The Curse of Jenny Greene

by Kimberly Loth

  I sighed and turned around.

  “We acknowledged we’d both suffered great loss and knew how the other felt.”

  Luke glared at me with intense dislike. I faced forward again as the last bell rang and class started. Foster poked me a dozen or so more times, but I refused to talk with him anymore.

  After class, he smiled at me and followed Luke out into the hall.

  Third period. Foster joined me there too. I worked ridiculously hard to ignore him and was certain I had bruises from all the pen pokes.

  By the time I got to gym at fourth period, I was glad the locker room was the one place Foster couldn’t follow me. I sat on the bench in front of my locker and breathed a sigh of relief. Most of the other girls had already changed and were in the gym for a rousing game of basketball. Now, more than ever, I was seriously considering skipping class.

  This morning, I had been wrong about being seen with Foster. I’d been an ass but never expected he’d pull a stunt like changing his schedule. The rumor was out and hot. I was Foster’s next conquest.

  Leigh Kate had gym the period before me. She’d be late for her next class if she didn’t hurry. Not that she seemed worried. She was retouching her makeup. Her hair had been properly tamed.

  “Hey,” she said to me.

  “I can’t believe you actually came to school, much less gym.” I winced after the words left my lips.

  “I stood on the sidelines. It’s so weird. My friends are smothering me, but everyone else is sneaking away as if I smell or something.” Leigh Kate sat on the bench next to me. She generally ran with a group of girls a couple of rungs above me on the social ladder.

  “It’s like people are afraid tragedy is contagious.”

  “It is a tragedy, isn’t it?” Tears filled her eyes.

  “Hey,” I said and put an arm around her shoulders. “Don’t smudge your makeup. You’ll have to put it on again.” I tried to crack a smile.

  “It’s been months since your brother went missing. Will I ever see Cassie again?” She covered her face. I didn’t know the words she needed to hear. Gram wanted me to move on, so that meant Leigh Kate would have to as well. Did Gram expect me to do nothing as Greenteeth gobbled up more kids? At that moment, I couldn’t wait for the day to be over. I had to figure this out.

  “I don’t know,” I finally said, “I wish I had some answers.”

  Leigh Kate sniffed and dabbed at her eyes with her fingertips. She successfully saved her makeup. I’d personally given up wearing the stuff after Sam.

  “Oh, and I wanted to give you a heads-up. Lucy Pennington is on the warpath.”

  “Who?”

  “Luke’s twin sister. She’s practically royalty. Homecoming queen and probably future prom queen.”

  I was completely confused. Everything after Luke’s twin sister was gibberish to me. I didn’t know he had a twin. I didn’t care who was prom queen.

  “She has her eyes set on Foster,” Leigh Kate said in slow, careful words as if I were having trouble understanding plain English.

  “Really?” I laughed. “Her brother is Foster’s friend.”

  “And that’s how Lucy is getting on Foster’s radar.”

  Oh, that explained the evil eye from Luke.

  “What does that have to do with me?” I asked. The distinct sound of basketballs hitting the floor echoed through the gym. Seemed I was skipping the game after all.

  Leigh Kate’s eyes widened. “Foster is obviously into you. He changed his schedule to match yours. He brought you to school this morning.”

  “That’s nothing. My car is in the shop. I hit a dog out by his house.” I waved her off.

  “No one else has been to his house,” she said and patted my knee. “Don’t you want Foster to like you?”

  I shrugged. I didn’t want to examine it too closely, but I appreciated his presence last night.

  “Look, Lucy can be a bitch. I’d stay out of her way.” Leigh Kate stood and smoothed down her shirt. “I should get to class. I’m already late.”

  She left me with a watery smile.

  I grabbed my bag and shut the locker. Might as well get to the library early. I left the locker room through the teacher’s office and avoided the gym completely. With any luck, Ms. Collier wouldn’t notice me missing.

  When I walked into the library, Mr. Klein was helping a freshman. This time, I didn’t want to be found, so I picked my way to the very back of the reference section and hid among the dictionaries. Today, I truly was hiding. I just needed a moment, a Foster-free, private moment to breathe and collect my thoughts.

  Dropping my bag, I leaned against the wall, slid down to the floor, and stretched my legs out in front of me, crossing my ankles. This was the most peace and quiet I’d had since Foster Grimm showed up in Blaylock Bay.

  The buzzing in my pocket signaled a text.

  Hey, kid. It’s Max from the newspaper. How’s it going? The text read.

  I’d never given the guy my number, but I guess pesky problems like that didn’t bother you if you were a reporter. I chewed on my bottom lip while weighing the options. If I answered, it would probably open a can of worms. My parents didn’t like him at all. But Max could get me into the Inquisitor archives.

  I wanna chat.

  Fine. That should get the reporter in him all kinds of excited.

  He texted back right away.

  Let’s meet.

  I’m busy after school, I answered.

  What about after lights out? I could meet you in your backyard.

  Okay, now that was seriously creepy. Had he already spent a bunch of time in my backyard? Anything for the story, I guess. I could probably get out of the house after Mom and Dad go to bed.

  11:00 tonight, gas station on Prince St.

  That seemed safe. The place was well lit and close enough to the house that I could walk there.

  Great, see ya then. Max agreed.

  This probably wasn’t what Gram had in mind when she asked me to be safe. I could text him back and ask to meet in the morning before school. Instead, I tucked the phone back inside my pocket. Max was harmless, a little over-eager but harmless.

  Chapter 17

  Foster had indeed changed his entire schedule and was in the rest of my classes. He must have charmed the secretary right out of her sensible shoes.

  He frowned at me when I sat down next to him in calculus.

  “You really do hide for lunch,” he said.

  I hadn’t been all that hidden. If he’d done more than glance into the library, he’d have found me. Thankfully, he hadn’t.

  Then again, neither had Chi.

  “What have you been up to?” Foster leaned over, resting elbows on his knees. “I’ve been trying to keep an eye on you.”

  “No, you’ve been trying to pester me to death,” I said.

  His eyes widened. “Absolutely not.” His grin said otherwise.

  “Lover’s tiff?” Niki Rogers yelled from the back of the room. Most of the class sniggered.

  Foster chuckled and lazed back in his chair.

  “More than you and I will ever have, Niki,” he said with a look of easy charm. “Sadly for you.”

  Everyone gasped. I dropped my head, and it thunked off my book. He just couldn’t—wouldn’t—make this any easier on me.

  I was saved by Mr. Pinchello who walked in and demanded attention.

  After class, Foster waited for me again.

  “Don’t mind the girls. They are petty and jealous,” he said as we left the room.

  “All girls?”

  “Most. Remember when I said they see me as a ticket out of this town? Now they think you’re a threat to their plans.”

  “What about Lucy Pennington?” I hated the squeak of jealousy in my voice.

  “Luke’s twin.” He shrugged.

  “She’s got her eyes on you,” I said.

  “So? I don’t have mine on her.” He stepped in front of me, and I had to stop abruptly to avoid plowing s
traight into him. “How could I when I can’t take my eyes off you?”

  The breath caught in my chest. Had he just said that?

  “See you in . . .” he looked down at his notebook. “Oh, good, French.”

  He chuckled and shook his head, leaving me there with my mouth wide open.

  The trance was broken when I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. I spun around, seeing a hint of shadow, the smallest glimpse of something black. In the busy hall, I couldn’t tell what it was, but it left me feeling anxious.

  I shook my head. Pull yourself together, Sophie. Foster was wasting his charm on me. I hurried to my locker and then on to French . . . where the boy in question was waiting again.

  By the end of the last period, I had a thumping headache and an intense dislike for most kids at school. Word of Foster’s snappy comeback to Niki had spread like wildfire.

  I thrust my backpack in the locker and slammed the door. Homework was just not happening tonight. I searched for Chi but couldn’t find her. I did, however, spot a group of popular girls glaring at me.

  “That’s her,” one of them whispered.

  “Maybe he wants the challenge of an ugly girl,” said another.

  Bitches. I kept going though my face felt as if it were on fire.

  Foster was waiting by the entrance. He frowned when he saw me, probably catching my mood from the expression on my face.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “I’m ready to get out of here,” I said.

  “Where’s your stuff?” He glanced at my empty hands.

  “Got my phone. That’s all I need.”

  My wallet was in the front pocket of my backpack. Maybe I should have grabbed it, but at that point, I didn’t care.

  I finally noticed Chi. She was standing next to her car, kissing Garner.

  “Sorry she’s mad at you because of me,” said Foster.

  Right about then, I was irritated that I’d made him park in the back this morning. It sure would have been faster to leave this place if his car had been out front.

  “Let’s go,” I said before tears could start streaming down my face. He pulled me along. His hand was warm as always.

  Once in his car, I snapped my seat belt and rolled down the window. Foster didn’t waste a second pulling out of the parking lot, and the cool breeze felt amazing on my hot cheeks.

  “What is it with you and the cold?” He reached over and cranked up the heat. I didn’t reply, preferring to stare out the window, silently urging him to go faster.

  “You gonna tell me what’s wrong?”

  “Not much to say.” I didn’t want to hash out my day with him. He’d been there for most of it and had been flippant when I told him that Lucy Pennington wanted him.

  He tsked, keeping his eyes on the road. I leaned back against the headrest and let the wind revive me. I was glad to get out of school. I’d never thought of school as being oppressive . . . not even in the first days returning to class after Sam went missing. In my mind, I could still feel the hundreds of gazes on the back of my neck. Tomorrow wouldn’t be any better. I could pretend to be sick. Mom wouldn’t question me.

  Foster yanked the steering wheel hard and took a curve in the road too sharply. I was flung to his side of the car, the seat belt nearly strangling me. Yikes, he didn’t like being ignored.

  “Sorry,” he said. I glared at him, unlatched the seat belt so I could breathe, and scooted back onto my own side of the car.

  “Sure,” I mumbled.

  “Look, if you’re going to be cranky, we can do this tomorrow.”

  His car hugged the next turn. I’d forgotten how curvy the road was on the way to the Point.

  “I’m not cranky,” I argued, sounding very much so and smiling at the realization. “It was a long day. Your stunt of getting into every single one of my classes didn’t help.”

  “I told you not to let the other girls bother you.” He pulled his sunglasses down to the tip of his nose and gazed at me over the top of them. “They would be bitchy to any girl who had my attention.”

  “How did you get the lady killer rep anyway?” I asked. He shrugged. Uncomfortable with my question, huh? Good. After he’d made me squirm all day, I was ready for a little payback.

  “It’s not as if I have a string of broken hearts behind me. I’ve been gone for over two years,” he said and used one finger to shove his sunglasses back up.

  “That’s not what I heard.” I turned to face him and tucked a leg under me. “Supposedly, you used to have a different girl for every day of the week.”

  “When I was sixteen?” He laughed. “Have you ever known a sixteen-year-old with that kind of track record? Or charm?”

  “I guess that’s part of your legend. Every boy wants to know how you did it, and the girls think someone needs to tame you.”

  “My legend?” He shook his head. “Ask Luke what I was like before I left. He’ll tell you I had no such pull.”

  Foster turned the car onto a gravel side road.

  “Maybe it was magic,” I whispered, “your way with girls.” The words were pure nonsense, but I still threw it out there.

  “If I had any magic,” he grinned, “I’d use it to get out of high school, not get into girls’ pants.”

  Recent encounters with Greenteeth and Gram were blurring my understanding of reality.

  “Have we cleared up that problem?” he asked.

  “Maybe.”

  At least I knew I wasn’t in any danger of falling for him against my will. But did that mean I was into him? I mean, he was cute. No, more than cute. He was handsome in a polished, old-fashioned way. He belonged in the 1920s as a character in The Great Gatsby. It was a style he wore well.

  And the attraction wasn’t just his appearance. Foster had seen me at my worst. Pulling me out of the pond, freezing and ranting about ghosts, had to have been an instant turnoff. But he believed me. Maybe that was what I most admired about him. He didn’t question me. I told him his lake was haunted, and he was all, Okay, let’s fix it.

  I narrowed my eyes. Maybe it wasn’t a good thing after all.

  Foster laughed.

  “What?” I snapped.

  “Everything you are thinking is written across your face. In the space of one moment, I can see your expression go from interested to questioning to pissed.”

  I bristled and faced the front, staring at nothing outside. Was I so easy to read? I didn’t think so.

  “Hmmm, still pissed.” He turned onto a narrower, more isolated gravel road. “Guess I wasn’t supposed to notice.”

  I bit my lip to keep from smirking. Magic or not, he could charm a lizard away from its flies. Or a snake out of its scales. Maybe a Koala out of its eucalyptus.

  Foster laughed again. “Not angry anymore. I wonder what’s going on inside that head now?”

  One last road. Not even gravel, this one was dirt with lots of ruts and potholes. The top of the lighthouse appeared around the corner. Now I was nervous. What would I say to Bryan Jennings?

  Chapter 18

  I twisted my hands together as Foster turned the car and slowed to a stop by the lighthouse. My legs felt shaky. Would this guy think I was off my rocker, or would he help me?

  I inhaled a deep, relaxing breath. Between the sound of the roaring ocean and the spray from wind whipping the whitecaps, I felt lighter just standing there. For the first time all day, I didn’t have the sense that I was being watched. Light as a feather, I could have floated away on the wind to wonderful places across the sea, maybe to Ireland or Scotland or someplace full of magic.

  Then again, Blaylock Bay resembled that. Full of magic and mean ghosts.

  “Do you think all ghosts are terrible?” I asked Foster as his footsteps crunched over the pebbles. He stopped and stood beside me.

  “No. Some are perfectly awesome.” He grabbed my hand.

  “You never questioned me. Didn’t you think I was nuts, raving about ghosts and all that?”

&
nbsp; “If you are, I’m along for the ride. You’re the most interesting thing in this town.” He squeezed my hand. “Besides, I’ve seen them now too.”

  The lighthouse door banged open, and a stooped old man practically fell out into the sunlight.

  “What do you want?” he growled. The guy wore a green flannel shirt stuffed into a faded pair of gray pants stuffed into an oversized pair of boots. His head was topped with a beanie cap. He could have passed for a hipster if he hadn’t also appeared to be more than a hundred years old.

  “Mr. Jennings?” I pulled my hand from Foster’s and stepped away from the car.

  “Who wants to know?” he demanded. The man needed a cane. His shambling steps resembled those of a zombie.

  “I’m Sophie Howell. Callie Briggs’s granddaughter,” I said, trying to be as respectful as possible. He seemed the kind of guy to call us whippersnappers and chase us off his lawn. Or away from his lighthouse.

  “She dead yet?” he asked. I shook my head, unable to say anything. Words clogged in my throat like cotton.

  “She’s in a coma,” Foster said for me.

  “Grimm,” said Mr. Jennings and spat in the dirt. “Didn’t like your dad. Or your grandpa. You look just like both. Bet I won’t like you either.”

  Foster watched for my reaction with a raised eyebrow. I wished I could be half as expressive with a simple glance.

  I swallowed and plowed forward.

  “Before. . . her . . . coma,” I stumbled over my own words. I couldn’t tell either one that Gram was visiting me in dreams. Maybe Foster thought I was interesting, but that could cross over to weird very quickly. “Gram told me to come talk to you. She said you might know something about Greenteeth.”

  Mr. Jennings narrowed his eyes at me. If he’d had a dog, this would be the moment he’d release it on me.

  “Callie didn’t tell you that,” he said.

  Okay. New tactic.

  “No,” I said. “But she did talk about Greenteeth the night my brother disappeared. I know you lost—”

  Jennings cut me off with a wave of his hand. “You lose your brother?”

  “Yes, he disappeared four months ago. It was in the papers and on the news,” I said with a nervous glance at Foster.