Until You (Fall Away, #1.5)
by Penelope Douglas
This book was never supposed to be written.
After I published Bully, I realized that Jared’s story was just as important as Tate’s, and to be honest, the readers fought hard for his point of view. They wanted to know his side of the story.
For that, I am eternally grateful. I loved writing this book and watching Jared grow.
Although this novel can be read as a STAND ALONE, I wouldn’t recommend it. Reading Tate’s point of view in Bully first will increase your enjoyment and craving for Jared’s side.
That being said, I want to ease your mind if you have read Bully. Point of view novels are tricky, and no one wants to be bamboozled into buying the same story twice.
I’ve worked hard to give you something different.
This is NOT a retelling of Bully.
This is Jared’s story.
This novel is dedicated solely to the readers. Thank you for believing in Jared and asking for this book.
My name is Jared.
My name is Jared.
My name is Jared.
I kept repeating it over and over again, trying to get my heart to stop beating so fast. I wanted to go and meet our new neighbors, but I was nervous.
There was a kid living next door now—probably ten years old like me—and I’d smiled when I saw that she wore baseballs caps and Chucks. Other girls in my neighborhood didn’t dress like that, and she was pretty, too.
I leaned on my windowsill, checking out the house next door, alive with music and light. No one had lived there for a long time, and even before then it was just old people.
A big tree stood between our houses, but I could still see through the green leaves.
“Hey, sweetie.”
I turned my head to see my mom leaning on my bedroom doorframe. She was smiling, but her eyes were teary, and her clothes were wrinkly.
She was sick again. She got sick whenever she drank the bottle drinks.
“I saw that we have new neighbors,” she continued. “Did you meet them?”
“No.” I shook my head, looking back out the window, wishing she’d go away. “They have a girl. No boys.”
“And you can’t be friends with a girl?” Her voice cracked, and I heard her swallow. I knew what was coming, and my stomach tightened.
“No, I can’t.”
I didn’t like to talk to my mom. Actually, I didn’t know how to talk to her. I was alone a lot, and she pissed me off.
“Jared—” she started but didn’t continue. After a moment, I heard her walk away and slam a door down the hall. She probably went to the bathroom to puke.
My mom drinks alcohol a lot, especially on the weekends, and all of a sudden I didn’t want to meet the blonde-haired girl next door.
So what if she seemed cool and liked to ride bikes?
Or that I could hear Alice in Chains coming from her bedroom? At least I think it was her bedroom. The curtains were closed.
I stood up straight, ready to just forget about it and go make myself something to eat. My mom probably wasn’t cooking tonight.
But then I saw the girl’s curtains open, and I stopped.
She was there. That was her room!
And for some reason, I smiled. I liked that our rooms faced each other.
I narrowed my eyes to see her better as she opened the double doors but then widened them when I saw what she was doing.
What? Was she crazy?
I yanked up my window and peered out into the night air. “Hey!” I shouted at her. “What are you doing?”
She jerked her head up, and my breath caught when I saw her wobble on the branch she was trying to balance on. Her arms flailed from side to side, and I was immediately out of my window and climbing into the tree after her.
“Be careful!” I yelled as she bent down and grabbed hold of the thick branch with her hands.
I crept into the tree while holding onto a branch at the side of my head for support.
Stupid girl. What was she doing?
Her blue eyes were big as she stayed on all fours, holding onto the tree as it shook beneath her.
“You can’t just climb into trees by yourself,” I snipped out. “You almost fell. Come here.” I leaned down to grab her hand.
My fingers instantly tingled, like when a part of your body falls asleep.
She stood up, her legs shaking, and I held onto a branch above my head as I walked both of us toward the trunk.
“Why did you do that?” she complained behind me. “I know how to climb trees. You scared me, and that’s why I almost fell.”
I looked over at her as I plopped down on the thick, inner part of the tree. “Sure it was.” And I dusted my hands off on my long, khaki cargo shorts.
I stared out at our street, Fall Away Lane, but I couldn’t shake the feel of her off my hand. The humming spread up my arm and over my whole body. It was like all of my hairs were standing up, and I kind of wanted to laugh, because it tickled.
She just kept standing there, probably pouting, but after a few seconds she took the seat next to me. Our legs dangled together off the branch.
“So,” she spoke up, pointing to my house. “You live over there?”
“Yeah. With my mom,” I said, and I looked down at her just in time to see her eyes drop, and she started to play with her fingers.