Hey guys.
Here you go, chapter 4.
JILTED
Chapter 4
Jeremy strode determinedly to Denise's desk. Oblivious to the shocked looks from the other students. He placed his hands on either side of Denise's desk and leaned into her face. "How could you do it?," he yelled. " Do you really hate me that much, Denise? Do you even know what rat poison does to an animal? It causes them to bleed internally and hemorrhage to death. Did it even enter your mind to think about how much Bear would suffer?"
Denise stared back uncomprehendingly at Jeremy, slowly shaking her head.
Mrs. Smith, the history teacher finally found her voice. "Jeremy, report to the office at once! This intrusion is absolutely outrageous!"
Jeremy stalked from the room in a huff but once at the door he turned back around. "I got the chicken heart in my locker. Real mature."
He left then, slamming the door behind him. Denise quickly composed herself into the image of the innocent fiancee'. "I'm sorry Mrs. Smith, I'm at a total loss as to what he was talking about. Ever since he called off our wedding he's been saying some really strange things."
"That's alright, Denise. Everyone let's get our minds back on our work. Read the rest of chapter fifteen and start on the questions at the end. I'll be right back."
As soon as Mrs. Smith left to inform the principal of Jeremy's behavior, the room became abuzz with voices. Students talked excitedly amongst themselves and some of them even crowded around Denise's desk, dying for the details on Jeremy's outburst. Denise said very little. Only shrugging and shaking her head. She planted the seed that something bizarre was going on with Jeremy and she hoped it would grow.
* * * *
"You guys, you will not believe what happened in history class today," Katie said, setting down her lunch tray on the table.
Denise sat down beside Katie and filled Janet and Samantha in. "Someone poisoned Jeremy's dog and he barged into class and accused me of doing it. It was a huge scene. Totally embarrassing."
Samantha looked over at Denise in disbelief. "What! You've got to be kidding!"
"Denise, you won't even step on a bug!" added Janet.
Denise sighed. "I know. That's what's so weird. I just don't understand why he would think that I would do that. But you know, ever since he called the wedding off he's been acting strange. If I could talk to his parents without him finding out I would. I think he needs some kind of counseling or something. Maybe leaving me at the alter is stressing him out more than we know."
"Yeah, what was that stuff he was ranting about...the chicken heart in his locker?" Katie asked.
"Well...I did do that," Denise admitted. "I went to the butcher shop and got a chicken heart and I wrapped it up like a Christmas present and put it in his locker. I wanted to gross him out and it worked. He's a chicken for backing out of the wedding...so I wanted to get him a chicken heart."
Janet was shocked. "Denise, I can't believe you did that! That's horrible!"
"Well, I like the idea, " said Katie loyally. "It was good enough for him the way he screwed my best friend over."
"You know...I've been thinking," Denise said as she trailed her fork around in her spaghetti, "maybe it's a good thing that me and Jeremy didn't get married after all." "I mean, if he thinks I'm capable of murdering a poor defenseless animal....well what does that say about what he thinks of me? I must not know him like I thought I---"
All of a sudden, a sharp stabbing pain hit Denise's head. She grimaced and her fingers automatically went to her temples.
"What's wrong, Denise?" Katie asked, alarmed.
"It's just a headache. I've been getting some major ones lately." Denise opened her purse and took out an aspirin bottle. "I've been having to eat these like candy."
Her friends looked at her in concern. "Maybe you should see a doctor," Janet urged. "This doesn't sound normal."
"I'm fine," Denise assured the girls. "It's just all the stress I've been going through. I'll feel better once everything settles down."
Denise gritted her teeth through the pounding in her head. These were no ordinary headaches she knew. Sometimes her vision would blur and she would lose her balance. Her symptoms first started weeks ago but had increased tenfold since the wedding was canceled. She was afraid to go to a doctor. Afraid of what he might find. That's why it was all the more important that she get her revenge...while she still could.
* * * *
As soon as school was over Denise headed for the mall. Among the bleeps and blips of the arcade, she found Spidey playing Grand Theft Auto and made her way over.
"Hey. Thought I would find you here," Denise said, leaning against the side of the video game.
"Oh, hey Denise," Spidey said, barely glancing away from the screen.
"There's something important we need to talk about. Can you take a break here?"
Spidey stopped playing and teased Denise for a second. "Ooh, mysterious."
Once they were settled in the food court with their sodas, Denise slid a sealed envelope across the table to Spidey.
"What's this?"
"It's a letter that I don't want you to open unless something happens to me."
"What do you mean if something happens to you?"
"I've got something serious planned. I could get arrested...even killed."
Spidey stood up. "You're not going to die, Denise! Don't say that!"
"Shhh!" Denise grabbed Spidey's arm. "Sit down! Do you want people to hear you and find out what we're up to?"
"Listen, I hope I don't die either...but what we're doing is dangerous and there's a good chance that something can go wrong. But even if it does it will be worth it as long as Patti and Jeremy are dead with me."
"You shouldn't talk about death like it's no big deal."
"Are you not the same person I saw just minutes ago playing Grand Theft Auto?"
"Yeah, but that's just a game."
Denise narrowed her eyes at the teen across the table. "You're not gonna bail on my are you? You told me you wanted to help me!"
"I do! But---"
"But nothing! If you have any hope of doing what's in that letter you're gonna have to toughen up. Don't start feeling sorry for these people, Spidey. They couldn't care less about me or my happiness. Look how Jeremy treated me. Don't you know Patti would do anything to take him for herself?"
"I guess you're right," Spidey mumbled.
"When Patti took me on a tour of her house, down in the basement I noticed there was a window that wasn't locked....that's how we'll get in." Denise leaned closer and began to whisper the details of Patti's execution to Spidey.
* * * *
The phone rang in Jeremy's room and he picked it up. "Hello."
"Jeremy, it's me. Don't hang up," Denise pleaded.
Jeremy was so surprised to get a phone call from her that it was nearly a minute before he could speak. "What do you want?" he said in a flat emotionless voice.
"I wanted to know what happened in the principal's office. Did you get detention?"
"Why do you care?"
"Because I'm your girlfriend!"
Jeremy laughed without humor. "That's really debatable at this point."
"Look, I know you think I had something to do with Bear's death. But I didn't! You probably don't believe me but it's true. The chicken heart in your locker was sick and disgusting, I know. And I'm sorry. But when you called off the wedding, I was so shocked and hurt I couldn't think of anything to do but to strike back at you. I couldn't understand why you didn't love me anymore..."
"Denise, that's not why I called off the wedding. If you had just let me talk to you so I could have explained everything but you wouldn't listen!"
"But I'm ready to listen now to anything you've got to say. Will you talk to me now? Please? I've been so awful to you and so stupid. I'll totally understand if you say no, though...."
Jeremy wrestled with himself. Should he believe Denise? Did she really not have anything to do with Bear's death? She sounded extremely sincere and totally like her old self. He decided to take a chance. "Okay."
"Okay?" Denise's voice was ecstatic. "I think our cottage would be a nice place to meet since it was going to be our house anyway. Your parents haven't sold it yet have they?" she asked fearfully.
Jeremy's brow wrinkled in confusion. "No, it hasn't been sold."
"Great! Meet me there tomorrow after school." Denise hung up the phone and laughed. Sucker, she thought.
* * * *
Exhausted from cramming for his English final, Jeremy turned off the lamp and got into bed. In seconds he was fast asleep and dreaming.....
He feels a presence in his room and opens his eyes. Denise stands in the shadows, her long white dress billowing as if blown by an unseen force. She appears ghostly and for a second he is afraid. But when she steps closer all that disappears. She is sexy and beautiful. The girl he fell in love with and it is obvious by her intent look that she wants him.
Jeremy raises up. "Denise? What are you doing here?"
"Shhh," she whispers, smiling, as she crawls up on the bed beside him.
"Denise, my parents are in the next room!"
"It doesn't matter, we're married now."
"Huh?"
Denise pushes him back down with a strength that is surprising. She straddles him, her long hair falling down into his face as she begins devouring his mouth. Jeremy's long eyelashes flutter down as he revels in the wonderful attention.
"Jeremy," she whispers.
"Yes?" He slowly opens his eyes to see Denise's left hand reach up and lower the strap on her dress. Distracted by what he is eager to see, he fails to notice that Denise's other hand is holding a knife. That it has been at her side the whole time.
Denise's expression dissolves into one of intense hate. Quickly, she whips her arm back and before Jeremy even realizes what is about to happen, slashes him brutally across the throat. A shower of blood gushes up, spraying everything in the room and drenching Denise. The blood runs down her hair. Drips down her face.
Jeremy begins to choke. He wants to scream but can't make a sound. He reaches for his throat and his hand disappears inside it.....
With an awful gasp, Jeremy awoke. His hand automatically went to his throat to check if it was cut. The dream had felt so real. Too real. He threw back the covers and raced down the hall to the bathroom. He was going to be sick.....
At the same time Jeremy was recovering from his nightmare, Denise was beginning one. Only this nightmare was the reality she lived in.
Denise rose from her bed and crept quietly down the stairs. Entering the kitchen, she slid open the drawer where the cutlery was stored. She studied the contents for a minute before deciding that the small knife with the very sharp wicked looking blade would be perfect for the job. She used a paper towel to leave no fingerprints behind as she lifted the knife from the drawer and dropped it into a plastic shopping bag.
Denise then went out into the garage. Her dad's tools all hung on the wall in an orderly placed fashion. She began to reach for the items she wanted but reconsidered her actions quickly. Their missing presence would be too obvious. She knew there was a box of old seldom used tools around here and she began looking for it.
She spotted the box on a high shelf and used a stepladder to reach it. Using the paper towel again, she rifled through the box, smiling when she found a hammer and a pair of heavy duty pliers. She placed the tools in the shopping bag and giggled. She never knew shopping at home could be so much fun.
On another shelf, she found some duct tape and rope and put them in the bag also. Satisfied that she had everything she needed for her mission of misery she crept back up to her bedroom. She hid the bag in her closet in a box filled with her old childhood toys and board games that she couldn't bear to part with. Her mom would never think to look there.
An immense sense of relaxation came over Denise then. Suddenly, she was dying to go to sleep. She got back in bed and snuggled up with a stuffed black cat Jeremy had given her.
* * * *
Jeremy climbed the steps to the cottage, filled with misgivings. He was still freaked out by the dream he had last night but was determined to give Denise the benefit of the doubt. A part of him didn't want to believe that the girl he had been planning to spend the rest of his life with was a crazed maniac. The cottage was unlocked and as soon as he stepped over the threshhold he was met with the wonderful smell of chocolate chip cookies.
Jeremy followed the smell into the living room and stopped, shocked with what he saw. A cozy fire blazed in the fireplace. Over the mantel hung a banner that said, 'Welcome Home'. In the corner was a Christmas tree, fully decorated. A plate of chocolate chip cookies, a bottle of champagne and two long-stemmed glasses sat on top of a small table. A blanket and an assortment of pillows covered the area in front of the fireplace. Candles were absolutely everywhere there was a flat surface. The effect was beautiful and yet slightly bizarre.
Jeremy was standing there dumbfounded when he heard Denise speak his name. "Hi honey."
Denise had curled her long blonde hair and was wearing a red lacy nightgown and high heels. A sprig of tinsel was tucked behind her ears.
"Denise, what's going on?"
The girl smiled dreamily. "This is your surprise, don't you like it? Denise tottered over to the table, stumbling once and catching herself on the edge. She laughed. "I'm not used to walking in these heels." A worried look crossed her face that wasn't unnoticed by Jeremy.
"Are you drunk?"
"No!"
Denise picked up the tray of cookies and offered it to him. "I made your favorite cookies."
"Do you seriously think I'm gonna eat one of those? You probably put chicken guts in the batter."
Denise's eyes narrowed in anger but the dreamy look was back almost as quickly as it had left. "There's nothing wrong with these." She picked up one of the cookies and took a bite to demonstrate. "See?"
Jeremy still wasn't convinced. "I'm not hungry."
Denise sighed in exasperation. "Fine, we'll have some champagne instead." She uncorked the bottle and poured them two glasses.
Jeremy took his reluctantly. "Just what are we supposed to be celebrating?"
Red Christmas lights from the tree lit up Denise's face then, making her appear almost demonic. "A new beginning. Our new lives."
If there were any doubt in Jeremy's mind that Denise had mental problems it was laid to rest then. Denise was clearly delusional and was seeing only what she wanted to see and believe. He cursed himself for coming over here. This was probably just a trap so she could get him alone and murder him. How could he have been so stupid?
Denise took a seat on the blanket and sipped her champagne. She patted the spot next to her. "Come on, don't be shy there's room for two here," she flirted.
Jeremy knew it was best to do as she said. One wrong move and she could morph into the screaming banshee that she was at the wedding. Reluctantly, he sat down on the blanket.
"Jeremy, I just wanted to show you how things could really be if we got married. I know the house looks kinda bare but once I get the wedding checks cashed from our parents, I'll be able to buy us all the stuff that we need. It's going to be so awesome! I'll cook your favorite foods everyday. I'll have them waiting for you when you came in from work or college. Whatever you decide. I guess you haven't thought much about college yet. But you should since it's just six months to graduation," Denise rattled on.
Jeremy was forced to interrupt her. He set his champagne that he had yet to take a drink of down on the floor. "But Denise," he said gently. "We're not getting married."
Denise smiled dreamily. "Of course we will. Now that I've shown you how awesome it can be, there's no excuse for us not to." She moved behind Jeremy and ddod her arms around his shoulders.
Jeremy tried not to cringe at her touch. Is this the moment she's gonna try and choke me? he wondered.
"You know, I was thinking...we don't even have to get married in a church or make such a big deal about it like last time. We can just go to the justice of the peace. We can even wear jeans and sweatshirts if you want to. All that formal stuff is just so stuffy. Christmas would be such a romantic day to get married, don't you think? Or even New Year's Eve. What about that?"
Jeremy had had enough. He flung her arms away from him and stood up. "Denise, you're not listening! We're not getting married now or ever! The engagement is off! Permanently! I still don't trust you...no matter what you say. I still believe you had something to so with Bear's death." He paused for a moment. "You need help," he said quietly.
Denise's eyes narrowed with fury. It was obvious that her dreamy sweetness had just been a mask. She stood up. "Don't patronize me with this help bullsh*t! You're the one that needs help! I've been sitting her half naked and you haven't once made a move on me. All you can think about is that damn dog of yours!"
"This is all Patti's fault!" Denise yelled, continuing her tirade. "You can't concentrate on me because you've been seeing her behind my back! I bet you've been sleeping with her too!"
"What are you talking about?" Jeremy was floored by Denise's outrageous and totally untrue accusations. "That's crazy! Do you mean Patti Emmett?"
"Yeah, that's the little slut's name!"
"I don't even know her! We just have one class together!"
"I saw you talking to her!" Denise began advancing towards Jeremy.
Even though he could he call she was carrying no weapon, Jeremy couldn't help but to back up a little. "So! She was just being friendly."
"She's got your name written all over her notebook!"
"How do you know that?"
"I've got my sources." Yesterday Spidey had told her about seeing Patti use the notebook in class. Spidey had actually watched Patti write "I love Jeremy" over and over on the cover, never knowing she was signing her own death warrant by doing so.
Denise flung herself at Jeremy like a wildcat then, pummeling his chest as hard as she could with her fists and scratching him with her long red fingernails. But the petite girl was easily subdued by him. "Denise, stop it!" he said, trying to shake some sense into her. "What's wrong with you?"
Denise burst into tears then and slowly sank to the floor. "I don't know," she moaned.
Jeremy looked at Denise huddled on the floor at his feet. She was crying so hard her whole body was shaking from the sobs. He felt sorry for her even though he knew he shouldn't. She was in desperate need of some help and he was going to see that she got it whether she wanted it or not.
He knelt down beside her and placed a comforting hand on her back. "Denise ---"
"Don't touch me!" she snarled, her long blonde curls partially hiding her face. "Just get out and leave me alone!"
Jeremy stood up to leave. He sighed. "You can't stay here, Denise."
"Stay here?" She threw her head back and laughed. "I'm not gonna stay in this dump any longer than I have to! Don't worry, I'll clean your precious house up before I leave."
Denise stayed huddled on the floor for a few seconds before getting up and racing after Jeremy. "You're a stupid idiot, Jeremy Sumpter!" she yelled out the door at him. "Look at all you're giving up!"
Seething, Denise slammed the door and returned to the living room. She looked around at everything she had so painstakingly set up in an desperate attempt to try and lure Jeremy back. She had tried so hard and once again he had rejected her. Why did this keep happening? she wondered. Why? She felt like a fool but she would make damn certain that it wouldn't happen to her again.
Denise began "housecleaning". She picked up the blanket and pillows and tossed them into the fire. The tray of cookies, champagne bottle, and glasses soon followed. If she had the strength she would have torn the table apart and thrown it in the fire too. It would be so easy to just turn one candle over and have the place go up like a torch. But as much as Denise would have loved to have done that she knew she couldn't. The culprit would have been too obviously her and she didn't want to get arrested before her final plot for revenge could be carried out. At this point, she wasn't even sure Spidey would be able to do it.
Denise's head pounded with pain and her vision blurred once again. Whether it was from tears or her strange symptoms she didn't know. She stumbled down the hall to the bedroom and plopped on what would have been her and Jeremy's bed. She sobbed into the pillow and pounded the mattress with her fists in a fit of utter frustration. Finally, she reached for her purse and retrieved her cell phone. Tears streamed down her face as she punched in Spidey's number.
"Spidey, it didn't work," she sobbed. "I've tried everything. Jeremy wants Patti and not me. I can't stand it anymore. Tonight's the night. Be ready because Patti is going down."