Someone Else's Life: Book Two - Missing Pieces

By Jennifer Zwaniga

After discovering a long hidden secret about her family and learning a frightening truth about her own past, Keri Lawrence decides to remain living at her grandmother’s plantation home for the school year, in hopes of understanding her past and learning more about who she really is.

Her relationship with Adrian becomes more and more complicated and every move she makes seems to push him further away and into the arms of her enemy. The thoughts of losing him forever is more than she can bear and she soon finds herself spiralling into a self-destructive pit of drinking and drugs to try to dull the searing pain in her heart.

At the same time, the difficulties of her life are compounded as she discovers even more frightening truths about herself. Impossible things. Things that simply can’t be true.

But they are.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jennifer Zwaniga
• Release date: May 31, 2011
• ISBN: 9781458046260

Jennifer Zwaniga

I am a mother of two who works full time as a Technical Communicator at a mid-sized software company and writes in my spare time. I enjoy writing for young adults and currently have 4 YA novels published.I also enjoy painting (though I haven't had time for it in years) and spending time with family and friends.

Book preview

PROLOGUE

September 5, 2008

Dear Diary

I, Keri Lawrence, am certifiably nuts. Sometimes I really question the stupid ideas that go through my head. I mean, what was I thinking when I decided to stay at my grandmother’s house in Cotton Creek, South Carolina for the school year? I was miserable when my parents made me spend an entire summer here and I couldn’t wait to go home.

But things were different then. So much has happened, so much has changed. Back then I didn’t know my family had hidden some important information from me, the fact I had a sister who died the day before I was born. I hadn’t yet discovered I am, in fact, the reincarnation of my sister, Abby. And back then, I didn’t know I would meet Adrian, a guy who affected me in a way that no other guy ever had.

In spite of our rocky beginning, Adrian and I have become friends. It’s hard to let myself believe that a guy like Adrian could ever want to date someone like me, but sometimes the connection—the pull—I feel with him is so strong that I dare to hope.... It’s one of the reasons I decided to stick around.

My first week of school sucked more than I’d have thought possible. I’ve never really felt like I fit in anywhere. Rachel is pretty much my only friend back home, in Chicago. I thought that starting at a new school and having a popular friend like Adrian would give me some leverage—help me be accepted. I let myself believe things would be different in Cotton Creek.

Ha. What a joke. After the past few days, it’s become painfully obvious that Adrian’s tight-knit group of friends will never accept me. And, if I’m honest, I don’t feel comfortable with them anyway. They’re exactly the type of kids I steered clear of at my last school. I guess some of the guys seem okay, but the girls. Ugh! I had my first taste of gorgeous, perfect Alyssa at the river this past summer, when Adrian introduced us. She didn’t hide her dislike for me then, and she doesn’t now either. That is, unless Adrian’s around. Then she’s on her best behavior.

It’s so obvious that Alyssa has a thing for Adrian. The way she hangs off his every word, and coyly uses every opportunity to touch his arm and flirt with him turns my stomach. It’s more than that, though. I want so desperately to be that person—the beautiful, at ease, flirtatious girl who could interest someone like him. Alyssa is the kind of girl who guys drool over. She’s everything I’m not. I don’t see how I can begin to compete, and I feel like I will wither up and die if I can’t have him.

CHAPTER 1

Keri awoke to the sound of the lawn-mower. Glowing red lights of the digital clock on her nightstand read: 10:08. She hopped out of bed and looked out her window onto the lush landscape in search of Adrian. Her heart skipped a beat as he appeared from around the side of the house, pushing the mower into the backyard. Keri sighed. She desperately wanted to spend some time with him.

Figuring she had at least another half hour before he would finish, and possibly another half hour for the hedge clipping, she rushed off into her bathroom to shower.

When Keri stepped out onto the back patio forty minutes later, Adrian had just put the lawnmower away and returned with a pair of hedge clippers. He looked at Keri, smiled and waved.

Hi, Keri said. As she walked to meet him, she noticed how his damp t-shirt clung to the hard muscles of his chest. Sweat trickled down his neck, and she had to force her eyes away before he caught her staring. Her heart thumped heavily in her chest. You got an early start today.

Yep. I wanted to get the work out of the way so I can enjoy the rest of the weekend. He eyed Keri from top to bottom and winked. I see you’re still determined to wear pants no matter how hot it is.

Normally, a remark like that would send her off into a defensive tirade, but she was beginning to figure Adrian out. He didn’t mean anything bad by it and, in all fairness, she had never told him about the ugly scar on her leg.

Yeah, well. She smiled. It wouldn’t be fair to get all pissy with him over it.

Laughing, he shook his head. Sometimes I really don’t understand you at all.

Keeps things interesting that way, don’t you think?

That it does.

Do you want to take a break for a bit? You look hot. In more ways than one.

I really should get this wrapped up, he said, nodding toward the untrimmed bushes.

Just for a few minutes? I can get us some cold drinks. She hoped she didn’t sound like she was begging.

Adrian placed the clippers onto the freshly mowed lawn. I guess a few minutes wouldn’t kill anyone, and a drink would be great. He followed Keri to the patio and sat on one of the padded white wicker chairs.

I’ll be right back, Keri said, and then hurried into the house. As she poured two glasses of lemonade, she watched him through the kitchen window. After a week of being subjected to Adrian’s friends, she was ecstatic to have him to herself. Her heart raced at the thought. It was what she wanted, but she was so nervous about blowing things with him. Adrian was almost too good to be true. Sometimes she had to pinch herself to believe it wasn’t all a dream.

With chilled glasses in hand, Keri rejoined Adrian on the patio, and sat on a chair across from him. She handed him his drink, droplets of condensation already sliding down the smooth glass, and took a sip of her own. Unsure of what to say next, she stalled by taking another swallow, savoring its tart sweetness.

"So, what do you think of Cotton Creek High so far?

Keri shrugged.

What does that mean? Adrian asked, as he mirrored her shrugging action.

Keri curled her lip in thought. How could she say what she really felt without offending him or sounding like a whiny baby? It’s okay, I guess. Just different, she finally said.

How so?

Keri paused. Sometimes it feels like....

Adrian gave her an encouraging smile. Like...?

Well, like everybody already knows each other. I feel totally out of place ... like I don’t belong here.

Adrian rolled his eyes, playfully. "Don’t be silly. It’ll just take some getting used to. It couldn’t have been that bad."

Oh, couldn’t it? Keri challenged. It’s hard enough not knowing anybody, but it seems like everyone around here has known each other forever.

You know people. You know me and you know my friends.

How could she make him understand? She wanted to tell him about all the snide comments Alyssa had made to her when he wasn’t listening, how Alyssa had accused her of taking advantage of Adrian’s good nature by attaching herself to him and his friends like a leech. She had even gone so far as to say that Adrian was just being nice to her because of his friendship with Keri’s grandmother. Keri didn’t want to believe any of it, but Alyssa had succeeded in planting a small seed of doubt in her mind. She couldn’t say any of this to Adrian, though.

About your friends... she began slowly.

Adrian pulled his chair closer to Keri and eyed her curiously. What about them?

Well...I don’t think they like me much.

Of course they like you. Adrian looked at her with soft eyes that made her want to melt. I thought things were going okay. I mean, I tried to be there for you as much as I could—

Oh, it’s not you. You’re great. I didn’t mean to sound like I was complaining about you. It’s just that ... well, you’re like my only friend, and I truly believe your friends would rather not have me hanging around.

You’re not serious? Adrian sounded surprised. Maybe you guys just need a little more time to get used to each other. It’s only been a week, after all.

Keri shook her head. No. I don’t think that’s it.

Alyssa and Bev have been trying to get to know you. I always see them talking to you at lunch and stuff.

Keri bit her tongue. His comment opened up a bottomless pit of things she could say about the little princesses. As much as Keri wanted to tell Adrian what she really thought, she didn’t think laying into him about his friends was going to win her any brownie points. Instead, she took a deep breath, already questioning if the next words out of her mouth would be another mistake in the many she’d made with him. I feel like I’m intruding. You guys have all been friends since you were kids, and everyone is older than me, and—

Only a year—

Adrian, please let me finish.

She’d been giving a lot of thought as to how she should handle the situation, but she hadn’t, until this moment, decided for sure what she should do. She hated that it had come to this, but she couldn’t see any way around it.

I need to try making some new friends of my own—friends who aren’t hanging around me because they feel obligated to.

Is it me, too? Adrian asked. Do you think I feel obligated ... because I never meant to make you feel like that. I really do like you Keri, and not just because of Martha. I want to be your friend. I thought we were friends.

A tear sprang to Keri’s eye. She quickly turned her head and wiped it away. Taking a deep breath, she swallowed hard and paused before responding.

It’s not you. She turned to face him again. I’m glad to have you as a friend, but I think it’s going to have to be outside of school. I’m not used to hanging out with people like them, and I think it would be better if I separated myself a bit.

Adrian reached over and placed a warm hand over Keri’s. Fingers entwined, he gave her a gentle squeeze. I think you’re overreacting. You just need time to adjust, and so do they.

Keri shook her head, refusing to allow his words to convince her. I don’t expect you to understand how I feel. It’s complicated. I just need some time and space to figure things out.

Wow. Adrian sighed and ran his hand through his thick, dark hair. So what happens on Monday?

I’ll find my own way to school. Then I guess we’ll just see from there.

Don’t be silly. I can still drive you to school.

No, Keri insisted. That will just make things harder. I appreciate everything you’ve done, but my mind is made up.

But—

Let it go ... please.

Adrian rose from his chair, his tone taking on a sharp edge. You know what I think?

Not daring to speak, Keri waited for him to continue.

I think you’re doing the same thing with my friends as you did to me when we first met.

Keri looked at him confused. What do you mean?

Don’t you remember the way you acted when we met? You didn’t even know me, but it was like you wanted to pick a fight or something; like you wanted to push me away. Now you’re doing it again with my friends. I don’t understand you at all. He shook his head and turned away. Thanks for the drink. I better get back to work.

Keri panicked, trying to think of a way to save the situation. Nothing had gone as she’d planned. All she wanted to do was make Adrian understand that she was struggling to fit in, and that she needed some friends. She had hoped that he’d see the truth in her word, that he’d understand his friends had not made her feel welcome at all. But all she had succeeded in doing was making Adrian believe she thought his friends weren’t good enough for her. And she had told him she didn’t want to hang around with him at school.

What was I thinking?

She wanted to take the words back. She wanted to rush to his side and tell him it had all been a joke, and that she couldn’t imagine a school day—any day—going by without hanging around with him. She wanted to wrap her arms around his solid body and never let go.

Paralyzed, she did none of these things. Instead she watched him walk away.

CHAPTER 2

September 12, 2008,

I’m such a loser. Five days, and I haven’t been able to make one lousy friend. On the few occasions I got up enough nerve to try to talk to someone in my classes, they hardly gave me the time of day. Oh, sure, they were polite enough to say hi back to me, or to answer whatever lame question I managed to come up with. But that was about it. Nobody went out of their way to continue the conversation beyond that. Am I really that bad?

The first day was the hardest. By the time lunch came, I had nobody to hang out with. Adrian and his friends were already sitting in the cafeteria. I was so tempted to go sit with them, but I forced myself to sit somewhere else, hoping that someone might join me. Nobody did. Finally, I think Adrian took pity on me and came over to convince me to join his table. I hated sitting there all alone. I didn’t know what else to do, so I followed him.

Big mistake.

Right away, Alyssa and Bev started in on me with questions about why I wasn’t sitting with them like usual. I could see the smug looks on their faces, could see the hidden laughter. I got out of there as quickly as I could, and went for a walk and a much needed cigarette. After that, I just avoided the cafeteria altogether.

Not hanging out with Adrian is killing me. I’ve been avoiding him as much as possible because seeing him from a distance, laughing and having fun with his friends, is too painful. I want so badly for him to leave his friends for a bit and come looking for me—to hang out just with me. But I made my wishes pretty clear to him, so I guess it wouldn’t be fair to blame him now that he’s giving me what I asked for. Or maybe he really doesn’t want to hang around with me at all. Maybe he’s glad to be free of me.

He did call me a couple times this week to make sure I was okay. I lied and said everything was fine, and that I had some new friends I was hanging out with at lunchtime. Of course, wondering if he might know them, he asked me who they were. It caught me off guard, so I just threw out the names of a couple girls in my homeroom. I think he knew I was lying.

Well luv, I think that’s about everything, Gram said, wiping her sweaty hands on her pant legs. Looks like you’re all moved in.

Keri looked around Abby’s room, hers now, thankful that Gram had been so agreeable about her changing rooms. From the first day she’d arrived at her grandmother’s, Keri had felt an overwhelming pull to the room, but since discovering the truth of her reincarnation, she felt even more compelled to spend time there. Her memories of Abby were clearer here. She still had so many things to figure out about her past—and her future—and she felt that her connection to this room gave her the best chance at solving the puzzle.

She’d decided to keep all of the furniture, and she’d left most of Abby’s books on the bookshelf. The tattered Raggedy Ann doll still held its place of honor on the top shelf. They had moved the storage boxes out, but aside from a few things, like Keri’s desk, computer and TV, the room looked very much the same. Although she didn’t want to change the space too much, Keri figured in time the nasty pink wallpaper would simply have to go. As much as she wanted to feel a part of Abby, she had her limits.

Thanks for your help, Gram.

Gram sighed. It’s still so hard to get used to this room being used again. I have so many memories—good and bad—from when it belonged to your Aunt Caroline and then Abby.

You’re sure you’re okay with this? Keri asked. I have to have it.

Gram nodded. Yes. It’s been locked up for too long, harboring so many secrets. A lot of healing can come of this, for all of us. It’s time to move past all the old sorrows.

With a smile, Keri gave Gram a hug.

Have I told you how pleased I am that you decided to stay?

Keri laughed. Only about ten times a day.

Because I couldn’t be any happier. Gram clapped her hands together. I’ll let you get settled while I work on dinner.

Thanks, Gram.

Keri closed the door behind her grandmother and surveyed the room again. It felt like home, like it was where she belonged. With a sudden urge to read something from Abby’s diaries, she entered the large walk-in closet, stopping short at the sight of the large armoire that stood against the far wall. The big cabinet had been the bane of her existence for the last week of her summer. After weeks of reoccurring dreams about a secret attic, Keri had been convinced that the room lay somehow beyond it. But after days of looking for a way to access it, and being unable to budge the monstrously heavy piece, she’d been unable to figure it out. Eventually she’d given up and tried to put the idea out of her head.

Now, as she studied it further, she had to wonder if maybe she’d been wrong all along. Perhaps there was no hidden attic room behind the armoire. Or if it did exist, maybe it was in an entirely different location. For all she knew, that armoire could have been somewhere else before it was moved to Abby’s room and the attic room she dreamed of was somewhere else, too.

Even as she thought it, she was certain it wasn’t true. The dreams were too frequent and too vivid. She was sure she was on the right track. If only she could move past the point in her dream where she was looking at the armoire and could actually see how to access the stairway....

Not feeling up to the frustration of trying again, she carried on with collecting Abby’s diaries, and went directly to the old cedar chest that held the coveted books. She lifted the lid, removed the blankets, and slipped her finger under the almost hidden lip that allowed her to lift the false bottom to where the six diaries were locked away.

Fingering through the worn blue velvet covers, she searched for the oldest one, deciding that she would reread them in order from cover to cover. She wanted to know and understand the person she’d been when she was Abby. Besides the occasional dream, and the intermittent memories, the diaries were her best link to the past.

After propping herself up on her bed, she opened the book to the first page and began reading about the life of ten-year-old Abby.

It was early morning when Keri awoke from yet another dream about the armoire. She sat straight up, her head thumping and her forehead dripping with sweat. The dream had been so real, so vivid—more so than ever before.

She dabbed her forehead with her sheets. As a precaution, she flipped the lock on the bedroom door before heading to the closet, determined to solve the mystery. There was a reason she kept having this dream. She was convinced it wasn’t random. It was real, and she felt strongly that deep down, somewhere she couldn’t explain, she should know the answer. She’d been beyond this hidden door before. Not as Keri, and not as Abby, but as somebody else. Someone or something was leading her to this attic hideaway, the same way she’d been led to Abby’s locked room when she’d first arrived at Gram’s house. She needed to know.

As she stared at the huge armoire, it struck her for the first time as kind of strange that it was in the closet in the first place. For one thing, it was a beautifully carved piece of furniture. What was the point in hiding it in a closet? Besides, the closet was huge. It had plenty of room already for clothing without it. The other thing that seemed odd was its size. Sure, she’d often marveled at the enormity of it,