Free Uninvited: An Unloved Ones Prequel #2 (The Unloved Ones Prequels) by Kevin Richey Page A

the heater on, and the windshield wipers squeak away the melting drops of snow from the trees above. We live in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, a quiet suburb of comfortable, two-story homes. It’s February, and the sky is overcast, sending pale light over the bare trees and snow-covered lawns of the neighborhood.
    “It’ll be okay,” Todd says after a few blocks of silence. His voice is softer now. “You won’t turn sixteen for a few weeks anyway. You’ve still got time to learn. And who knows? You might figure it out. You figure everything else out.” He glances over at me and smiles, and I feel a weight lifting from my chest. I reach out to take his free hand, and he squeezes my hand in his. Everything feels better now.
    I don’t know what I’d do without Todd. I lean toward him, not actually able to put my head on his shoulder because of the divider, but getting as close as I can otherwise.
    “I’ll tell you what,” Todd says. “If you get your license, I’ll throw you a huge party for your birthday to celebrate.” He thinks about this for a moment and chuckles. “And if you
don’t
pass your driving test, I’ll
still
throw you a party.”
    I laugh, and hold his hand tighter. “You mean it?”
    He stops at the end of the street and looks at me with his intense green eyes. “Of course, Jackie. You’re my girl.”
    He smiles, and it’s in that moment that I know I love Todd. Not just
like
but
love
. He turns back forward and we continue down the road, and I feel a rosy glow inside my chest despite the cold, because I know:
    He’s the one for me, and we’ll always be together.
     
    TWO MONTHS LATER
    Todd has his arm around her waist. They’re both laughing, and he leans over to whisper something in her ear. She acts like she’s shocked by what he’s saying, but she doesn’t move away. She turns toward him, and they start to kiss.
    I turn away. I’m outside the house, watching through the window as the music from the party rumbles into the street.
    Two months ago, this was supposed to be my birthday party. Now it just exists, with or without me.
    I make my way around the house. I’ve worn a pink top with a matching pleated skirt, and my hair tied back in a ponytail, as I’m trying to be more casual tonight. Still, I made sure not a single stray hair was out of place. I want to look perfect tonight.
    I knock on the door, and a boy I don’t recognize answers with a beer in his hand. I smile and reach out my hand. “Hi, I’m Jacqueline.”
    He looks at my outstretched hand for a moment, and then he shouts, “Todd, your stalker’s here.”
    I frown.
    He moves away from the door, and I walk inside. It smells like beer and cigarettes, and the music is turned out so loud that it hurts my ears. Only half the lights are on in the house, and there are small groups of people on couches and leaning against the wall. No one returns a glance when I nod in their direction, and I make my way to the kitchen where I saw Todd a moment ago.
    He’s there with Becka. He’s lifted her onto the counter and she has her legs wrapped around his waist. My eyes narrow and I stand in the doorway, waiting for them to notice me.
    I don’t get what he sees in her. She has to be the sloppiest, laziest person I’ve ever met—and I don’t even know her that well. Becka has ratty black hair that looks like something you’d pull out of a clogged sink. She dresses in faded black shirts and pants that never look quite clean. And her makeup is so thick that I’m surprised she can even make facial expressions.
    Plus, her name is Becka. Who would choose that as their nickname? You might as well drop out and apply at Dairy Queen already.
    Okay, maybe I’m overreacting. But it might be easier not to hate her if she wasn’t the exact opposite of me. And if she wasn’t wrapping her legs around the love of my life.
    I cough.
    Becka looks up and sees me. She doesn’t even try to hide what she was doing like any decent person might.