I froze gripping Leif’s arm tighter. What the heck was that? Had Dank just talked in my head? God this had to be a dream! It was getting crazier by the minute. I let go of Leif’s arm and pinched myself as hard as I possibly could.
“What are you doing?” Leif asked with a look of confusion on his face. My face grew warm. Within seconds I would be bright red. I wasn’t sure if it was from the fact Dank had just somehow spoken in my ear yet he was an entire hallway length away from me or the fact I was pinching myself in the hallway like a nut case.
“Relax, Pagan, no one hears me but you. Wipe the lovely blush from your face. Your friend, who seems to think you belong to him, is going to think you’re crazy.”
I turned around, this time needing to see where he was. It was Dank’s voice I heard. Just as clearly as if he were standing right beside me leaning toward my ear. Dank wasn’t right beside me. He was where I had remembered: standing on the opposite end of the hallway, listening to a red-headed freshman girl who seemed to be on cloud nine to have the rock star’s attention. His eyes left hers and found mine. He winked and gave me his wicked smile before staring back down at the girl at his side. I swallowed the fear running through me and turned away from him. Had he actually just spoken to me from across the hallway and no one heard him?
“Are you okay, Pagan?” Leif’s voice broke into my moment of panic and I managed to force a smile and nod.
“Yes, I just thought I forgot something, but I didn’t.”
Leif chuckled. “The medication still messing with you?” he asked in a voice that helped bring me back to normalcy. He was normal. He was real.
“Um, yes, I think it is.” If only I’d taken pain medicine this morning, like I kept claiming, then I could blame all this on chemicals. But I knew the truth. I hadn’t taken anything. I was going crazy all on my own.
“I talked to Leif during Speech and I suggested the four of us go see a movie tonight to celebrate your return to school,” Miranda said from across the cafeteria table. I’d been so lost in my thoughts I hadn’t realized she’d sat down across from me.
I glanced up. “That sounds like a great idea.”
Miranda frowned, tilted her head, and leaned closer to me. “Are you okay?”
I forced a smile and nodded. Convincing my best friend I wasn’t internally freaking out was going to be difficult. As expected, she raised her eyebrows and gave me the ‘I don’t believe you’ eye as she sat back. Luckily, Wyatt chose that moment to join us so she wouldn’t get a chance to probe me further.
“Tonight after Leif gets done with football practice, we’re all going to the movies to celebrate Pagan’s recovery.”
Wyatt glanced over at me with a concerned face. “You up for that?”
I nodded. “Sure, I feel much better. I need to get away and do something normal.”
Miranda’s smile returned. “Then it’s settled. Now, all that is left is to decide what movie we’re going to see.” Miranda’s eyes stared at something over my head. “Ugh, figures.” She said in a tone of disgust.
I glanced back to see what she found so irritating. Kendra walked in with her arm tucked inside Dank’s elbow, smiling coyly up at him while he talked to her. He obviously enjoyed her attention. He wouldn’t be the first male to fall victim to her attentions. Kendra made a complete package of perfect, if you left out her personality. I turned my head back around, hoping I could cover up the churning emotions in my stomach. The sight of her on his arm made me a little sick.
“It would be Kendra that got the rock star,” Miranda said in a disgusted tone before taking a bite of her salad.
“I hope I’m not hearing jealousy in your voice. Considering that would be a blow to my ego,” Wyatt said teasingly and Miranda glared up at him.
“Of course not. I just wish Dank Walker hadn’t decided to give his attention to that skanky bitch. There are plenty of other beautiful girls in this school who would be much better choices.”
Wyatt chuckled. “Like who?”
Miranda shrugged. “I don’t know. Just someone who isn’t Kendra.” Wyatt laughed out loud and shook his head.
“What did I miss?” Leif asked as he sat down beside me.
“Nothing,” I responded a little too quickly.
Wyatt nodded toward where Dank and Kendra sat at a table alone. “It appears Miranda thinks anyone would have been a better choice for the rock star than Kendra.”
Leif nodded. “She’s probably right. But as long as he has stopped ogling my girl, I don’t care who he gives his attention to.”
Miranda raised her eyebrows at me in surprise. “Really, he’s been ogling you?”
I rolled my eyes. “No.” My quick response didn’t even sound believable to my own ears.
“Yes, he has,” Leif said, reaching for my hand under the table. He gave me a gentle squeeze as if to reassure me. I sighed and relaxed. No point arguing with him. I knew Dank watched me more often than anyone else. I hadn’t realized how possessive I felt toward him until I’d seen Kendra getting his attention. He could go sing Kendra to sleep with his guitar and hauntingly beautiful music. I heard a low chuckle and turned to look at both Leif and Wyatt whose mouths were full of food. I froze and glanced back at the table where Dank sat in a private conversation with Kendra. His eyes left hers and gave me an amused glance before turning back to the perfect blond beside him.
Chapter Six
“I do believe this is your first football game,” my mother said, grinning from the kitchen sink where she stood draining bow tie noodles.
I shrugged. “I guess.”
She glanced up at me. “And you’re going out with the quarterback when it’s over?” I started to answer her when a soul walked into the kitchen through the closed patio doors. I stiffened. It’d been a long time since a soul had wandered through our house. The soul appeared young. Her hair hung down her back in long, curly blond locks. It seemed to float around her waist. I started to do the standard and act like I didn’t see her, but she stopped directly in front of me and began studying me. Her eyes seemed translucent and her eyelashes were incredibly long but so blond they were almost undetectable. Her head tilted to one side as she walked closer to me, watching me as if I were some sort of science experiment that befuddled her.
“Honey?” My mom’s voice woke me up out of the trance. I jerked my gaze away from the soul, which proved hard because she stood so close to me that I could reach out and touch her.
“Um, yes, sorry.” Mom no longer seemed amused.
She frowned at me with the colander of noodles held forgotten in her hands. “Are you okay, Pagan? Maybe you should stay home and rest. A whole week of school had to have been difficult after what you’ve been through.” I forced myself not to shiver when a cold hand touched my hair.
“It’s pretty.” The musical sound of the soul’s voice startled me. I jerked back from her.
“Pagan?” I took a deep, calming breath and forced a smile I hoped was normal.
“I’m fine, just a little nervous. I need to finish getting ready before Miranda and Wyatt get here.”
Mom nodded and her smile returned. “Alright, then. I guess nerves are understandable when one is going on a date with such a hottie.” She winked and I held my fake smile before turning and fleeing the room. I closed my bedroom door and turned to watch and see if the soul followed me.
“Are you looking for me?” The musical voice came from behind me. I swung around in surprise and let out a startled yelp.
“What are you doing?” I asked, confused. Why had souls proceeded to start talking to me? She giggled and it sounded similar to a chime of bells.
