(Author’s Note: I’m amazed with myself lately. *Two* stories updated in the same week, one which had two chapters added. Go me! Hehe, anyway, Here’s the next part. Hope you like.

goldengirl67: Yes, the thriller part comes along later. :-) I’m glad you like it so far. It’s kinda different for me.

shadowdreamer7598: I hope this chapter clears it up for you a bit. And that you like it. :-P

Nyssa: Yep, I’m continuing with the story… Right now! ;-) I hope you keep liking it.

Oh yeah, and I’ve decided the last part is more of a chapter 1 than a prologue, but I don’t have the file for that here, so I’m too lazy to change it. So just ignore the part that says “Prologue” on it. Hehe. Thanks all!)

Chapter 2: A picnic and a drive

            It was a picnic dinner. Zach had asked me earlier in the day to come with him to the lake. I accepted, with the plan that I would tell him I was in love with Drew. I had told him before about Drew, but I admit I had given the impression that I was willing to change that.

            Plus, I wanted to spend time with Zach. He was my friend, after all.

            It had been a beautiful day, cloudless blue skies and warm. We arrived late in the evening, just as the majority of the boaters on the lake were heading home. The lightning bugs were just starting to show up. Zach chose a spot at the far end of the lake, away from the crowd of families who had gathered to feed the ducks by the pier.

            As I sat on the blanket next to him, the breeze rustling my hair and waves lapping softly against the shore, I faltered. The orange glow of the setting sun cast long shadows and lit up the water. I felt comfortable and happy with him, and as we sat talking, I felt a warmth for him swelling in my heart. I watched him closely, suddenly not so sure what I wanted.

            I loved Drew so much, but in just a week’s time I had grown close to Zach. He was new and exciting, and a part of me was wildly attracted to that.

            So when he leaned in toward me, I didn’t move. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me to him, his lips closing softly on mine. It was like I had been dowsed in kerosene; my entire body felt like it had burst into flames. He pressed on my shoulders, urging me back onto the blanket.

            And then Drew’s face popped into my mind, his sheepish smile and the way his face glowed when he told me he loved me – and a wrenching pain tore through me.

            “No!” I cried, pushing Zach away and sitting up. Surprise flashed across his face, followed by bewilderment.

            “Alex, what’s wrong?”

            I lifted my face to the breeze, letting it cool my scalding cheeks. Guilt seeped from every pore.

            “I can’t,” I said softly, looking away.

            His hand enveloped my upper arm, turning me toward him, a pained expression on his face. “Why?”

            I sighed, squeezing my eyes shut so I wouldn’t have to look at him. “You know why.”

            Silence. I opened my eyes. The hurt in his eyes was gone, replaced by something cold and steely.

            He was angry.

            “Him.” He didn’t so much say it as spit it, as if it were a dirty word.

            I nodded. “I’m sorry, Zach. I love Drew. I was going to tell you that tonight.”

            He stood and walked over to the lake’s edge, staring out over the water. “What if I told you that I’m in love with you?”

            “You barely know me.”

            “I know enough.”

            Shaking my head, I walked over to him, touching his forearm. “No, not enough. I can’t do this to Drew.”

            I stared at his profile, sharply contrasting with the darkness growing behind us. He set his jaw and narrowed his eyes.

            “I’m sorry,” I repeated.

            He turned suddenly, grabbing my arm and yanking me toward him. His face inches from mine, he growled, “Maybe you will be.”

            My eyes widened, and I gasped. It sounded like a threat. But Zach wasn’t like that.

            As if he’d read my mind, he let go of my arm and his face smoothed, suddenly void of any emotions. “Fine. Let’s go.”

            We gathered up the blanket and headed back to his car in silence. The sun had gone down during our talk, and the only light came dimly from the horizon. I got in the passenger seat, hugging my arms across my chest. Zach started the car, a black Firebird that fit his personality.

            He drove along the windy road following the lake’s outline. Trees pressed in on the right side, creating a wall of darkness. I stared out into that darkness, letting the wind caress my face.

            “Are you okay?” I finally asked him, turning to look at him. He stared straight ahead at the road.

            “I’m fine.” He looked at me and smiled, but it seemed forced.

            “We’re still friends, right?”

            “Of course.”

            I felt horrible. I hadn’t realized it would hurt him so much. I reached over and patted his hand resting on the shifter. “I’m sorry,” I whispered.

            The corner of his mouth jerked, and he looked down at my hand on his. And then, with a speed that surprised me, he leaned over and tried to kiss me again.

            “Zach!” I shoved him back over onto his seat. “Quit it!”

            He stared at me, the pain back in his eyes. “I’m sorry, Alex. I just can’t help it.”

            “Yes, you can! I’m telling you …”

            But I never got the chance to say what I was telling him. I was interrupted by a large thud, followed by a bone-shattering shudder in the car. I screamed and spun forward in time to see something white fly over the windshield. Zach slammed on the brakes, and the car slid in a half-circle before come to rest with its headlights shining into the woods. Dust filtered back down in the air.

            We sat for a moment, silent, breathing heavily.

            “What was that?” I finally gasped, my eyes wide and my heart skipping beats.

            Zach shook his head. “I don’t know. Stay here.” He got out of the car and began walking back down the road.

            I sat still, trying to get my breathing back to normal and replaying what I’d seen in my mind. All I’d seen was a flash of white, but for a split second I could have sworn I saw a face. A man’s face. “Oh my God,” I breathed to myself.

            I fought with the door handle and yanked it open. My legs gave out on me as soon as I stood, and I collapsed to the road. “Oh God,” I repeated, covering my face with my hands.

            “Are you okay?” Zach asked, suddenly appearing next to me and pulling me to my feet.

            “Zach! It was a person. We hit a person!” My voice hit a shrill pitch as I verged on panic. “We have to call the police!”

            Zach’s eyes widened. “No!” My eyes flew to his, surprised. “I mean, it wasn’t a person.”

            “It wasn’t?” I collapsed against him, suddenly unable to support my own weight. “How do you know?”

            “I just went back there. There’s nobody there.”

            “But we hit something! You didn’t find anything?”

            He led me over to the car and helped me back into the seat. “I found a pile of rags and a trash can. That’s what we hit.”

            I wrinkled my eyebrows. “Are you sure? I could swear I saw …”

            Zach kneeled next to my seat, grabbing my arms and staring intently at me. “We didn’t hit anybody, Alex. It was just trash. Trust me.”

            I nodded weakly. “Okay.”

            We drove home in silence, and I tried to forget the image of the white thing flying over the windshield. I felt silly for even thinking it was a person.

            He dropped me off at my house even though he only lived next door. I got out, then turned back to lean in the window at him. “We’re really okay, right?”

            He didn’t look at me. “Why wouldn’t we be?”

            I smiled nervously. “Okay. See you tomorrow.”

            Before I had a chance to back away from the car, he threw it in reverse and squealed out of the driveway.

            I had a horrible feeling we wouldn’t be okay.

***

            I’d always been mildly fascinated by the house Zach moved into. Although it was next door, it felt like a million miles away; it was so different from my own. It was the oldest house in town – fitting, if you’ve ever seen his grandmother – and it was easily double the size of my own house. As I walked over there the next morning before work, I first had to make my around the low stone fence that surrounded it and through a tangled web of overgrown rose bushes that entangled the curvy path to the front door. Of course, I could have just taken the road and then the driveway, but I was feeling adventurous. The house itself was also made of stone, three stories tall with narrow, gabled windows. When we were young, Paige and I used to climb over the wall and play in the garden, pretending to be duchesses or some other rich people. Nobody had lived in the house for as long as I could remember. If somebody fixed it up, it would be a very nice-looking house.

            I picked my way through the garden now, being careful not to trip on the broken pieces of an old stone bench. The sun had only been up a few hours, but already the air was hot and humid, and I could feel the sweat starting to drip down my neck. I hoped Zach had air conditioning. Toward the back of the house, I could see his firebird parked in front of the dilapidated carriage house-turned-garage.

            When I reached the front door – made of two giant slabs of wood – I had to stop for a moment to let myself cool off. I leaned against the porch railing and looked back toward my house. It looked pitifully small from here, rather boring with its every-man ranch style. But at least it looked lived in. This house still looked abandoned even though Zach and his grandmother had lived here for over a week.

            I turned and rang the doorbell, listening as a deep, gonglike sound echoed through the house. When nobody came to the door after a few minutes, I rang it again. I knew Zach was here – his car kind of gave it away. But either he wasn’t hearing the doorbell or he wasn’t going to answer.

            I sighed and turned to go. He was probably still mad about last night. I guess I could understand that. But ignoring me when I was making an obvious effort to talk? I wasn’t too happy about that.

            I trudged back down the path, turning to walk backwards and look at the house again. As I held my hand over my eyes to block the early-morning sun, I thought I saw a curtain move on the first floor. I stopped and stared. For a second, I thought I saw an old, wrinkly face looking back at me, but then it was gone. I shrugged my shoulders and went home.

            The blast of cool air as I entered my house washed over me and gave me goosebumps. I stopped for a second, relishing the wonder that is air conditioning, then went to my bedroom to change for work. In the back of my mind, I hoped Zach would come over.

            Twenty minutes later, all thoughts of Zach were swept from my mind as the lunch crowd began rolling in at Applebee’s. Halfway through my shift, I stepped outside to eat my lunch. As I sat on a bench around the side of the building, eating my sandwich, a pair of tennis shoes stepped into my vision. I looked up in surprise.

            “Drew!” I jumped off the bench and into his arms. He hugged me tightly, as if he hadn’t seen me in a year instead of just two weeks. I stepped back and looked at him. He had definitely gotten a tan while he was in Florida, and his tousled blond hair looked sun-kissed. “I thought you weren’t getting back until tonight.”

            He smiled, the dimple in his right cheek appearing. “I thought so too. We got back early, and I couldn’t wait to see you.” He reached in his pocket. “I brought you this.” He held out a silver ring, two dolphins circling a moonstone that glinted in the sunlight. “It made me think of you.”

            I gasped and slid the ring onto my right hand. It fit perfectly.

            “You like it?” he asked, running his hand along my forearm.

            I smiled broadly at him, then hugged him again. “I love it! Thank you.”

            He cupped my chin in his hand and lifted my face to look at him. “It’s good to see you again, Lexie.” He was the only one who called me that, and it made me feel warm inside every time he used it. He leaned down and kissed my lips softly. I leaned against him, savoring the way my body fit perfectly against the curves of his. How had I ever thought about leaving him?

            It was then that I heard the low grumble of a car engine. I lifted my head from Drew’s chest and glanced back toward the road. A black firebird cruised slowly by, its windows too darkly tinted to see in. I stared at it until it reached the intersection, when it turned the corner and gunned its engine, disappearing behind a building. A tingle raced down my spine, and I swallowed nervously.

            Drew didn’t seem to notice anything wrong. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and squeezed.

            “So, anything happen while I was gone?”

***

            Zach was waiting for me when I got off work four hours later. I didn’t see him sitting on the front porch at first. The sun was setting, and the dark shadows of the house enveloped him. I strolled up the front walk absentmindedly, noting that my dad’s car wasn’t in the driveway.

            “Alexis.”

            The voice came out of nowhere, and I squeaked in surprise. Zach emerged from the shadows, leaning against the porch railing and crossing his arms over his chest. He wore a black button-up shirt and dark blue jeans, making him hard to see even out of the shadows. His dark hair was combed in a way to make it spiky, and his green eyes gleamed at me through narrowed lids.

            “Zach,” I gasped. “You scared me.”

            “I’m sorry,” he said, not sounding the least bit sorry. He pushed away from the railing and came down the steps toward me.

            I tucked a lock of my own dark hair nervously behind my ear and looked back toward the street. The neighborhood was silent. “I, uh… What are you doing here?”

            He shrugged. “I just wanted to see you. That’s still allowed, isn’t it? After all, we’re still friends, right?”            

            “Of course.” I stared at him, suddenly paralyzed in his gaze.

            He stopped inches from me, and stroked my arm with one hand. My breath caught in my throat. “You haven’t changed your mind about us?”

            For a moment, I couldn’t answer. His eyes were pulling me in, sapping away my willpower. Then I cleared my throat and shook my head. “No, Zach, I haven’t. I wish you’d understand.”

            He jerked his hand from my arm as if it had been burned. “We’re meant for each other, Alex. You know it, and I know it.” He turned his back on me, scowling.

            “No, I don’t know it.” I could feel anger deep inside me welling up in the pit of my stomach. “I like you, Zach. A lot. But if you don’t stop acting like this, I don’t see how we can be friends.”

            That got his attention. His shoulders tensed and he whipped around to face me. “Acting like what?”

            Now I was angry. “Zach. I saw you. Today, at Applebee’s. I saw you driving by. What were you doing? Keeping tabs on me?”

            His face hardened, and he glared at me. “I saw you. With him. How can you choose him over me?”

            “I love Drew. I’ve told you that. Dammit, Zach, why can’t you just accept that? Why are you acting so crazy?”

            He grabbed my arms tightly, and leaned in toward me, his nose almost touching mine. “You make me crazy.”

            My arms began throbbing as he tightened his grip, and I tried to free myself from his grasp. “You’re hurting me!” I pushed against his chest, hard, sending him stumbling backward. As soon as he let go of me, I ran for the front door. He didn’t follow me, just stood there on the steps staring at me, his lips turned down in a frown.

            “I’m sorry, Alex, I didn’t mean …” His voice softened, and he suddenly looked pitiful standing there.

            I sighed, halfway in the house. “It’s okay. Just … Please leave me alone, okay?”

            I didn’t wait for an answer. I just stepped inside and shut the door behind me.

            Through the gauzy curtain on the door’s window, I could see him standing out there for another minute, then he turned and walked away, shoulders slumped.

            I leaned against the door and shut my eyes, breathing a sigh of relief. What had I gotten myself into?