Existence(9)

“What?” I asked.

“Poor guy isn’t use to being shot down,” he said and took a swig of his milk.

“Shot down?” I asked, confused. He sat his carton back down on his tray and stared at me with a serious expression, one rarely seen on Wyatt’s face.

“He wanted you to come to his game and you said no.” I frowned trying to remember if he’d asked me to come. I felt positive he’d asked me if I planned on coming. Not once did he ask me to come. “No he didn’t.” Wyatt chuckled and shook his head. “Dating Jay ruined you. Most of the time people don’t date someone just exactly like them. You understood Jay because, like you, he was straight-forward and serious. Not all guys, no, make that most guys, are not like that.” He nodded toward where Leif stood talking to Kendra. “He was asking, trust me.” Wyatt walked off and I glanced back at Leif.

Kendra twirled her long blond hair around her finger while grinning up at him. Just a week ago, I would’ve thought he deserved someone so superficial and beautiful.

Now, I knew better. He glanced up and caught me watching him. His eyes seemed to say something I didn’t understand but before I could figure it out they changed and took on a polite expression. He turned his attention back to Kendra.

Confused and a little annoyed, I grabbed my tray and started to stand up. I started to tell Miranda I’d see her later when I realized she was staring at me with her mouth slightly open.

“What?” I asked, a little defensively, because I knew by the expression on her face that she’d figured it out.

“You...like....him,” she said slowly as in amazement.

I rolled my eyes and laughed. “Not hardly.” I grabbed my tray and headed to the garbage and away from Miranda’s knowing eyes.

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* * * *

“Do girls your age not normally go out and do things on the weekend?” This time I was unable to stop the startled scream that erupted out of my mouth. Luckily my mom wasn’t home to hear me. I spun around to find the talking soul sitting on my bed watching me. “Would you PLEASE stop popping up out of nowhere and scaring the bejesus out of me! And what are you doing in my room? Go away!” I threw the shirt I’d been about to hang up in my closet at him for good measure. This was getting old.

He needed to stop following me around.

One of his dark eyebrows lifted. “You aren’t normally so testy.”

Growling loudly, I stalked over to my window, opened it, and then turned back to him. “Fly away please. Stay out of my room. I could have been naked!”

A deep chuckle caused a strange warmth to course through my body. Dizziness seemed to touch me but just barely. “You want me to fly away? That’s cute.” I didn’t want to be cute but I also couldn’t seem to work up a good mad anymore either. Some strange lethargy had come over me. Had his laugh caused this relaxing warmth in my body?

“No, not exactly, but I do have the ability to control anxiety or panic. My laugh didn’t really have anything to do with it.”

Did he just read my thoughts or had I said that out loud?

He seemed to find me amusing if the smirk on his face was any indication. Another reason I should be furious with him.

Stupid talking dead guy.

“For what it’s worth I’m sorry I scared you. It wasn’t my intention, but if I’d appeared in front of you standing in your closet would that have been less frightening?” I thought about him popping up in front of me and a 29



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small laugh escaped my lips. He was right. I’d have probably fainted. But he could have tried knocking or something.

Wait, could ghosts knock or would their fists just go through the door?

“I see your point,” I replied and started to close the window, and then decided against it. It made me feel safer with it open. “Why are you here?” I asked.

“Why are you here?” he replied. Did the guy get off on talking in riddles?

“I live here.”

He shrugged. “Yes, but you’re young. You have friends.

It’s the weekend. I know they’re out having a good time so why are you here?”

Great, the talking soul wants to be nosey now. “I’m not in the mood to go out.”

“Because of the football player?”

What did he know about Leif? I walked over and sat down in the plush chair I kept in the far corner of my room for reading. Apparently, I was going to have to talk to the guy in order to get him to leave. “Not really, mostly because I don’t want to be Miranda and Wyatt’s third wheel.”

“But she keeps calling and inviting you to go places with them. Sounds to me like she wants you around.” How did he know she’d called me? I sat up straight and tucked my feet under me, trying to get some anger worked up at his sneaking around but I couldn’t. “Have you been watching me?” I asked studying his expression for any sign of a lie.

He flashed me a wicked grin, tucked his hands behind his head, and laid back. “For weeks, Pagan, for weeks.” Weeks? I opened my mouth and then closed it not sure what to say. Had he seen me naked? Did I really want to know if he had? How had he hid from me? Was he in my room when I was sleeping? I shook my head trying to clear the questions racing to mind.