcend Time Saga for free! Go to http://michellemadow.com/free-transcend-time to grab The Transcend Time Saga.
Now, turn the page to read the first chapter of Elementals!
Elementals: Chapter One
The secretary fumbled through the stacks of papers on her desk, searching for my schedule. “Here it is.” She pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to me. “I’m Mrs. Dopkin. Feel free to come to me if you have any questions.”
“Thanks.” I looked at the schedule, which had my name on the top, and listed my classes and their locations. “This can’t be right.” I held it closer, as if that would make it change. “It has me in all honors classes.”
She frowned and clicked around her computer. “Your schedule is correct,” she said. “Your homeroom teacher specifically requested that you be in the honors courses.”
“But I wasn’t in honors at my old school.”
“It doesn’t appear to be a mistake,” she said. “And the late bell’s about to ring, so if you need a schedule adjustment, come back at the end of the day so we can discuss it. You’re in Mr. Faulkner’s homeroom, in the library. Turn right out of the office and walk down the hall. You’ll see the library on the right. Go inside and head all the way to the back. Your homeroom is in the only door there. Be sure to hurry—you don’t want to be late.”
She returned to her computer, apparently done talking to me, so I thanked her for her help and left the office.
Kinsley High felt cold compared to my school in Georgia, and not just in the literal sense. Boxy tan lockers lined every wall, and the concrete floor was a strange mix of browns that reminded me of throw-up. The worst part was that there were no windows anywhere, and therefore a serious lack of sunlight.
I preferred the warm green carpets and open halls at my old school. Actually I preferred everything about my small Georgia town, especially the sprawling house and the peach tree farm I left behind. But I tried not to complain too much to my parents.
After all, I remembered the way my dad had bounced around the living room while telling us about his promotion to anchorman on the news station. It was his dream job, and he didn’t mind that the only position available was in Massachusetts. My mom had jumped on board with the plan to move, confident that her paintings would sell better in a town closer to a major city. My younger sister Becca had liked the idea of starting fresh, along with how the shopping in Boston apparently exceeded anything in our town in Georgia.
There had to be something about the move for me to like. Unfortunately, I had yet to find it.
I didn’t realize I’d arrived at the library until the double doors were in front of me. At least I’d found it without getting lost.
I walked inside the library, pleased to find it was nothing like the rest of the school. The golden carpet an
d wooden walls were warm and welcoming, and the upstairs even had windows. I yearned to run toward the sunlight, but the late bell had already rung, so I headed to the back of the library. Hopefully being new would give me a free pass on being late.
Just as the secretary had said, there was only one door. But with it’s ancient peeling wood, it looked like it led to a storage room, not a classroom. And there was no glass panel, so I couldn’t peek inside. I had to assume this was it.
I wrapped my fingers around the doorknob, my hand trembling. It’s your first day, I reminded myself. No one’s going to blame you for being late on your first day.
I opened the door, halfway expecting it to be a closet full of old books or brooms. But it wasn’t a closet.
It was a classroom.
Everyone stared at me, and I looked to the front of the room, where a tall, lanky man in a tweed suit stood next to a blackboard covered with the morning announcements. His gray hair shined under the light, and his wrinkled skin and warm smile reminded me more of a grandfather than a teacher.
He cleared his throat and rolled a piece of chalk in his palm. “You must be Nicole Cassidy,” he said.
“Yeah.” I nodded and looked around at the other students. There were about thirty of them, and there seemed to be an invisible line going down the middle of the room, dividing them in half. The students near the door wore jeans and sweatshirts, but the ones closer to the wall looked like they were dressed for a fashion show instead of school.
Collide Page 20
