Dark Promise (Between Worlds #1)

by Julia Crane

  Rubbing my eyes, I pushed aside the purple beads that covered my closet opening. They were cold on my arm. Jeans hung all the way to the right, followed by khaki pants and cotton pants. Then came the shirts, all arranged by color. My skirts and dresses hung all the way to the left.

  I grabbed my favorite pair of faded jeans and a pale blue off-the-shoulder blouse and headed to the bathroom to shower. Since I had taken my time getting out of bed, I had to hurry or I would be late for school. I was out and dressed in record time.

  I pulled my hair back in a ponytail and snatched my makeup bag from the counter—I didn’t have time to do it now, so I’d have to put it on in the car.

  As I made my way down the stairs, my stomach growled, reminding me I needed to eat. I found a note on the kitchen counter: Have a good day! XOXO, Mom. She had already left for work.

  I only had a few minutes before my ride would arrive, so I grabbed a granola bar and downed a glass of OJ standing at the counter.

  My mind drifted back to the nightmare as I took a bite of my bar. Those creatures were so creepy. They weren’t like anything I had ever seen before, and I definitely hoped to never see them again. Thank goodness it was just a dream.

  When I was finished, I rinsed my cup and placed it in the dishwasher. I tossed the granola wrapper in the trash just as Sierra’s horn brought me out of the memory of my nightmare.

  “What’s wrong?” Sierra asked when I got in the car. “I can always tell when something is bothering you. Your face is like an open book. You should do something about that, you know.”

  I shrugged and glanced over at the woods, relieved that I couldn’t feel eyes on me today. “Nothing really. I had a nightmare last night, that’s all.”

  “And you’re still upset about it?” She looked at me strangely as she put the car in reverse and backed out of my driveway.

  “It was unnerving.”

  Her face softened. “Do you want to talk about it?”

  I shook my head. “No, it’s not a big deal.”

  “Okay…if you do…”

  “Thanks.” What I wanted to do was talk about something else—anything else. I always had trouble talking about my feelings. “How’s your sister?”

  Sierra raised an eyebrow in my direction. “Um…okay, I guess. Her baby is due any day. She’s as big as a house.”

  “How are your parents doing with that?” Flipping down the visor, I started to apply my mascara. Sierra’s sister was a senior, and she was having a baby. She had been the talk of the school for a couple of months, but the talk had eventually dwindled down. She was being tutored at home until she was ready to return to school.

  “Ya know, the usual.” Sierra shrugged. “Dad won’t talk about it. Mom buys every cute outfit she sees.”

  When Sierra didn’t say anything more, I decided to change the subject again. I glanced over at her, smiling as I applied my lip gloss. “We really need to find you a new boyfriend.”

  “Have anyone in mind?” Sierra raised an eyebrow.

  “Max is pretty hot.”

  “Seriously? Max? I don’t want to date a jock. That’s your thing, not mine.” Sierra reached out and changed the radio station. “I think Ian is pretty cute.”

  Ian? We really did have different tastes. He was a goth kid, totally not my type. I hesitated before responding. “Yeah, he does have a certain look to him. Have you talked to him? He seems like a bit of a loner.”

  “We’re in art class together, and Ry, he is an incredible artist. I wish you could see his drawings.”

  Ah. Now it made sense. “Well, that’s something you have in common. I think you should go for it.”

  She was silent for a moment, her fingers tapping on the steering wheel and her eyes on more than just the road. “I think I will.” Decision made, she turned up the music and sang along the rest of the way to school.

  I wished everything was as simple as my best friend made it seem.

  I had a slight headache and my back felt tight, so the last thing I felt like doing was sitting in school all day. The first four periods passed slowly, but I barely noticed through my fog of pain.

  My mood brightened by lunchtime since it was my favorite part of the day. I hurried into the cafeteria, my eyes seeking Adam’s—he was already at our table with our usual gang. He winked at me, and I glowed in return.

  I grabbed a tray and slid it down the railing. I skipped the mystery meat and went for my favorite standby, pizza and fries. After grabbing a milk carton and paying with my school account, I crossed the room to our spot.

  “It’s about time.” Adam grinned and grabbed a fry from my tray. I loved the way his eyes lit up when he saw me, as if I were the only girl in the world.

  “Mrs. Johnson stopped me in the hall,” I explained as I opened my milk, and then glanced around at my friends. “What’d I miss?”

  Sierra’s face brightened and she opened her mouth to gush, until she looked over at Emma. She sat back in her seat and held her hands up in surrender. “I’ll let Emma tell you.”

  Emma was known for being a gossip. She knew everything about everyone before it even happened. At least that’s how it seemed. She pushed a strand of her curly black hair behind her ear and leaned forward. “Well, apparently Amanda and Colin got caught doing the deed in his car. A cop came up and flashed his flashlight at them, and then he followed them home and told their parents.”

  “What!? I didn’t even know they liked each other.” I appealed to Adam. Colin was on the baseball team and a pretty good friend of his, but he just shrugged.

  “That’s not all,” Emma went on, her round face animated. “Jason broke up with Liz—”

  I tried to pay attention, but Adam had his hand on my thigh and everyone else seemed to fade out. His touch gave me tunnel vision, so much so that I had a hard time finishing my lunch.

  When the bell rang, I dumped my trash into the garbage can and tossed the tray on the pile to be cleaned. Adam put his hand on my waist and spun me around, pulling me close so he could press his lips against mine. Closing my eyes, I enjoyed every second of our kiss.

  With one last peck, he pulled away and said, “See you later.”

  I watched as he walked away, my lips still tingling.

  Sierra walked up and came to a stop next to me. “You two really are sickening. You do realize that, don’t you?”

  I nodded, heat rising to my cheeks. We couldn’t help it; being together just came so naturally.

  On the way to our next class, I spotted Ian hanging out by his locker. I nudged Sierra with my elbow. “Go say hi,” I murmured.

  She blushed and looked down at her sandals, her hands knitting together in front of her.

  “Oh, don’t play shy with me. We both know you are anything but.” I gave her a little shove towards him.

  She stumbled and dropped one of the books she was holding. It was a heavy textbook that hit the ground with a thud. “Ry!” she hissed between her teeth.

  Ian looked up at us from where he was crouched over his backpack. His hair was such a dark black, it made his face look extremely white and his lips red. He had one earring in his left ear and another in his bottom lip. He hadn’t always looked that way. I remembered him from elementary school when he was blond and all-American.

  Sierra held up a hand and waved timidly. “Hi, Ian.”

  The corners of his mouth turned up just a little. “Hey.”

  Sierra went to lean against the lockers beside him, and he stood. Leaving them alone to talk, I continued on towards history class. I really wasn’t a fan of history because I thought it was so annoyingly boring. Who cared about what happened in the past?

  I plopped down in my assigned seat and waited for Sierra.

  She showed up a couple of minutes later, right before the bell rang, wearing a huge grin on her face.

  “I take it things went well?” I prompted.

  She took the seat in front of me and whipped around with a nod. “He asked if I wanted to gra
b a bite to eat and go to the movies this weekend.”

  The bell sounded, and our teacher stood up behind his desk. “Please take out your books and turn to page two hundred thirty.”

  “And you said yes, right?” I whispered as I flipped open my book and searched for the correct page.

  “Of course,” she whispered over her shoulder.

  I grinned. “When?”

  “Rylie? Sierra? Stop talking or be sent to the principal.” Mr. Jackson looked down at us over glasses that always slid down his nose.

  Sierra rolled her eyes and turned to face the teacher. “Sorry.”

  I knew it was selfish, but all I could think about was how her date better not be on my birthday. After class was over, I pulled Sierra aside in the hallway. “When are you going?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Calm down. I know exactly what you’re thinking. I told him Friday night.” Gripping my shoulders, she gave them a little shake. “Did you really think I’d leave you on your birthday?”

  I shrugged, feeling a little guilty.

  She shoved me to the side. “Really? You know me better than that. You’re my best friend. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be. Besides, you know I can’t pass up cake and ice cream.”

  That was true. Sierra was petite, but she could eat like a linebacker.

  Two more classes, and the day would be over. I had choir practice after school, but I really didn’t feel up to going. I was tired and achy again. Turning to Sierra, I rubbed my temples and told her, “I’m going to go take a Tylenol in the bathroom.”

  A concerned look crossed her face. “Still got that headache?”

  “Yeah. It goes away for a bit, and then comes right back. My mom said it could be allergies or something.”

  She walked with me to the bathroom. The moment we pushed through the swinging door, the stench of body spray plugged up my nose and made me cough. The bathroom’s bright fluorescent lights made the sunshine-yellow walls glow. There were four stalls, all empty at the moment. I put my backpack down and yanked out a bottle of water and the Tylenol. I threw a couple in my mouth and washed them down.

  Sierra handed me her lipstick. “Need a touch-up?”

  “Yeah.” I took the lipstick from her and applied it to my lips. It made my mouth a deep burgundy. “Thanks.”

  “What are friends for? That color looks great on you, by the way.”

  I smiled. Sierra always made me feel better.

  Two hours later, the medicine still hadn’t kicked in. My head continued to throb, but I had to go to choir.

  Choir was in the small auditorium, in a domed building adjacent to the main body of the school. It had been replaced by the large auditorium sometime in the nineties, and the old was given to the arts program. It was dark and dreary, and the seats were hard wood instead of the plush cushions of the new auditorium, but the choir students liked it for its character.

  I walked down the aisle, and Mrs. Lopez looked up from behind the podium. Her black hair was pulled up in a severe bun. It looked a little strange since her long locks were usually down in loose waves. “You feeling okay, Rylie? You don’t look well.”

  “I’ve had an awful headache today,” I said truthfully.

  “Do you want to just go home? You should rest your voice if you’re not feeling well.”

  “No. Adam is my ride, and he’s at baseball practice anyway.”

  “Well, if you want to just sit in the chairs and watch, that’s fine with me.”

  “Thanks, but I think I want to try and sing.” I didn’t like letting Mrs. Lopez down. She was my favorite teacher.

  “I like that attitude, Rylie.” Mrs. Lopez smiled broadly. As the final trickle of students came in, she asked, “Do you want to do your solo first? Get it out of the way?”

  I nodded. “Sure. Thanks, Mrs. Lopez.”

  I walked up the stairs to the stage and gripped the microphone stand, adjusting it to the perfect height. Mrs. Lopez took a seat at the baby grand, her fingers splayed across the keys, and nodded at me as she began playing “Someone Like You” by Adele.

  I sang through the song twice, hitting every note with ease. Singing is my passion. When I sing, I feel free, and everything else seems to fade away. Even my headache and the nightmare were forgotten.

  “Excellent,” she praised. Concern marred her brow. “Now, go sit down and watch. You look so pale.”

  I knew she was probably worried about me coming down with something. Our end-of-year concert was quickly approaching, and my solo was one of the main acts.

  “Thanks,” I said, relieved. I walked to the back of the auditorium. Every step felt like someone was banging something hard against my head. I sank down into one of the chairs and let my head fall to rest on the back of the seat. It was dark and cool. Closing my eyes, I listened to the choir sing.

  “Hey, beautiful,” Adam’s voice whispered in my ear a while later.

  Opening my eyes, I saw his handsome face in front of me. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

  “You okay? You don’t look so good.”

  “Headache.” I groaned, annoyed that it was still there.

  “I wish I could take it away for you. Are you ready to go home? You look like you could use a nap.”

  “A nap sounds wonderful.”

  He held out his hands. I took them, and he pulled me to my feet. My head swam, and I leaned into him, waiting for the sensation to pass.

  “Rylie?” His voice was low, worried.

  I waved him away. “I’m fine. Stood up too fast.”

  As we walked to his truck, he rubbed the back of my neck with the fingers of one strong hand.

  “That feels good,” I murmured, stretching my neck side to side as he worked the muscles.

  “Probably a tension headache. Anything bothering you?” He opened the passenger door and helped me climb in.

  “Not really. I mean nothing major is going on.”

  He shut my door and circled the truck to get in on the driver’s seat. As soon as he was settled, I slid over to sit in the middle so I could rest my head on his shoulder. My eyes fluttered shut.

  “Ry?”

  I opened my eyes. It felt like it had only been seconds, but I realized we were already in my driveway.

  “Do you want me to come in?” he asked.

  Oh, how I wanted him to. I squeezed my eyes shut, wishing the pain away. When it didn’t magically disappear, I gave him a sad smile. “Yes…but no. I think I need to go lie down.”

  “Okay.” He slid from the truck and came to help me out of the seat. “I’ll walk you to the door.”

  There were starbursts in my vision by the time we made it to the front porch. I couldn’t grasp my keys; my fingers felt numb from the migraine. Adam took them gently from my hands and opened the door.

  I let my backpack fall to the floor just inside the door. I’d get it later, when my head felt better. Adam rested an arm around my waist, and we trudged slowly to up the stairs.

  “Have you taken anything?” he asked as he helped me pull off my shoes. “Ibuprofen?”

  “A couple hours ago,” I mumbled. “I just need to close my eyes.” I fell to the cool pillow, barely registering as he settled the covers over me. My upper back was killing me, and I didn’t know why. I couldn’t remember doing anything to hurt it. Maybe I slept on it wrong or something?

  His warmth disappeared momentarily, and he came back with more Tylenol and a glass of cool water. “Take it.”

  The ones from earlier certainly hadn’t worked. I tossed back the pills, and then handed him the glass.

  Adam kissed me on the forehead, brushing his fingers across my face as he said, “Call me if you need anything.”

  “I will.” I smiled. I was such a lucky girl.

  “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  I opened my eyes long enough to watch him leave, and then curled up on the mattress, hoping the pain would go away.

  “Rylie?”

  I
stirred and rubbed my eyes. It was darker, but I could tell my mom was sitting next to me on the bed. I propped myself up on my elbows and asked, “What time is it?”

  “Almost seven.” Her voice was disembodied in the dark.

  “Oh wow. I didn’t mean to fall asleep for so long.” I sat up and leaned back against the pillows.

  “Are you feeling okay?” She placed her hand on my forehead. “You don’t feel warm.”

  “I had a headache and backache earlier, but they’re better now,” I lied. My back still hurt, but it was much duller than earlier. There was no sense in worrying her over a little pain.

  “Do you want something to eat? I made your favorite. Pork chops and mashed potatoes.”

  “Yeah. I’m hungry. Did you make gravy and biscuits?” At least that wasn’t a lie. I really was hungry. My mom may not have been the best cook, but there was still something comforting in a home-cooked meal.

  “Yes, I made biscuits, gravy, and corn on the cob. You wouldn’t let me live it down if I didn’t. Come and eat, then.” Mom stood up and left my room, shutting the door quietly behind her.

  I stared at the pale violet walls for a few minutes, waiting for my body to catch up with my mind. A few months ago, I changed the posters on my walls for more sophisticated artwork. I also had Sierra draw me a landscape picture of a waterfall, which hung above my dresser. Across the room, my MacBook was on my desk, still open to Facebook. Above it, deep teal curtains framed the single window.

  Everything looked normal, but I felt like something was off. I was starting to think maybe I needed to see a shrink.

  It took me a minute to gather the energy to push myself out of bed. I stretched, and then went to the bathroom to splash cool water on my face. I patted my face down with a towel and stared at myself for a couple of minutes. Something seemed different, but I couldn’t put my finger on what it was…

  I shook my head. What was I thinking? How could I look any different? I yanked my blonde hair back in a ponytail and hurried downstairs.

  My father was sitting at the table, still in his work clothes. His suit was rumpled, and if I didn’t believe it impossible, it looked exactly like the suit he wore yesterday. The weight of the world seemed to rest on his shoulders.