Between the Lives - By Jessica Shirvington Page 0,94
was really where I wanted to go. I didn’t know.
When I heard the familiar sound of Ryan’s car horn, I levered myself off my bed and went out to the balcony. He was opening up the boot and waved at me. I waved back before heading down to greet him.
Ryan would never be my shitty brother again. In fact, we were becoming pretty close. And while Lucas and I didn’t exactly talk on the phone every other night, things were better there too.
Walking downstairs, I saw a guy standing in the front doorway, his back to me. Ryan’s friend, obviously.
‘Hey,’ I said.
He spun around. I lost my footing and slid down the last few steps, landing ungracefully on my butt and jarring my ribs in the process.
‘Hey, are you okay?’ He raced over to me, crouching close.
I closed my eyes, my heart racing. Too frightened to look. That voice.
How? It couldn’t be. It must be my mind playing tricks on me. I was seeing ghosts.
‘Did you hurt yourself?’ he asked, that voice again, so familiar and yet so foreign at the same time.
I felt the sting of tears behind my eyes and clenched my jaw, not sure if my emotion was dominated by fear or hope.
Slowly I opened my eyes and lifted my head.
Dark hair. Full, unmistakable lips. Deepwater-blue, beautiful eyes.
‘Ethan?’ I whispered.
He smiled, looking relieved. ‘Yeah, I’m your brother’s friend.’ But then his smile faltered. He looked more closely at me, his eyes blinking. ‘I know you.’ His voice had dropped to a whisper.
He held out his hand and mine flew to his, fitting just as I remembered. Just as I’d dreamed every night and thought I would never feel again. He helped me up, his hold firm, warm, alive.
I staggered, trying to make my legs work.
Ethan.
I couldn’t stop the tear that slid down my cheek. ‘It’s you,’ I whispered.
‘Are you sure you’re okay?’ he asked, his other hand on my shoulder, supporting me. I could feel exactly where the pad of each finger pressed.
‘No.’ I was trembling all over, but also amazed. ‘But maybe one day,’ I said, soaking up his touch and gazing into his gentle eyes. He was different. His hair was short and neat. He looked bigger, stronger. That made me smile. Healthier.
We stared into each other’s eyes as if drawn together by some invisible magnet that was beyond our control. He half laughed, baffled. ‘Why do I feel like I want to laugh, or cry, or hug you? Something,’ he said, brow furrowed. ‘Who are you?’
I smiled, remembering a conversation I’d once had with my Ethan. ‘That’s a complicated question.’ I squeezed his hand. ‘But I will tell you. If you truly want to know. Another time.’
‘Why am I so sure I know you?’ he asked, dazed.
Over the lump in my throat, I said the words that Ethan had once said to me. The words I now realised were the ones that made me fall in love with him. ‘Because some things are so real you can feel them to your core. It doesn’t matter where you go, they go with you. Anywhere.’
He chuckled, squeezing my hand back. ‘I have no idea what that means.’
‘You will.’
He was still staring at me when Ryan came stumbling through the door with a couple of bags.
‘Cheers, buddy, great help,’ he said, looking at Ethan. ‘I see you two have met.’ Then he noticed just how close we were standing and his expression changed to suspicion. ‘Ethan, back off. And Sabine, be nice. Ethan here just got out of hospital himself last week.’
My eyes went wide. ‘Why? Are you sick?’ Oh god, please not again.
His gentle smile returned. ‘No, I just fainted. A bit of a medical mystery, really. They ran a bunch of tests and I’m fine. They figure I must have eaten something bad or caught an odd bug. Storm in a tea cup.’ He watched me, looking fascinated by my concern and then pleased with my relief.
‘Come on, Ethan. I’ll show you to the pool house.’ Ryan started walking towards the back doors. When he turned back and saw Ethan still staring at me, he let out an exasperated sigh. ‘Dude, you’re macking on my sister.’ I thought Ryan might go into his newfound protective big-brother mode, so I looked at him pointedly and smiled.
Smiles lately had become so rare.
Ryan slumped against the wall, still holding the bags. ‘Oh for pity’s sake. She’ll be here all weekend.’ He rolled his eyes.
Ethan smiled at me and followed Ryan to the pool house, looking back every few steps as if to check that I was real. I understood completely. I couldn’t take my eyes off him.
It turns out my Ethan had been absolutely right. You never do know what’s just around the corner. Of course, Levi would have another explanation altogether. Not that I cared.
I walked out the front of the house and tilted my head to the clear blue sky, a small breeze finding its way to me. ‘I’m ready, Ethan. You were right. I was lost. But you found me, between the lives.’
I didn’t know if this Wellesley version was like my Ethan. Nothing would ever take away the memory of Roxbury’s Ethan. I’d always love him and I had every other day to walk in my Roxbury life and honour that. I didn’t know if this Ethan would love me like I’d once been loved, or if I could one day love him too. But I knew, unequivocally, I would do whatever it took to find out.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
It has been a privilege to work with the people who have helped bring Between the Lives to readers. It takes a small army to produce the final product and I have been so lucky to work with such an enthusiastic and passionate team.
As always, I must start with my agent Selwa Anthony, whose friendship, guidance and support are invaluable.
Thanks to the entire team at HarperCollins Australia, none more so than my publisher Tegan Morrison, who has championed this book from the outset and worked tirelessly to make Sabine’s story everything it could be. Thanks also to chief executive officer James Kellow, head of children’s publishing Cristina Cappelluto, proofreader Pam Dunne, designer Matt Stanton (you know how much I love the cover, Matt!), and marketing executive Tim Miller. I’d also like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank Amy Fox in sales, Elizabeth O’Donnell in international rights, Janelle Garside in production, and children’s assistant Gemma Fahy.
A quick shout-out to the staff at French Moments in Sydney for their help with the French translations! Any errors that remain are my own.
Many thanks to my family, who continue to endure early drafts and dare to be honest. I love you all, and your honesty! To my husband Matt, who goes beyond constantly, I do not deserve you – but I’m never giving you back! And to our girls, Sienna and Winter, whose hearts grow bigger and minds grow stronger every day.
Finally, to all of the readers and bloggers out there who have supported my books – your enthusiasm and support is continually humbling. This story means so much to me and I’m delighted to have this opportunity to share it with you.
Copyright
HarperCollinsPublishers
First published in Australia in 2013
This edition published in 2013
by HarperCollinsPublishers Australia Pty Limited
ABN 36 009 913 517
harpercollins.com.au
Copyright © Jessica Shirvington 2013
The right of Jessica Shirvington to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright Amendment (Moral Rights) Act 2000.
This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced, copied, scanned, stored in a retrieval system, recorded, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
HarperCollinsPublishers
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National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry:
Shirvington, Jessica.
Between the lives / Jessica Shirvington.
ISBN: 978 0 7322 9626 1 (pbk.)
ISBN: 978 1 7430 9811 0 (epub)
For young adults.
A823.4
Cover design by Matt Stanton, HarperCollins Design Studio
Cover image by shutterstock.com
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Dedication
Preface
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Acknowledgements
Copyright