Spirits (Spirits Series Book 1)

by Destiny Patterson

  “Did he kiss you?” Kay asks. Clearly it’s the only thing she’s interested in.

  “No, he was a perfect gentleman.” Even though I know he really wanted to, he behaved himself quite well.

  “BORING.” Kay frowns.

  Drew snickers.

  “What?” I ask him.

  “Carson was bothered for nothing.”

  Noah seems to tense at the mention of his name. Should I call him out now or wait until we’re alone…

  “What was his issue?” Kay asks.

  “He was worried they’d end the night at make-out point.” Drew shrugs.

  “Then he really doesn’t know her.” Kay giggles.

  “Obviously.” Drew smirks, “She wouldn’t even kiss him on their first date and I reminded him of that but he had it in his head she’d be all over Blake. I think that’s why he wanted to hang out, so he wouldn’t be alone with his thoughts.”

  “This is a change, I’m sooo not used to talking about her love life. I actually wondered if she’d ever have one.” Kay states.

  “I know right.” Drew says surprised.

  “Seriously, I’m sitting right here.” I remind them.

  They give each other a look I’ve seen plenty of times in the past when I’d walk in on their conversations. Yep, all those times they were talking about me as I suspected. It annoys me in a way, should I say something about it… My phone chirps alerting me that I have a picture message. Kadence looks at me interested.

  See it’s not to bad. Blake

  It’s cleaner than Drew’s room but still wouldn’t pass my inspection. There’s stuff scattered all over his desk, it looks like his clothes hamper threw up and the bed isn’t made.

  Okay, it’s better than I thought it would be Journey

  My phone alerts me again. I download the picture expecting to see his room from a different angle. How wrong I was. He’s standing in front of a mirror shirtless with his shorts sagging exposing his sexy v cut. Oh he could easily model for Abercrombie and Finch.

  Just thought I’d send you a pic to go along with my number. Blake

  So bad. Journey

  ? I thought it was a decent pic. I’ll send you another one. Blake

  Oh, no it’s a great pic! Journey I reply before he can send another and cause me to blush even more.

  “Hello, are you going to ignore us now?” Kay asks.

  “She does this nightly.” Noah informs.

  “How do you know?” Drew looks at him disapprovingly.

  Noah stares at him silently.

  I’m glad you like. You could send me one. I’d def like to see you instead of a silhouette with your name. ;) Blake

  I’ll let you take one, I can’t right now. Journey

  “Chill Drew, Noah usually stays to make sure I’m safe.” I elbow him.

  “As long as that’s all he’s doing.” Drew warns.

  “If that’s the issue than I’d attempt to say you have two peers that are a bigger threat in that area than I am.” Noah smirks.

  “Don’t start you two, I’m perfectly capable of making my own decisions.” I shake my head.

  What do you have going on? Blake

  About to be referring between Drew and Noah. Journey

  “Well I’d rather her hook up with,” Drew starts and I interrupt him. “When and who I choose is none of anyone’s business. Got it?” I ask glancing around.

  Why? Better yet, Noah is in your room… Blake

  Drew isn’t fond of it either I don’t think, hence my previous statement. But Noah and I are just friends, acquaintances, whatever. Anyway there is no need to be worried believe me there are plenty of times I want to smack him and tell him to leave. It just doesn’t seem wise though. Journey

  Smack him, why? Does he behave inappropriately? Blake

  No he’s just old fashioned and VERY opinionated. Journey

  Okay. I was wondering if I needed to come set him straight. Blake

  Nah, I don’t believe he’s interested in what you and Drew are worried about, not that it would do him any good to be. Journey

  “You guys are boring.” Kay says standing.

  “Where are you going?” Drew asks.

  “Out, unless you’d like to keep me company in the privacy of your bedroom.” She smiles.

  “I can’t.” He refuses to look her in the eyes.

  Really, why is that? Blake

  “I’m aware of your new plaything, “ Kay frowns, “See you guys later.”

  I’m rather fond of this super hot guy I met recently. Journey

  “She knows about Dae?” Drew asks warily.

  “Duh, didn’t you think she’d notice some girl hanging all over you?”

  Can I ask what his name is? Blake

  I can’t tell you that, sorry. But I can tell you that he seems really nice and has an awesome personality. Anyway he invited me over for the weekend. I’m not sure what his intentions are though… Do you think I should go? Journey

  He sounds like a good guy, and if he asked you over for the weekend I’m sure he’s serious about you since you’ll be meeting his parents. I’d say go for it, I’m certain you’ll be glad you did. Blake

  I was going to say you eased my nerves however meeting his parents kinda freaks me out… Journey

  You have nothing to worry about. They are going to love you I’m sure. Blake

  I hope so Journey

  I sit my phone down and stare back at Drew.

  “Do you think our parental units will let you go?” He asks.

  “There’s this thing called privacy, ever heard of it?”

  “Nope. So what are you going to tell them?”

  “I’m staying with Dae for the weekend, it’s not a lie.”

  “Fine, I’m staying with Blake for the weekend.”

  Noah groans and we both give him our undivided attention. “What?” We ask.

  “Hormonal teenagers.” He shakes his head; “Perhaps I should have a chat with Susan.”

  “Don’t even think about it,” I slide off the bed to stand in front of him. “You know who you really need to have a talk with?”

  “No but I have a feeling you are going to tell me.” He says crossing his arms.

  “Sure am, me.”

  I catch Drew out of the corner of my eye looking at the door longingly. I want to tell him it’s okay to leave but I doubt he’d go so I start in on Noah. “Why didn’t you tell me you knew Carson or that you knew about him?”

  “Would it have mattered? To my defense it’s not like we are friends. I gave you my honest opinion about him.”

  “Well you could have said why instead of dodging the truth. You do that a lot actually.”

  “I was unaware that I was obligated to inform you of everything.” He counters.

  “Clearly,” I throw my hand on my hip, “our friendship means less to you than it,” Something strikes my window cutting me off midsentence and causing me to jump. Noah spins and stands right in front of me protectively. Something pings against the window again.

  “It’s a pebble.” Noah says dropping his guard.

  Drew jumps of the bed, “I’ll check it out.”

  I don’t argue and neither does Noah. He turns to me quickly, “I’m sorry but I didn’t want you to think I was being jealous of,”

  “Carson.” Drew says.

  Noah frowns, “Yes Carson.”

  “No dude, it’s him outside.”

  “Great, should I let him in?” I ask.

  “I will.” Drew says heading for the door.

  Noah peers out the window, “Don’t.”

  “What about the… children?” I ask.

  “They won’t bother him or you, stay with him.” Noah says.

  “You want me to go out there, are you insane?”

  “Just trust me, I’ll explain later.”

  I know I probably shouldn’t but I do. I don’t think he would put me in jeopardy. I really hope I’m not wrong. “Okay, but no more
hiding crap.” I tell him heading out. Wait, haven’t I said that to him already? Maybe I should start keeping a journal…

  I peek out the window before opening the front door. Maybe I trust Noah but I still don’t want to go out if the little freaks are playing in the driveway. “Carson.” I whisper walking down the stairs looking around.

  He steps out of the shadows, “Hey.”

  “What are you doing?” I ask wondering if he’s lost his mind wandering around my yard at night alone.

  “I wanted to talk to you.” He says walking towards me.

  “You could have text, like usual.”

  “I wanted to hear your voice.”

  “Call then. You know your phone does have that option.”

  “Yeah but… I wanted to see okay.”

  “Are you alright?”

  He shakes his head. “Not really.”

  “What’s the matter?”

  “I don’t know how much more of this I can take.”

  “What are you taking about?”

  He takes my hand and leads me to the porch silently.

  “Carson what’s going on?”

  “I can’t stop thinking about you, which makes me smile until I remember you’re also interested in Blake, it’s driving me mad. You have to stop talking to him.”

  “Excuse me?” He must have fallen and hit his head!

  “Decide who it’s going to be, right now.”

  “Seeing as YOU are giving me the ultimatum I choose Blake. No guy is going to tell me what to do. Thanks for being a jerk and making my decision easy!” I shake him off.

  “Journey please wait,” he grabs my shoulder, “I didn’t want this.”

  I spin around, “How did you think it was going to go?”

  He yanks me to him and before I know what’s going on his lips are pressed to mine. I shove him forcefully, “You, you… fart biscuit! I can’t believe you just did that! Leave, right now! I don’t want to see or talk to you!” I storm in the house slamming the door in his face.

  He stops at the bottom of the steps and looks back confused momentarily then heads down the driveway. Where’s his bike? Like I friggin’ care, he can walk home as far as I’m concerned. That… fart biscuit, really? Couldn’t I have thought of something more mature? I might as well have called him a poopie head. Ugh, I can’t believe this. Noah was right.

  “Is everything okay?” Drew asks.

  I gasp, “Dude you have got to quit sneaking up on me.”

  “I’ve been sitting on the stairs since you walked out. I thought you saw me when you came in.”

  “No I was to preoccupied with my thoughts.”

  “What happened?”

  “Carson’s a butthead end of story, okay?”

  He shrugs, “Whatever you say.”

  “Thanks, I really don’t want to talk about it right now.”

  “Sure sis. Want to change and crash in my room? I’ll make some popcorn and we can have a Regular Show marathon till we fall out.”

  “Sounds great, grab me a soda while you’re at it and I’ll meet you in your room shortly.”

  “Yes ma’am.” He jokes.

  I guess I’m glad I didn’t have a sister. She’d be all nosy and want to talk about my feelings and crap. Drew is cool not knowing the details and loading me up on junk food and questionable cartoons.

  Pausing outside my bedroom I try to figure out what I’m going to say to Noah. Should I apologize for thinking he had it out for Carson or just tell him he was right all along? “So that was,” I push the door open and pause; he’s nowhere to be seen. “Noah?” I get my pajamas and phone while waiting for a response from him, whisper his name one last time then dart into the bathroom to change. It’s horrible but I avoid calling Kay, before she would have been the first person I wanted to confide in, not so much now. She’s changed, not that she was selfless before the move however it seems to have become worse. I’m not in the mood for it to turn into a Kadence has it so hard conversation.

  CHAPTER TEN

  I’m not sure what wakes me but I come to in sort of a daze. Drew is snoring and hogging the covers, as per usual. Glancing at my phone to see what time it is I’m notified I have missed text messages.

  Hey, you still up? Blake

  OMIGOSH!!! What’s going on? Daelynn AKA Sunshine

  Hellooo!? What happened? Daelynn AKA Sunshine

  Text when you can? Blake

  That’s it! I’ll walk over and drag you out of bed if I have to! Daelynn AKA Sunshine

  Quietly slipping out of Drew’s room and heading to mine I pause in the hallway trying to discern where the voices are coming from and whom they belong to.

  “You have already been told it is not wise to get close to her.” A female says.

  “Yes, I was informed however I was unaware it was not allowed.” The male, which I now clearly distinguish as Noah, replies with a hint of annoyance.

  The lady lets out an exhausted sigh. “Darling, I love you as though you were my own child. I’m begging you to please avoid her. He has made it clear that he does not like your newfound fondness for her and yesterdays stunt was highly frowned upon. I shutter at what he may do if you keep pushing him.”

  “I appreciate your motherly concern but I know what I’m doing. Tell him to…” He pauses as I take a step closer, the floor squeaks and I hold my breath. “What are you doing?” Noah asks peeking out of the doorway.

  Besides getting caught eavesdropping? “Going to my room. What are you doing?”

  He glances over his shoulder then steps out into the hallway. “Nothing, coming to check on you.”

  Liar! “I’m fine.” I shake my head and continue to my room.

  “Did something happen last night?” He follows behind me.

  “Why do you ask?”

  “Because you weren’t in your room.”

  “As a matter of fact it did and I called you but you never showed so I crashed in Drew’s room.” I push my door closed behind me; he walks right through it looking at me curiously.

  “What?”

  Rolling my eyes I stand silently.

  “You are mad at me.”

  “What gave it away, me closing the door in your face or my noticeable attitude towards you?”

  “Both. What did I do to upset you?”

  “Lies Noah. Do you even know the difference between truth and lie? You expect me to trust you, believe you but I’m finding it hard to do when you keep covering up stupid crap.”

  He looks at me as though I just spoke in a foreign language.

  “Seriously, no response? I heard you and that woman talking when you were supposedly doing ‘nothing’… not the truth. So who is she, who are you supposed to stay away from and who are you pushing your luck with?”

  He just stands there staring at me, which really annoys the heck out of me! “Fine, whatever, I doubt I’d take you for your word anyway.” I turn and proceed to crash on my bed pulling the covers over my head. The mattress gives under his weight and the covers are pulled from my face as he stares at me with a sad expression. I reach for the blanket to avoid his puppy dog look and he grabs my hands shaking his head.

  “I was talking with Rose, about you and he shall be left unnamed. You do not want him around.”

  “Isn’t he already?”

  “Not in the house and I plan to keep it that way. I know I’m being vague and I apologize but I’m taking risks here you have to understand that.”

  “Okay, why doesn’t he want you around me?”

  “You are everything he is not.”

  Yeah, that definitely didn’t answer my question so I assume I’m left to figure it out myself since he is avoiding telling me…

  “What happened last night?” He asks.

  I groan and stare at the ceiling. “You were right about Carson, he’s a jerk.”

  “I’m sorry, really I am.” He lies beside me, “Do you want to talk about?”

  “Not really, I’m sure Dae will be blowi
ng up my phone soon to find out the details. For now can we talk about something else?”

  “Whatever you want.”

  “What are your plans for the day?”

  “Actually I’m supposed to help your mother with the yard, want to give us a hand?”

  “I guess so since I won’t be hanging out with Carson like I was supposed to.”

  He rubs my arm. “Don’t be upset, it’s better you found out sooner rather than later.”

  “I told myself that yet I still can’t help but be bothered over the situation. Sure, I didn’t know him all that well but his behavior last night seemed completely out of character.”

  “Some people put on a good show for a while and some cannot, their true nature refuses to stay hidden.”

  “So true, I’ve had my share of crazies. I seem to be a magnet to them or something. I hope Blake is who he seems to be.”

  Noah attempts to conceal his frown.

  “What now?”

  “I have nothing bad to say about him.”

  “Then what was the face for?”

  “I was thinking about this weekend, are you really going to be gone the whole time?”

  “Yes, why?”

  “I’ll be bored, who am I going to talk to?”

  I smile, “What did you do before I moved here?”

  “Not much, I was stuck conversing with the same people day after day, having the same disagreements for decades. It’s enough to drive a sane man batty. You are a breath of fresh air.”

  “You have Kadence.” I can’t help but giggle at his don’t remind me expression. “She’s not that bad once you really get to know her and overlook her faults. We all have them you know.”

  “If it will make you happy I’ll try but I doubt we become besties.” He says seriously.

  “Do yourself a favor and don’t ever say bestie again, it’s not a word for guys to use.” I laugh.

  “Thanks, I’ll remember that.”

  My phone buzzes and he looks at me curiously when I don’t rush to check it, “Aren’t you going to see who it is?”

  “It’s either Blake or Dae.” The last few days are the most I’ve text since I got the phone.