Before You Go (Book 1, the Before series)

Chapter 3 | Cars and Corn

I WAS IN A RAGE when I got back home after driving for an hour and nearly finishing all the petrol we had left. Isaac, being smart, stayed out of my way as I barged into his room and stole the controller which he, in turn, had stolen from me.

I really needed to kill someone, and virtual reality was the next best thing to wrapping my long fingers around Parker Wright's throat.

After a silent dinner where my Mom did most of the talking, I was the first to head off to bed or the pretence of it.

Deciding that reading was the thing to get my mind of murder, I pulled out a random book that happened to be one of my favourites, Anne of Green Gables.

Sighing, I opened it and began to read.

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"Annabel, for god's sake wake up!" Isaac screamed, pulling back the covers leaving me to feel cold.

I glared at him through blurry eyes. "It's not even time yet—"

I was proven wrong after a glance at the clock on my bedside table. I sat up quickly and got out, rummaging through my closet, and pulling on the closest thing I could find: an old hoodie and jeans.

I skipped my shower and hurriedly ran a comb through my messy midnight hair while shoving books in my bag.

I had been up late reading and had forgotten to set my alarm. I managed to eat one bite of toast before Isaac started honking loudly so I had to run out the door barefoot with my shoes in my hands and wear them in the car instead.

I leaned back into the seat after tying my laces and exhaled. "I think I just broke a world record."

Isaac's answer was an annoyed huff as he reversed the Jeep out of the driveway and headed out into the open road.

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The school day passed insignificantly except for when I eagerly explained my new idea to Madam Moriel, who said she was proud of me for being so innovative.

Isaac was on the hockey team, and since he had to practice today, I had to wait an extra hour after school in which I mostly busied myself in editing my photos and writing my introduction for my project.

I was nearly done when Isaac came sauntering to me, sweaty despite playing on the ice and surprisingly helped me pack up my pictures. After throwing my bags in the backseat and sitting upfront—since I didn't like to drive a lot—Isaac attempted to start the car. Only it didn't.

I laughed. "You're so weak. Let me try." I swatted his hand away from the key and tried turning it in the lock, but it didn't, no matter how much force I used.

"You're going to break it if you try that hard," he remarked, looking amused.

Great. Like this day couldn't get any worse, we were stranded in school without a ride back home. "I don't understand what is wrong with this car."

"I think," Isaac said quietly, "you may have used up all the fuel yesterday when you went wherever you went."

I groaned. "Now what do we do? It's not like we can walk home. And Mom and Dad don't come this way and there's nobody left to give us a ride."

While I was freaking out, Isaac remained calm, which was astonishing, since it was usually the other way around. The parking lot was empty, and everyone had gone home except, it seemed, the two of us.

Maybe it would have been better if I stayed at home, I thought bitterly. Clearly, this day wasn't going well for me.

Since it was getting too hot in the car and we couldn't turn on the AC or roll down the windows, Isaac and I sat on the curb outside the school, passing a bottle of water and taking small sips while waiting for our parents to respond to the urgent voicemail that we had sent them. We couldn't call a cab either, since neither of us could remember the number and didn't have it saved in our phones.