“You ready?” Megan asked, when there was five minutes left on the clock.
I nodded, ready to leave, yet dreading what waited for me this time when I got home.
Chapter 12
Aberdeen was packed on Saturday afternoon. Having grown up in Portland, I missed the sights and sounds of the city. The pulse, as my mom would call it. She was right—I felt more alive, and it felt nice to get away from Braemar, and away from Laria, who was becoming more aggressive and pissing me off more by the day.
I was glad Megan and Cassandra had asked me to come along. I needed the break, and plus, it would be nice to wear a new dress to Milo’s party.
I’d come to appreciate Cassandra, even though she sometimes could use an edit button. But there was a part of me that liked her blatant honesty, especially since I could never be that way.
The crosswalk light turned, illuminating the pedestrian sign, and we crossed the street. A car at the crosswalk honked at the driver in front of him.
Tempers ran high, especially in the city where everyone was in a hurry to get where they were going. It didn’t matter if you were halfway around the world. People were people.
“Here we are,” Cassandra said, stopping at the double doors of a store called Lady Haute. The woman at the counter gave me the once over, and I swear to God she actually sniffed. When her gaze shifted to Cassandra she completely changed. Smiling from ear to ear, she rushed over. “How are you, my dear?”
“So fake,” Megan said under her breath.
If the woman heard her, she didn’t seem to care. She was too busy fawning all over Cassandra. Even though I had grown up in an upper middle class family, my mom rarely shopped at high end stores.
To be honest though, the extra attention was kind of nice.
I browsed the racks and found a handful of dresses to try on.
The dressing room had an unforgiving three-way mirror, which made critiquing each dress easy. The majority were too tight and I knew I’d feel self-conscious wearing any of them.
Cassandra didn’t pull any punches when it came to giving her opinion either, especially with Megan who had a tough time finding the right dress because of her big boobs.
I found a flouncy white sundress with spaghetti straps on the clearance rack. There was an innocence about it I liked, and the gathering over the bust didn’t hurt either.
“What are you—twelve?” Cassandra asked, looking downright disgusted with my choice.
I stared back at my reflection in the mirror. “Is it that bad?”
“I think it’s adorable,” Megan said, frowning at Cassandra. “Not all of us want to look like sluts.”
“Hey, be nice now,” Cassandra said, tugging at the hem of a body-hugging black lace dress with a nude underlining that made her look like she was naked beneath. “I’m out to snag a man, and you can’t do that with a dress a tween would wear.”
Maybe she was right—maybe I would get more attention if I dressed sexy, but I would be uncomfortable and it would show.
No, I needed to stay true to who I was. With my mind made up, I took the dress up to the cashier.
Cassandra glanced at the shopkeeper. “Put it on my bill.”
“Cassandra, that’s no—”
“I’m paying,” she said, cutting me off. Her expression alone said to not argue.
I sat in one of the chairs in the dressing room while Cassandra and Megan continued to try on dresses. I wished Cait would have come with us. I would have liked to have talked to her more about ghosts and Madison’s abilities. I hoped she didn’t mention the psychic stuff to Kade. It was hard enough for me to understand, let alone having to explain to someone else.
I wondered if he did find out, if that would change how he felt about me. I didn’t even want to think about having to bring up the cutting. Even if it was in my recent past, it was still my past, and I hated the thought of him judging me.
By the time we finished shopping for shoes and accessories, it was nearly three o’clock, and we were all excited about Milo’s party. Megan seemed a little nervous. I wondered if she was worried what people were saying about Milo’s band. I could only hope that Milo proved everyone wrong.
We drove in silence, listening to music, and every once in a while we talked about someone at school. I couldn’t help myself. “So…what can you tell me about Dana?”
“Total bitch.” Cassandra pulled the visor down and put on lipstick. “She started dating when she was like thirteen. She’s been around, that one.”
And she wanted Kade.
“Oh, and she’s a total bottle redhead and lies about it.” Cassandra made it sound like coloring your hair was a crime.
Megan glanced at me. “See, I told you.”
“Honestly, I wouldn’t worry about Dana when it comes to Kade.” Cassandra ran a finger over her teeth, scrubbing off lipstick. “I would worry about her spreading shit about you though. She’s made life miserable for more than one person, myself included. When she wants something, she goes for it…and she’s bloody ruthless.”
I thought of the razor blade in my locker, the looks she gave me at the glen with the scratches, and then last night with the nosebleed.
It started misting and Megan turned on the wiper blades, leaving a blurry white film on the windshield. “Shit, I just made it worse.” It took a good dozen swipes for the windshield to finally clear.
“People will believe what they choose to believe,” I said, and Cassandra nodded in agreement.
A song came on the radio and Cassandra started singing. Megan joined in and soon I was singing along. I liked how comfortable I had become with them, and I dreaded the day they found out about my cutting.
Megan stopped singing abruptly and leaned closer to the steering wheel. “What the hell is that?”
On the right side of the road there was a woman, sitting in a meadow with her back to us, arms wrapped around her legs, rocking back and forth.
My heart slammed against my breastbone. Even from a distance I knew who it was. Long dark hair fell to the ground, and I recognized Laria’s green gown.
“Fucking creepy,” Cassandra said under her breath.
Megan slowed the car to a crawl. “What do you think she’s doing?”
“Don’t stop, Megan,” I said, slamming the door lock down. “Please.”
I could tell by Megan’s expression that I had surprised her by my reaction. She frowned at me. “Look at her. She obviously needs help. She’s sitting in the middle of a bloody field, for God’s sake.”
“What if it’s a setup? I mean for all we know she could have buddies waiting in the wings ready to carjack us and do who knows what else to us.”
Megan glanced at Cassandra.
Cassandra’s eyes were enormous. “I’m with Ri on this one. No fucking way are we stopping.”
“Maybe we should at least ask her if she needs anything.” Megan pulled the car to the side of the road.
“We’ll call 999 when we get mobile service,” Cassandra suggested.
My dad had already told me that dialing three nines was the equivalent to 911 in the U.S. “Just drive, Megan,” I said under my breath. “Please just drive.”
Megan pulled back onto the road, her jaw clenched tight. Cassandra and I shared a look and she shrugged. We drove in silence for the next five miles. I tried to take heart in the fact that both of them had seen Laria too, and yet I couldn’t shake the feeling that Laria wasn’t finished with us.
Cassandra poked Megan in the arm a few times and she finally caved and smiled, shaking her head. “I just hope we don’t see anything on the news later about a girl who is missing. I’ll never forgive myself.”
“Don’t worry, you won’t,” I said, wishing I could tell them the girl was a ghost, and that she was stalking me and making my life a nightmare. Maybe then she wouldn’t feel so bad.
I recognized a house we passed and knew we were within miles of Braemar. What a relief. I just wanted to get home, take a hot showe
r and get ready for the party.
“Fuckin’ hell. No way.”
I followed Megan’s gaze and my heart fell to my toes.
Laria was standing on the roadside, head down, hair covering most of her face, hands at her side.
“What…the…hell.” All the color drained from Cassandra’s face. “How did she get all the way here? I mean, no one else could have picked her up and dropped her off. We never stopped and no cars have passed us.”
I wanted to tell them everything I knew about Laria, and yet the words died on my lips. They would think I was crazy, and I felt like I was cracking a bit now that she’d returned. They probably were already suspecting that I took drugs after last night’s drama in the school bathroom.
“Don’t you dare stop, Megan,” I said, not wanting to look, and yet not being able to turn away.
Megan’s fingers tightened around the steering wheel. “I have to.”
“I swear to God, I’ll leave you here if you get out of this car,” Cassandra said, her voice rising with every word.
“Please don’t, Megan,” I said, feeling desperate. “You don’t know what she’s capable of.”
Megan frowned at me. “What are you talking about?”
Both Cassandra and Megan were watching me like I was crazy.
“I mean, I don’t trust it. This is wrong. Cassandra’s right. Think about it—how could she have traveled so far in such a short period of time? It’s impossible.”
I could see Megan processing what I was saying, but she shook her head. “Sorry, I have to stop. I can’t live with myself if I don’t.”
She pulled over and stopped the car. I slid my hands down my face, unsure of what to do. This was bad. Megan stepped out of the car. Immediately, Cassandra slid into the driver’s side, and shut and locked the door.
Fear knotted my insides.
“Are you all right?” Megan called.
Damn it. I couldn’t leave Megan to deal with Laria alone, especially when it wasn’t Megan that Laria wanted.
I slid into the front passenger seat and unlocked the door.
“What are you doing?” Cassandra asked, alarm in her voice.
“I can’t let her go alone.”
“Quick, look in the glove box and see if there’s any pepper spray.”
I would have laughed if I wasn’t so scared. Pepper spray wasn’t about to stop Laria. I looked anyway. No pepper spray.
When Megan started walking toward her, I held my breath and opened the car door.
“Don’t get out of the car,” Cassandra said, and there was no mistaking the panic in her voice.
Megan walked toward Laria. My heartbeat was a roar in my ears as I stepped from the car. “Megan, please come back.”
Only a few feet separated Megan from Laria and I started running to catch up with her.
But I was too late. Megan reached out to touch Laria on the shoulder. I could see Laria lift her head slowly.
Megan didn’t move. She just stood there, her shoulders lifting with every inhale.
“Megan?” I said.
Laria reached for Megan, and then disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Slowly, Megan turned and walked toward me, stopping beside me. “Did you just see what I saw?”
“Yes, she disappeared.”
Megan nodded and swallowed hard. “Get in the car,” she said, her voice intense.
She didn’t have to tell me twice.
Cassandra scrambled into the backseat and for once was silent.
I got back in the car. Megan locked her door, and then reached across me to lock my door. She started the engine. “I should have listened to you both. I shouldn’t have stopped.”
“Ya think?” Cassandra said, looking out the back window. “I mean, where the hell did she go?”
Megan took a deep breath, and then putting on her blinker, pulled onto the road.
Chapter 13
The party at Milo’s house was in full swing when I arrived with Megan, who had said very little to me since picking me up. I wanted to mention Laria and what we’d seen earlier on the way home, hoping maybe she’d ask me about ghosts in general. Apparently she was still pissed off or lost in her own thoughts, because she remained silent the rest of the way to Milo’s house.
Cait met us at the door and she was quick to inform me that Dana and her friends had dropped in uninvited and dressed to kill. That’s not at all what I wanted to hear. Even worse, Dana wore one of those bandage dresses that hugged every curve and left nothing to the imagination. I immediately removed my sweater, and smoothed the skirt of my sundress.
Maybe Cassandra had been right. Maybe I could have kicked up the sex appeal a bit more.
At least I was having a good hair night. I couldn’t say the same for Dana, who had gone with an updo that made her nose look bigger.
Avoiding Dana and her friends, I slipped out onto the back patio where Megan sat with Milo, Richie and Shane. I hadn’t talked to Shane, and seeing me, he smiled, which was a relief. I never knew which Shane I was going to get.
Shane checked out Cait and I could tell she knew it, too—talking to me, but watching my brother from the corner of her eye. I totally got it. I knew she was fascinated by him. I couldn’t very well say anything since I was into her brother.
Speaking of—Kade walked outside. “There you are,” he said, his gaze shifting slowly over me. “Wow, you look beautiful. I like the dress.”
I smiled, happy by the compliments.
He wore a light blue dress shirt rolled up at the elbows, acid-washed jeans, the familiar Celtic cross necklace, and a braided leather bracelet around his wrist. I loved his large hands, the long fingers.
Cait lingered for all of two seconds before walking over to Shane.
“I looked for you after the game last night,” Kade said. “I wish you would have stayed. I wanted to give you a ride home.”
Despite the fact I would have loved the time alone with him, I was glad I’d left early, especially since I’d been shaken up by Laria and looked like hell.
“Maybe next time,” I said.
His eyes brightened. “Definitely.”
As much as I’d like to believe he hadn’t heard about my little episode in the bathroom, I knew he had. It was just a matter of time, especially with Dana slinking around. “Congratulations on winning the game, by the way. I’m not sure if anyone has ever told you this—but you’re pretty good at football.”
“Thanks,” he said, a smile tugging at his lips. Man, I loved those dimples.
Milo and Richie walked past us. Richie pinched my butt, which surprised me. Richie always seemed to be the laid-back one. Tonight his hair wasn’t in its usual ponytail, but down around his shoulders. The red waves were shiny; the kind of hair most girls would kill to have. “You look hot, Ri.”
“Thanks, Richie.”
The nerve in Kade’s jaw twitched as he watched Richie’s retreating back.
“A friend of Shane’s,” I said needlessly.
“He should learn to keep his hands to himself.”
Oh my God, he was actually jealous. “He’s harmless, really.”
Taking a deep breath, Kade blurted, “When can we hang out?”
Exhilaration worked its way up my spine. “Tomorrow works for me.”
A slow smile spread across his face. “Name the time and I’ll be there.”
I was so elated. Finally we’d have time alone together without buddies or family hanging around.
A loud screech from the bass speakers came from inside the house, and Megan walked up beside me. “Come on. They’re ready to play.”
Everyone filed into the house.
The room was packed around Milo and two other guys, whose instruments were set up in the corner of the room, ready to play. I knew Milo had been in a band for years, Megan had said, and I was excited to hear him play, and a little nervous too. I wanted him to be good, especially since people at school had been talking shit about his singing abiliti
es.
Johan came forward and handed Kade a beer. He nodded at me. “Riley.”
I nodded. “Hey, Johan.”
“You look nice,” he said, tipping his head back as he took a drink.
Kade shifted on his feet.
I’m sure Kade knew I’d spent some time with Johan over the summer. I remembered Ian’s jealousy, and I could see that same jealousy mirrored in Kade’s eyes now.
“Come on, Riley.” Megan sounded kind of irritated with me, which surprised me since she’d been encouraging when it came to Kade.
She was already disappearing into the crowd, making her way toward the front, where there definitely wasn’t room for two broad-shouldered guys.
Kade must have seen my hesitation, because he said, “Go ahead. I’ll meet up with you later.”
“Sounds good.”
I followed Megan into the crowd and to the front of the makeshift stage. Milo stepped up, grabbed the microphone, and said, “Testing, testing, one, two, three.”
Everyone clapped.
Milo smiled at Megan and she grinned. Tonight she’d worn bright red lipstick and dark makeup, which went great with her black dress.
“We can only sing a few songs tonight—else my neighbors will lose their shite. Here goes,” Milo said, sliding a guitar strap around his neck and playing the opening chords of a catchy riff that had everyone jumping up and down to the beat.
Cassandra and Cait wedged in between us.
Milo started singing and I was shocked. He was really good. Megan didn’t take her eyes off of him as he played the guitar, his fingers moving seamlessly over the strings. I had to admit there was something incredibly sexy about a guy playing a guitar, and Milo fit lead singer to a T.
Plus, he had an awesome camaraderie going with the audience, and he was fun to watch. “That’s his older brother on drums,” Cassandra said, nodding to a thin guy with long brown hair, tattoos and gauged ears. “His cousin’s on bass.” The cousin had a similar look to Milo with spiky black hair, and he wore guy-liner well, making his piercing light eyes even more intense.
The Haunted Page 7
