Shock Me: A Limited Edition Collection of the Novels Shock Me, Sparks, and Collide

By Ashley C. Harris

If the heroes catch her, they'll kill her!

When a car came crashing into Donna, she thought she was going to die. Instead, she discovered she could transform into something terrifying and inhuman. Not knowing who to trust, she's tempted to turn to Ryan—a guy from her past who haunts her dreams. He knows of an electrifying intruder that has entered their town.

But Ryan has other big secrets too… 

Before Donna can learn the truth about who the real villains are, her friend is kidnapped. Donna knows whoever is taking people will be coming for her next. 

Fans of Captain Marvel, Percy Jackson, and Stranger Things will love this series, written by USA Today bestselling author Ashley C. Harris.

One click to begin this exhilarating page-turner!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ashley C. Harris
• Release date: Jan 21, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393675983

Book preview

SHOCK ME

Chapter One

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DONNA

Present Day

DONNA RAN THROUGH THE side door of her house like someone was about to kill her. She knew that her father was working out back— thank goodness— and wouldn’t be there to see her change. She rushed upstairs as fast as she could and went straight into her bathroom. Her hands shaking as she locked the door behind her. Donna turned on her shower and the pipes rumbled momentarily before the water finally spurted out.

She stepped in, not bothering to take her clothes off, and let the freezing cold water pierce into her as it always did every time this happened. Her body still shaking, she pulled the shower curtain weakly. Then Donna sank to the floor of the tub and let the water drown out her world.

Tears rolled down her tired eyes and merged with the rest of the liquid hitting her so violently. Even with her hot, pre-electric skin merging back to normal, she still couldn’t stop crying.

Donna! her dad called from outside her bathroom door.

Donna closed her eyes, willing herself to speak. She wished her dad would come back in an hour or so. I’m in the shower! she called out to him with her eyes still clenched shut. Her dirty blond hair all over her face.

Well, I’m about to get going, he said through the door.

Ok, Dad, stay— she struggled to say the words, to hold herself together. It felt impossible for Donna to do anything but just sit in the pouring water and be what she was turning into. —safe.

No, you stay safe, her dad corrected her.

She could barely hear him now through the door.

I love you, darling.

That was the last thing Donna let herself hear, as she submerged herself into the water, shaking once more. What am I? Donna wondered. How could this be possible? This isn’t some stupid TV show or comic book; this is real life!

She took a couple of deep breaths and hugged herself. What did Paul mean? How could he understand in moments what I am when I don't even know? His words hissed ever so slightly in her mind, getting louder and louder every time she thought about them. "Run, tell no one about this! If they catch you, they’ll kill you!"

She held her head, fingers curling, trying to make sense of it all. "Tell no one, run, about this, kill you, catch you, if they, kill you!" The memory of his words were getting overwhelming, all screaming to her at the same time, going in and out of order. "They try, run, tell no one, they’ll kill you, run, run, run!"

The water, which was freezing before, was now warm and numbing; being neither cold nor hot, friend nor foe. Shouldn’t I be used to this by now? Everything in my life is always falling apart before it has the chance to ever be put back together. Donna’s mother had died giving birth to her. Her older brother, David, had run away from home when she was only five. Her dad had lost their family farm and now did handiwork for all the surrounding towns in between his searching for her brother. Donna’s two best friends, Spencer and Rebecca, had recently been avoiding her at all costs, and now... there was a more vital issue happening!

Finally, someone who could understand me, and yet he brings the message of death. Great, what will life ruin next, what else is going to break apart? The answer was as sharp as it was deadly: Everything ...

Two and a Half Months Earlier

IT WAS A BRIGHT AND sunny morning, and Donna couldn’t wait to get outside. She tied her running shoes tightly, double knotting them so she wouldn’t trip. They were beat up and used and a tad too big, like everything else she owned after losing eighteen pounds. She grabbed her water bottle and thyroid medicine, and was out the door, leaving her dog, Smoky, — a gray Scottish Deerhound—barking in the yard behind her.

The sun had just risen about a half an hour ago, and the air in East Applegate, Virginia, was hotter than normal this year. She started jogging at a slow pace, waiting till she got to the main trail to really get herself going. Donna passed the outside of her neighbor’s large farm, which had a couple of horses and cows. Not anything like from when Donna was a child and all the farms were filled with animals as far as the eye could see. But still, it’s nice some of the town’s past remain.

Just as she entered the outside of the forest trail Donna saw him... Ryan Applegate. He was too far off for her to make out his face, but she knew it was him instantly. They were the only two that jogged this early besides Lulu, one of the elderly women from town who got her exercise in every day. Donna slowed down a bit, running and jogging off and on, getting used to her old routine again. She looked off at some of the plants and things. Anything but stare right at Ryan dead on. They weren’t friends anymore after all. Donna didn’t want to prove to be more of a dork than she already was, by gazing right at him like a stalker.

Yet with one look she knew Ryan was wearing a new sweat suit, a bright blue one with white stripes down the sides. His hair, which he was letting grow out more, shined and framed his tan face perfectly. His gaze concentrated on everything but her. This was their ritual. Donna had hoped after spending a fun summer with Peter, whom she’d met in New York, that she wouldn’t like Ryan as much this year. Yet when she’d seen him yesterday morning jogging, and then again at school that day, her heart had pounded just as quickly, deep down burning for him like no other. A feeling Donna tried to ignore, as she accepted that Ryan looked just as good, if not better, than he had before she’d left.

After they jogged around separate paths, the trail looped, forcing them to join each other and both move in the same direction. As the ritual went, they fell into the same pace, running together side by side, as if they were pals. They never talked, and Ryan always listened to his music, yet he’d never go ahead and lose her either.

Donna did all she could to look straight at the monstrous trees around them and all the green hilly trails, not at Ryan's big muscular arms, or his gorgeous face that should have been on every girl’s bedroom poster. After two years of this, Donna wasn’t super nervous running next to him, but it was hard not to concentrate on Ryan as being another reason besides gymnastics to be in shape.

They continued looping around the path, their custom almost at its end. When the route cut off at the park, they both stopped together. The water fountain was right next to the park’s bathroom. Ryan waited patiently, still listening to his music as Donna filled her bottle up for her jog home. Then she turned around, facing him as he went to fill his bottle also. He smiled at her, this being the only smile he’d give her usually for the rest of the day.

Hey, he mouthed as she started past him.

Hi, she mouthed back, giving him a smile with equal kindness. For a mere second, it was as if they were children again, being the best of friends and always excited to see one another. Then the second evaporated, and Ryan moved forward. Donna took a big drink from her bottle and jogged off. This ended their morning routine, which took place Mondays through Fridays.

Donna went off, running now more than jogging, wanting to get home in time to shower before her dad did. Whoever got to the shower first got their desired temperature of water. The second would get either freezing cold or steaming hot. She couldn’t help but smile at the memory of Ryan, and then immediately hated herself afterwards for having that natural reaction. Always after their tiny ritual she felt happier, and like something inside her was excited. Ryan did that to her, he always had. Then at school he and the popular clique never paid attention to Donna. Unless it was Lynn—Ryan’s girlfriend—, insulting Donna’s clothes or weight.

Shouldn’t I only smile at Ryan if we were still friends, she wondered? Yes, obviously that’s logical! I should treat him how he treats me in class, like I’m not there, not cool, not anything, she lectured herself.

Yet no matter what bad things Donna thought about him, no doubt tomorrow she’d follow the same routine. She’d smile and say, hi’ on their jog, followed by a brief response back by him, because it’s always like Ryan’s cast a spell over me. An incantation that was strengthened by the fact that every year, since they started running together, he’d leave behind a small card or trinket for Donna on her birthday and around Christmas time.

He’d hide her gifts by the bench right next to the drinking fountain, and never show up for running that day; so they wouldn’t have to talk when she’d find them. Donna always did the same, leaving whatever little thing she could get him at the old fort they’d built in a tree hole, or a birthday card she’d slip in his locker when no one was looking.... We are like secret friends, who never actually hang out anymore.

Which really isn’t friends is it? Especially when his friends used to call me Chubs or Lardy Girl, all while he’d just stand by, not doing anything about it. She tried to stop herself from thinking about Ryan any further.

This year is different, she told herself. This year I’ve been French kissed; I’ve been on dates. I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in, and this year I’m going to join the Virginia State Gymnastic Team for my age group. I’ll travel and barely set foot at East Applegate High once I’ve made the team. This is the beginning of my escape!

DONNA BRUSHED A COUPLE strokes through her tangled dark blond hair that was still mostly wet from her shower. She threw her ill-fitting, oversized overalls over her head and then went to put on her fat jacket as she called it. It was way too big now that she was thinner, with very breathable material. She wore it with glee, loving how big it had become on her more athletic figure. It still didn’t keep Donna warm, but summer’s heat had stayed around longer for some reason- probably global warming. It was September with record breaking high temperature in the mid to high 80°s, instead of the usual 70°s, so she didn’t need to keep warm anyway.

Donna watched her tall, naturally thin father scarf down a couple of donuts and drink his stone black coffee. The donuts were left over from last night, his dinner. The way he ate disgusted her now, yet all of Donna’s lecturing wasn’t going to stop him. She grabbed her protein shake from the fridge; it was barely cold.

Dad, we really, really need a new fridge.

Yeah, I know, darling, he told her as he stood up and grabbed his things to head out on one of his jobs. Mrs. Robertson said she’d pay me at the end of the day for fixing the hole in her ceiling last month. So, he smiled, you pick a fridge out for us and have it put on hold, and I’ll pick it up.

She smiled at her dad’s feeling of satisfaction. They’d been so low on money lately. This time last year they’d gone without power for two weeks until he finally borrowed enough cash to have it turned back on. Luckily, it was much cooler then. Being able to buy a new fridge when they needed it, not a couple months after it was broken, was a big deal.

Donna checked to make sure Smoky had enough food then headed out. School started in forty minutes, and it was about a fifty minute walk. She started moving out the door but then turned and went back for her thyroid medicine. It was a medication everyone in the town had to carry because they were located so close to the Applegate Nuclear Power Plant. This precaution began almost two decades ago, after one of the plant’s cores began to partly rupture, and had a small melt down, causing a medium sized explosion within the plant’s nuclear facility.

This incident was nothing like the TV show Chernobyl Donna had seen, where areas had to be evacuated. But people did still talk about what happened at the Plant eighteen-years-ago to this day. Donna had been in utero at that time when half of the power plant was destroyed in less than an hour. As private owner of the plant, Ryan’s father, Richard Applegate —whose family their town was named after—, was blamed. He donated tens of millions of dollars to their neighborhood, to those whose jobs were effected, and everyone that had gotten hurt.

Yet local and national outcry in the media was fueled against him for a short while, until Mr. Applegate vowed to make nuclear energy practices cleaner, smarter, and safer across the board. He also used hundreds of millions of his own money to fund a new green energy project. This included a second energy plant he built in their neighboring town, that was dedicated to solar and geothermal exploration.

Within ten years, his company’s work had soon become government funded and was now considered cutting edge for setting the US on a course of one day having true clean and safe energy independence.  All these new engineering jobs and government cash had changed East Applegate’s rural landscape. Every once in a while, actual US presidents and political candidates would come and visit the Applegate Power Plants. Once the most hated man in town, Ryan Applegate’s father, Richard, was now loved and admired by most.  Or at least... this was the version of events that most people repeated.

The only passing fearful thoughts Donna had about the whole incident, was from her grandmother. She’d always whispered to Donna that several people in the town had gone crazy after the Plant’s explosion. Their minds never the same and plagued with mental illness from the side effects. Some even having strange delusions of grandeur and acting out, until they were put away in mental wards or treated with serious medication.

Donna wondered in the back of her head if this was why her brother, David, had run away as a child only a few years after the explosion. Maybe someone in my town had scared him, or worse... maybe he’d lost his mind.

DONNA WALKED INTO HER Calculus One class fifteen minutes after the bell had rung, she was a junior at East Applegate high. Mr. Harris was in the middle of reviewing homework. Right as she opened the door, he called out behind her, Hello, Miss. Young, without even turning around. The class giggled, and Donna gave a shy smile and went to her seat next to Spencer.

After a moment Spencer leaned in close as he always did and whispered, You know... If you would ride the bus, that big yellowish thing that comes to the end of everyone’s road each day; then you could get to school on time, grab a pop, and come to class only five minutes late like normal people. He said wryly.

Yeah, but then I wouldn’t have a chance to burn off an extra three hundred calories and would drink a hundred and fifty pointless ones. All due to our generation’s bad soda habits, and love of high fructose corn syrup, Donna whispered back.

Be very, very careful, he exaggerated in a harsh whisper. Very careful... His face squeezed together like a cartoon character. You’re starting to speak the whiny, oxymoron language of CRUELLA, or should I say Cersei two-point-O, over there. He nodded his head toward Lynn Eris. She was putting on bright pink lipstick, while secretly recording it on her phone as a gif. Lynn posted content like this of herself hourly, showing off her doing her makeup, working out, and practicing cheerleading. She also posted at least 10 scandalous Kardashian-like selfies daily to boost all her social media followings. Supposedly Lynn made decent cash as a social media influencer, not that her attitude towards the majority of students ever seemed very sellable. 

Donna watched her flip her jet black, shiny and perfectly strained hair back behind her shoulders. Lynn had the tightest waist that always seemed corseted compared to the other girls at school. Her waist size exaggerated by super large hips, a bigger than life butt, and D sized breast.  She looked like she had plastic surgery, yet she’d always appeared this way even in middle school. Her eyes were also an unnaturally bright blue that sometimes appeared violet, they stood out above all else as Lynn surveilled the class as if everyone were her personal subjects.

You know, Spencer continued raising his voice, the evil queen who can’t stop looking at herself; calls herself a professional model, and who also counts calories, and skins small animals in her spare time!

Donna felt her cheeks threatening to turn red, as she bit her lip to stop herself from giggling too loudly. Lynn was wearing a designer, skin-tight, pink Dalmatian print shirt and matching purse today; hence Spencer’s ‘Cruella De Vil,’ joke. He started making faces, mimicking Lynn’s behavior with his own phone, and causing not only Donna, but Alice to chuckle too.

Spencer, suddenly thrilled to get Alice’s attention, smiled brightly and even winked at her; trying to form a friendly connection. But Alice’s laughing abruptly stopped right as Lynn turned around. Alice’s eyes went back to the teacher without giving Spencer another glance. Alice wasn’t one of the most envied or talked about people at their school, but she was higher on the totem pole than both Spencer and Donna combined, mostly because she had a twin. Clearly Alice wasn’t going to risk being seen flirting with Spencer and get her or her sister on Lynn’s cyber hazing list.

Epic fail, the guys behind Spencer sneered, ragging on him.

Spencer, trying to cover his embarrassment, turned his head back around and faced the teacher.

Aw, too bad, Lynn whispered loudly enough for their entire row and the row in front of them to hear, in her usual mocking voice. It would have been much more entertaining to see Spencer ask someone out, and then get rejected of course, by a person who wasn’t a fake profile.

Everyone laughed, causing Lynn to smile as she played with Ryan’s fingers that were wrapped around her own. She was referring to freshman year when Lynn had tricked multiple students she hated into thinking fake online profiles she’d created were real. Spencer had been one of her victims. His conversations about him never having kissed a girl and wanting to do that and more... was sent to the entire student body and even some teachers via group chat.

That’s enough! Mr. Harris ordered, his lesson interrupted as everyone’s quiet voices turned into clear, loud conversation. Miss Eris, and Mr. Klingalsmith, you both can find new ways to disrupt my class in detention after school.

Lynn rolled her eyes at the teacher undaunted as Spencer whispered harsh complaints under his breath.

And this, Donna thought, will always be my average day.

The highlight of her week she suspected would be picking out a new fridge, and then possibly a pair of shoes on sale. Donna stared at the board, imagining every number the teacher drew was a gymnastic pose.

She had no idea what was really coming ...

Chapter Two

RYAN

Trouble was on its way, and Ryan could feel it. After school he, his older brother Randy, and Lynn sat at a table together with the rest of the cheerleaders. He was drumming his fingers anxiously. They’d all just finished football practice and were having a bite to eat together for appearances, before he, Lynn, and Randy headed off.

He looked at his girlfriend for a moment, wishing they could go somewhere private, away from everyone else who were on their phones goofing around. It was hard for Ryan or any guy, and even the girls around them for that matter, to miss that Lynn looked extra hot today. Her neckline purposely pulled low, so the top of her pink sports bra was out for all to see. The bottom of her tight shirt was also rising each time she moved.

Lynn had been in such a racy mood earlier, pulling Ryan aside right when he stepped out of the guys’ locker room after he’d showered. Their bodies still wet from rinsing off, she’d drawn him in quickly behind the school vending machine by a closed off wall, to steal kisses before any coaches could stop them. Kisses that Lynn’s friends had saw as they came out of the girls’ locker room and snapped pics of. These images were shared on apps with funny headlines that would disappear after 24 hours of being posted.

But then after that to Ryan’s astonishment, just like how Lynn was constantly changing her body, her personality had morphed by the time they’d gotten to lunch. She’d gone from flirting, to cruel to everyone else around her, and then just plain annoying in less than 30 minutes. He watched her order the other cheerleaders around; telling them how bad they’d messed up during practice, and what they should and shouldn’t be eating to improve. All while Lynn ate what she pleased and smiled. She was a totalitarian leader in the making. Ryan suspected that if Lynn was ever put in charge of an army, she and those behind her would be greatly feared, and hardly ever messed with. But sometimes he wished she’d give it all a break and relax this whole performance of hers. He often yearned to just be a more off the radar, drama-free real couple.

Like that could ever happen in a town that’s named after my great-great grandfather, and orders have been given...

He heard the creak of the squeaky hinges on the door before the bell greeted the new customers. Spencer Klingalsmith, the most annoying, foolish, and scrawny guy in Ryan’s class, and Rebecca Leopold, —Donna’s other close friend— were walking into the small-town diner. Rebecca was laughing at Spencer’s dumb and never really funny jokes as if he was Dave Chappelle. Ryan rolled his eyes. He wished Donna would stay away from that doofus, pick a different male friend to hang out with. Or preferably... she could just hang out with Rebecca.

He looked through the clear glass window knowing that if Spencer and Rebecca were close, Donna usually wasn't far behind. After a second Ryan spotted her walking inside the shoe store across the street. Donna’s eyes staring at the running shoes on the wall. I’m gonna get some air, he said as he got up from the table, taking his soda with him.

Spencer’s mom, —a mid-thirty something Cuban waitress at the diner who’d had Spencer when she was in her teens, —handed him some change from her pocket. It dropped from her hands causing her to bend over.

Uh, yeah, me too. Randy got up quickly and started moving behind his brother while staring at Spencer’s mom’s, Raquel’s, backside. She was petite and short, but with very full curves, and probably the reason Randy had chosen to come eat at this diner in the first place. Randy practically walked into her as she stood up straight, his hand accidentally grazing her butt.

Spencer gave both brothers disgusted, very pissed off looks. His face getting as tough of an expression as he could muster, which wasn’t very threatening. Yet he stepped right between Randy and his mom and shook his head.

Why don’t you watch where you’re going gringo, Spencer snapped. Despite his best effort, him trying to act in charge or like he actually spoke good Spanish compared to his mom, was a real joke. Randy, who wasn’t as tall as his brother but full of muscle to make up for it, looked at the teen. Spencer had never been able to bench serious weights, score a point in any sport, win any video games, or even get an A on a test. Yet instantly, Ryan felt on edge, as he watched his older brother closely, making sure Randy didn’t start something regrettable.... Randy was the town hot head, a definition that fit him in ways most people couldn’t imagine; and it was Ryan’s job to make sure he and everyone else stayed under control.

Thankfully in that moment Randy just looked bored with the idea of instigating something with Spencer. Instead he chose to just saunter off, clearly craving a smoke. The brothers headed outside and both leaned against the restaurant wall as Randy pulled out an old fashioned, real cigarette instead of a vape pen. He twirled it in his fingers and played with his silver lighter that their great-great-grandfather had gotten from Italy, from his dad. Randy opened and closed it while staring off into space bitterly.

The fact that Randy smoked anything, from cigarettes, to e-cigs, or whatever else he could light up legally or illegally, was unbelievable to Ryan. Their mom had died from lung cancer due to her own smoking habit. And now Randy is cutting years of his life off too, and for what? Ryan watched the filter of his brother’s cigarette catch on fire without him even pretending to flick his antique lighter on.

You need to be more careful and use your lighter, Ryan told him. Dad would freak.

"I am a lighter, little brother, Randy scoffed. Chill."

Ryan rolled his eyes. Lecturing Randy was like talking to a wall.

So, is this why you wanted to come out here? Randy asked him, looking toward Donna as she lifted different running shoes from inside the store. She is checking the prices no doubt.

I needed to chill before training.

Sure, Randy said in disbelief.

Ryan ignored him, watching Donna, his once childhood companion, as she tried on another pair of sneakers. This pair was aqua green with one thin yellow stripe; quirky enough for Donna, while Lynn would barely look at them, and Lynn would definitely never pick them up and try them on unless ordered to.

After taking the shoes back off, Ryan watched Donna glance at the price on the box several times and then hesitantly hand the sneakers back to the salesgirl. She left the store next. Donna was wearing baggy overalls that hid her now toned and tall, athletic figure. She wore them on top of her turquoise gymnastic uniform. The aqua color lit up her light blueish-green eyes as the sun shined down on her darkish blond hair.

Donna has always been the nice, — borderline too nice, — quiet girl. Ryan also knew she was truly kind, unique, clever, and often overlooked. Yet whenever Ryan did look at Donna, he was always drawn in and ultra-aware that she was incredibly beautiful. Ryan had always felt this way towards her, whether Donna was going through an awkward stage or not. He suspected he would forever see things this way.

Their eyes met as she came toward the restaurant door. Donna took a deep breath, bracing herself, as if she needed the extra strength just to walk by and not embrace him like she used to when they were younger. Every time she did that, every day when he had to see her at school, and she took that brace yourself pose; it was like a punch to the gut. Each time he always wished he could say something....

If it isn’t little Donny, Randy barked while breathing out more smoke, the smell of his cigarettes filling the air even when outdoors. Donna gave a half sarcastic, half embarrassed smile and kept walking by.

Years ago, Randy with all his older friends, used to antagonize and bully Ryan. Donna was often included by association. To try and escape Randy, Ryan and Donna would run and hide in the woods for hours at a time, building forts and imagining silly adventures. They had become so close back then. Their bond almost indescribable right up until the summer of Donna’s first trip to New York, when something terrible had almost happened and it had been all Ryan’s fault...

It’s better like this, his father’s words after the incident echoed inside Ryan’s mind. Just keep Donna away from you, and the truth...

But he still often wondered what it would be like if he and Donna were not only close friends again, but more than that to each other.... What would my existence be like if I lived a regular life, and could be just like her, normal?

Chapter Three

DONNA

Donna had strange, mind bending dreams that night. Usually whenever she closed her eyes, she was stuck seeing nothing but continuous gray; but tonight, she dreamt of a cold, black darkness settling over her town. It froze everyone to ghostly stillness.

Donna, Donna... She heard the voice of her older pal who lived in New York, named Brook,— who’d she spent most of the summer with,— calling her. But Donna wasn’t sure where Brook was... Then Donna saw her father and his childhood best friend, Richard Applegate, —Ryan and Randy’s father. In her dream Richard was struggling to keep warm, and not freeze to death like all the others that were hibernating within their homes. Donna found herself searching outside for something to help him but couldn’t find anything.

Then a light came from underneath the ground like a hidden sun coming out to play. Before Donna could call her dad and Mr. Applegate, before she could tell them about the light, the ground started to shake violently. All while the light got brighter and brighter. Before Donna knew what was happening, the fire underneath the ground started to explode!

The last thing she saw before she opened her eyes was a hooded man in the distance, a man who had tried to hurt Donna years back the first time her father brought her to New York... She saw the man’s haunting silver eyes staring at her as the explosion, —an electrical explosion—, swallowed her entire town and everything she could see up whole.

DONNA COULDN’T GET back to sleep after that, so she got up extra early to jog. As she got dressed, Donna felt a strange sensation she just couldn’t shake. The feeling wasn't just in her head. It was different. Different then the headaches she would get after having nightmares. This time her whole body felt off, dehydrated.

She opened the front door and took a few steps outside without looking down. Something big had been placed on the bottom doorstep that she hadn’t anticipated, causing her trip and fall. Donna’s water bottle went flying, and she was forced to dive roll so she won’t smash her face against the rocks that were to the side of her house. Donna rolled onto her legs, which were now covered with warm mud. That’s just great! She knew her gymnastics training of learning to fall properly without getting hurt had saved her.

Startled and shocked from the fall, Donna looked at what she had tripped over and could have caused a broken neck. Her eyes fell onto a box. A shoe box? She picked it up and looked at the outside label. They’re women’s shoes! Her heart started pounding as Donna opened the box slowly, knowing what she would find.

Am I still dreaming? she thought with astonishment. The aqua green and yellow striped shoes she had been looking at yesterday, the ones she’d wanted for over three months but couldn’t afford. They had been placed on her outside doorstep for her to find.

Ryan must have done this! she thought. He was the only one who left gifts for her in secret without acknowledging it. But it wasn’t her birthday or Christmas. What is so special about today? Why would Ryan do something so sweet, but then go back to not talking to me?

Am I that big of a dork, so low on the totem pole, so pathetic that he... No! She didn’t let herself finish the negative thought. I’m not thinking negatively about myself anymore, this is a new year, a new start!

She slowly put the shoes on. Of course, they fit perfectly. Not that she believed Ryan knew her shoe size. He had probably asked the lady what size I had tried on when he saw me looking at these through the stores front window yesterday.

So now he knows I wear a size nine compared to Lynn’s tiny feet! How embarrassing.

Still ... thank you, Ryan, she thought as if he were there listening. She took a deep breath, then looked around for her water bottle. It must have rolled into the bushes or steps. Donna didn’t want to track mud back inside to get another one, so instead she just took off. She jogged hard, not caring if she got super sweaty. Donna knew that whenever Ryan secretly left gifts, he always avoided her for the rest of the day after. So besides school, I’ll barely see him.

The real question, she always wondered, was why?

Why does Ryan do nice things like this, if we’re not real friends anymore?

Chapter Four

DONNA

Donna got back to the house after her workout and was greeted by the sounds of someone hurling.

What the....  

She found her dog throwing up all over the kitchen, a weekly occurrence considering Smoky could chew through anything, including socks and shoes. Fan-freakin-tastic! She went to his puke-filled water dish and cleaned it, then filled the bowl with fresh water and set it next to him. Her dog looked so sad.

It’s ok, boy, it’s ok.

Great, I’m going to be even more late than usual.  Donna led Smoky out back and hosed him off while her dad cursed at his old truck for not starting, despite the brand new battery he’d installed yesterday. When Donna was just about done cleaning Smoky, she felt the hose instantly go limp as she watched the water abruptly stop coming out of it, even though it was still turned on.

No! Not today! Please not today! She tried turning the outside faucet off then back on repeatedly, but it was clear their water had stopped again. Growing more tired and frustrated, Donna emptied two of her recyclable water thermoses that she’d pre-filled last night, out onto the kitchen floor to clean Smoky’s last bit of vomit. Then with only drops left of water to drink and none left to decontaminate with, Donna went upstairs feeling gross to inspect herself in the bathroom. No shower today! Spectacular! She wasn’t sweating at all though. That was a miracle itself, but her face and knees were dirty. She splashed her last drops of liquid onto a facecloth and used it to wipe off the best she could. Then she got changed.

After all that and no H2O to quench her thirst, Donna went downstairs and grabbed a canned protein shake and headed outside. Her dad was under his old truck, singing to himself.

How is it? she asked him.

Oh, he mumbled. Just a couple of things loose. Nothing I can’t fix.

She listened as her father tightened car parts. Suddenly she felt even more thirsty and tired, almost like she was going to faint. Donna leaned one hand onto the car, popping her shake open with the other. Donna’s eyes were instantly shutting; something was wrong, she felt dizzy...

Her shake dropped to the ground as she lost her balance. Donna clutched both hands to the car catching herself.

What was that? her dad asked from underneath the car.

Donna went to talk, trying to wake herself up. What is wrong with me? But then she felt heat in her hands while she was touching the car. It came quickly, coming up her arms and down into her chest. A feeling of quick heat, like she had been pleasantly warmed up on the inside. Donna took a deep breath, all of a sudden she didn’t feel dizzy or thirsty at all. Only bits of tiredness remaining. Nothing, dad, she answered, bewildered with herself.

I just must be exhausted from my lack of sleep after that creepy dream.

Good, because I’m done, he said, coming out from underneath the car. There’s no beast your father can’t tame.

Usually she’d roll her eyes and smile when he said things like that, but she felt ... off still.

Go get yourself another breakfast, darling. I’ll drive you. I’m already behind, might as well be more.

No, I’m not ... I’m not hungry anymore. It was true, her hunger had disappeared. In fact, Donna suddenly felt like she’d eaten so much that if she consumed any food, she wouldn’t be able to move. Yet there was nothing in her stomach from today. This morning has truly been so bizarre! Maybe I’m still dreaming?

Her dad put his keys in the car. It sounded like it was going to start, but then didn’t. He did it again, cursed, and tried once more. What the hell! I just put in a new battery yesterday and fixed the starter this morning, he complained, followed by curses.

Dad, I’m going to just walk like normal, ok? she told him and started off. That old truck was always needing to be fixed. She thought, knowing it was as old as she was.

SHE WALKED INTO MR. Harris’ class an hour late. He looked at Donna this time with pitiful disapproval, as she tried to make it to her seat invisibly, but, — yeah I just epicly failed. An hour, Miss Young? I’m going to have to give you a detention today, he told her in a low voice.

Donna nodded and quickly sat in her seat. She wasn’t mad. Mr. Harris was one of her favorite teachers and had always cut her lots of slack.

Shouldn’t she like, get a detention every time she’s late? Lynn called out; as she put the lip gloss she’d been decorating her lips with down and hid her phone.

Donna kept her eyes on her desk humbly. She was embarrassed, tired again, and still felt out of it completely.

Isn’t that like, the fair initiative to be done? Lynn went on, enjoying the sound of her own voice.

Miss Eris, the teacher corrected her, why don’t you worry about showing up to your own detentions?

Like that will ever happen! Spencer chimed in, his annoyance and disgust for Lynn not hidden from his tone. He’d told Donna and Rebecca more than once that Lynn always got her detentions excused by their school’s sport coaches.

You’ll have one today Miss Eris, the teacher went on. He was one of the only teachers not under her enchantment. And one tomorrow for not showing up yesterday.

About time. Spencer fake coughed out those words, but then their teacher added:

You, Mr. Klingalsmith, will have one also.

Hey! What did I do? Spencer asked but the teacher ignored him, turning toward the board.

Lynn whispered bitter insults loudly at Mr. Harris and Spencer, as she turned on her phone underneath her desk. The entire class knew that Lynn’s next course of action would be posting negative things about their teacher and Spencer both. Lynn did this to everyone, and with 1.2 million online followers which included a popular beauty and ‘tea spilling’ YouTube channel ,— where people loved Lynn’s shopping reviews, and wanna-be model photos,— her words mattered.  Spencer by this point just pretended to tune her out.

Once the teacher was enough into his lesson, Donna laid her head down on her desk, her body feeling drowsy and tired once more.

REBECCA

AT LUNCH REBECCA SAT with Donna and Spencer at their we don’t exist cafeteria table. Rebecca Leopold was short—one of the shortest in their class— and very petite at all of ninety pounds. She had reddish-brown curly hair, with freckles embarrassingly from head to toe, and bright green eyes. Rebecca had liked Spencer since the eighth grade when he mysteriously moved to their town, and she and Donna had become his only friends. She looked forward to sitting next to him at lunch every day. Yet Spencer was as usual staring at every other girl in the cafeteria besides her. He did this while telling random jokes in both English and Spanglish, while also having one ear bud playing his favorite music in his ear. Why can’t he ever think of me as alluring? she always wondered.

Donna was laying her head down on the table, not listening to a single joke. It was unusual for her to be so out of it and want to sleep at lunch. Not that Rebecca had any classes with Donna. Rebecca had been put in all advanced classes since she was a kid. She was already earning college credits through their school’s dual enrollment courses online, and taking AP courses. She was on the fast track to one day attend M.I.T or Virginia Tech according to her guidance counselor.

What’s up with you Donna, not enough sleep after all that partying? Spencer asked sarcastically.

I don’t know, I don’t feel good I guess. Donna answered him.

I hate being sick and feeling like crap, I’m sorry, Rebecca sympathized. You should drink a lot of water.

Yeah, soup and stuff, Spencer added through eating bites of his sandwich.

I am kind of thirsty...

That’s what she said... and by she, I mean Lynn during the biography of her life. Spencer kept trying to be funny.

When Donna didn’t laugh at that, Rebecca — who almost spit out her food— knew Donna really must have been ill. She seemed too out of it to be paying attention as she slowly started to rise. Donna got up from the table but then stumbled; she caught the chair to balance herself, seeming dizzy.

Wow, Spencer reacted. Do you need me to walk you over?

No, I’m good. Donna started off toward the water fountain by herself.

Rebecca instantly wondered if she had been sick, if Spencer would have offered to help her, and maybe put his arms around me to keep me steady?  They had all been best friends since middle school, but ever since Donna had come back from New York this year, Rebecca had noticed the new way Spencer sometimes looked at her... It was like how he stared at the other girls in class. Would he ever look at me, who isn't athletic and a gymnast like Donna, nor do I have big breasts like Lynn, like that? Rebecca’s main talents were reading, stopping computer viruses, and coding in her spare time.

Rebecca knew her mom would tell her that worrying about looking appealing for boys was a waist of valuable time at her age. That strong women on top shouldn’t care. Yet I do...  and want to know if anybody will ever look at me as more than just a friend? Yet I also feel on track of all my goals at the same time... so I can do both right?

Paul Cohen walked over and sat next to her, interrupting all her hormonal Spencer thoughts. She only knew Paul slightly despite them living in a small town. He was in some of her advanced AP classes, and she and the whole school knew he was also earning a ton of college credits online too. The difference between her and him though was that Paul had taken so many online college credits, on top of their normal schoolwork, that he was on track to graduate with both his high school and a four-year college degree all at once. He was that smart, and he already had full scholarships to every big college there was lined up for him. Paul is the kind of genius that will have his doctorate in engineering before he’s 20. He was always the number one student at any subject out of their entire school, and Rebecca was more like number 6 or 7. This never bothered her though since he was a senior and a year older than Rebecca, so she knew she was still in good standing.

Hi... Rebecca, he said slowly. She noticed that his voice sounded deeper than usual. Guys go through puberty so much later than girls do.  Paul was super introverted and acted sheepish despite his accomplishments. He seemed to often fumble on his words whenever she was around.  Some days she’d noticed that Paul would wear his contacts to their after-school Robotics clubs, but today he wore his thick black glasses, which were constantly falling down his nose.

Hey Paul, what’s up?

Well, um, I know I didn’t meet with our after-school group to practice the controller verses sensors part of our robot presentation. Do you think you could fill me in on what I’m supposed to  present with you guys at the assembly next week?

Yeah, sure. She smiled, We a—

No, um, not here. I, ah, have something to do, he interrupted. Paul then glanced around as if someone was watching them.

I think you need to ease up on the coffee there Paul, Spencer chimed in at Paul’s strange behavior; but as far as Rebecca knew Paul had always had his ticks, yet he was beautifully brilliant all in one package.

No, I’m, I mean, he straightened his glasses as they fell down his nose again. I am, just busy that’s all. Have a lot on my plate.

Ok, well, let’s meet quickly after school or I can text you, she offered.

DONNA

DONNA WALKED DOWN THE hall toward the water fountain. She took a deep breath, steadying herself.

Gosh, Rebecca is right, I must be coming down with something.

To her disbelief Ryan was there filling up his water bottle also. With Donna's pulse speeding up a bit, she kept walking, waiting behind him. She watched him turn around, their eyes meeting. His tall, muscular body only a foot away from her own. Donna could smell his musky after shave, as she pushed herself not to stare right at his chest.

Ryan glanced at Donna for a mere second, then moved his eyes. And yet he had no problem looking at me when we were friends. Now it seems he barely acknowledges me probably because of Randy’s horrific bullying and taunting.

Instead of looking away though, Donna noticed Ryan quickly glance at her feet. At the shoes he’d clearly bought her. The tiniest smile appeared on his thick, perfect lips. That made Donna flush instantly. Then Ryan looked on, his attention caught by his older brother Randy who was strutting over towards them. Randy was leaving all the football players and the bad boy seniors behind him.

I got the call, Randy told Ryan, ignoring Donna’s presence completely. He walked behind his brother, getting