“Get. The. Hell. Out. Of. My. Life.” Em’s words were packed like dynamite. “If you don’t—I swear to you—I will extinguish you forever.”
“I can’t get out of your life, Em,” Ty said. “We’re bound together. Don’t you get it?” Then she stepped past Em, toward the setting sun. For a second she seemed to shimmer in front of the orange-red glare. Then Em blinked, and when she opened her eyes, Ty was gone, as though she’d just burned away. The sound of laughter, however, lingered.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Tonight was the night: Skylar’s surprise date with Pierce. He’d chat-messaged her—well, technically he had chat-messaged Gabby—a few times this week, and Skylar had played her part. She’d flirted with Pierce, planned their rendezvous, and reminded him that they should keep their feelings secret until the dance. She’d tried to play down “her” brush with death. The last thing Skylar needed was Pierce thinking that Gabby was some beautiful wounded bird or something.
There was enough of that going around at school. Skylar couldn’t believe Gabby’s luck—after missing one day of school, she’d come back as a survivor-celebrity! No one seemed to care about the rash on her face. On the contrary, Gabby’s health scare only cemented how much everyone loved her, how much everyone missed her when she wasn’t around, how crucial her bubbly personality was to daily life at Ascension.
But tonight was Skylar’s chance to turn Pierce’s eyes her way, to have him all to herself. And though he was expecting Gabby to show up, not her, Skylar hoped—knew!—he would be glad in the end that she was the one in his arms.
There were several reasons for her logic. First of all, he hadn’t been overly effusive via chat. Maybe, now that he’d seen Gabby without her makeup on, he was more interested in being her friend than her boyfriend. Skylar hoped to provide some contrast—a perfectly put-together, perky prize.
Secondly, she was certain that once Pierce had a second to absorb, without any outside distractions, how much Skylar has grown and changed—like a butterfly, like a swan—he would change his mind. Tonight Pierce Travers would see that Skylar had it all. Everything Gabby had, and more.
And plus, as a last resort, Skylar resolved to tell him that Gabby had sent her, to convey that she wasn’t interested, and that he should leave her alone. If he didn’t naturally see Gabby as out of the picture, she would shatter the illusion for him.
? ? ?
Lip gloss. Hair pinned half up with sparkly bobby pins. Light purple eye shadow to bring out the green in her eyes. Black jeans, a magenta boatneck shirt, a bluish scarf, her gray ankle boots. Eyelashes curled, brown mascara applied—it looked less severe on blondes, Gabby had told her. Her legs were even freshly shaved, under her jeans. Not that she thought Pierce would touch them (tonight, at least), but because she’d been “getting ready” since three o’clock. Meg had helped, of course. And now every single tiny detail of her appearance was perfect. Or as close to perfect as Skylar would ever get.
“Lots of snow coming tonight,” Meg mused as Skylar checked her makeup in the car mirror one more time. Skylar hadn’t seen much of Meg over the last few days, not since the creepy incident at the pond. She didn’t really miss her that much. In fact, it was amazing how much she’d learned in so little time. She could take care of herself now.
Tonight Marty Dove and the news reports were predicting at least a foot of accumulation. It wasn’t rare for March in Maine, but it would be Skylar’s first blizzard since she’d moved to Ascension. She hoped it wouldn’t get too bad until after her tryst with Pierce. Although, walking outside together with snowflakes resting on their eyelashes and noses would be a romantic way to start their relationship. He’d told her once how much he loved being outside during nor’easters. Skylar couldn’t help but sigh out loud, thinking about it.
Meg gave Skylar a pep talk as she drove her to school in her maroon Lincoln. More of the same. How she just needed to show Pierce how awesome she was, blah blah blah. Skylar didn’t want to tell Meg she was only making things worse. Skylar was ready to stop talking about it and just put this plan into action. She focused on the beautiful flakes of snow, watching as they smashed into the windshield and became drops of slush.
“So, should I wait for you out here?” Meg cocked her head as Skylar did some last-minute primping in the high school parking lot.
“Um, no,” Skylar said in an impulsive—and she hoped warranted—fit of confidence. “Pierce can give me a ride.”