Free Changed by Jennifer Snyder Page A

“Everything okay?”
    I glanced at him. “Yeah, why wouldn’t it be?”
    “ Eh, let’s just say I’ve noticed there’s been a lot of tension around the house between you and your mother. I don’t understand what’s going on and neither one of you are willing to talk to me about it, but whatever it is, it’s really got your mom torn up.”
    I rolled my eyes. “I’m sure.”
    “ Look.” He opened the door more and took a step into my room. “I’m being serious here, Tessa. I’ve never seen your mother this upset about something before. Now, I don’t know what you’ve done or what she’s done, but you two really need to work this out.”
    I flipped another page of the magazine I’d been reading with more force than necessary, causing the thin paper to tear. “Oh, yeah? Well maybe you should talk to her about it then.”
    “ Don’t get an attitude with me. And I have talked to her about this, but I’m getting nowhere, which is why I decided to say something to you, too.” He sighed and ran his fingers through his chestnut hair. “I’m not going to argue with you… you seem to be doing enough of that with your mother right now.” He turned and left the room, closing my bedroom door behind him.
    I let out a sigh and flung my head back against my pillow. My life just kept spiraling out of control. Footsteps outside my bedroom window startled me, but only because they were unfamiliar. They were light and catlike—most definitely not Jace’s.
    I sat up in bed and stared out the darkened window, trying to see past the glare of my bedroom light. Shimmering white-blond hair and electric blue eyes met my gaze as Shelby stepped to my window and stared back at me. My heart lurched to my throat at the sight of her. She wiggled her fingers and sent me an impatient look. How did she know where I lived?
    I stood and started toward the window slowly, wondering what she’d do if I just left her out there and pretended I hadn’t seen her at all. The thought was appealing, but my curiosity as to what she wanted pushed me forward and I opened my window.
    “ What are you doing here?” I asked, not bothering to tame any of my hatred for her.
    “ Why do you look so surprised to see me, Tessa? Did you honestly think I wouldn’t scope out where you lived the last time I was here?” She scoffed. “You’re more naive than I’d thought.”
    “ What do you want, Shelby?” It was surreal how intimidating she could still seem even when she was looking up at me from the ground.
    “ Either for you to let me in or for you to come out here,” she insisted.
    “ Move out of the way.” I sighed as I popped the screen out.
    She flipped her long blond hair over her shoulder as she stepped out of my way. I carefully climbed out the window and wondered what the hell it was that she wanted. Then I wondered why Jace had never texted me to tell me that she was in town, after all it had been hours since I’d thought I’d passed her car on my way home.
    “ Come over this way. My parents just went to bed,” I said, walking to the side of the house. There was no way I was taking her to the edge of the woods, not only was that Jace’s and my spot, but I didn’t trust her enough to be alone in the middle of the woods with her.
    I paused when we got to the side of the house and turned to face her. My eyes drank in every inch of her—from her petite, curvy frame to her red painted toenails—and I wondered what it was about her that made her seem so intimidating. Then I realized it wasn’t necessarily the way that she looked, but the gleam in her eyes. They held a menacing factor to them. Always.
    “ I just had to come see for myself how well you were holding up.” Shelby sneered. “I guess I may have underestimated you a tiny bit.”
    I straightened my back and kept my eyes fixated on hers. “Why do you say that?”
    She folded her arms across her chest and leaned against the side of the house. “Because, I figured after