《Down to Rest》 Knocked Down Trigger warnings: abuse, death, murder, suicide, drugs, cutting, depression Kylee leaned against her bedroom door, her heart beating erratically. Even from here, she heard Bill swearing and yelling in the living room. She squeezed her eyes shut. Why was he still going on? He should have forgotten about her by now. ¡°Please stay in the other room. Please stay in the other room,¡± she chanted to herself. She glanced down at her throbbing arm, noting the small rivulet of blood collecting in the corner of her elbow. Her mom¡¯s shouting mingled with Bill¡¯s, and something large crashed into a wall. The single-story house rattled as Bill¡¯s thundering footsteps approached. ¡°Kylee!¡± he roared, the full extent of his fury echoing in the one word. She whimpered. Her eyes landed on the chair scooted against the wooden desk next to the closet. She lunged for it, intent on propping it under the doorknob like she had so many times in the past. Barely had she vacated her spot by the door before it banged open, slamming into the opposite wall with its force. Kylee shrieked and spun around. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she sputtered, her hands splayed out in front of her for protection. ¡°I should have stayed out of it. I¡ª¡± He cut the rest of her apology off with a left hook to her jaw. Kylee stumbled backward and went down to her knees. She hadn¡¯t seen that coming. Bill was angrier than usual. ¡°What did I¡ª¡± she began, but this time his punch knocked her into the desk. A searing pain lanced through her forehead. The sudden instinct to flee powered through her limbs. She had to get out. Bill blocked the exit to her room, which left her window as the only retreat. Kylee shot forward, putting all her effort into getting to the window before Bill could get to her. But he was faster. His hand closed around her ponytail, whipping back so hard her head spun. ¡°No!¡± she cried as Bill grabbed her shoulders. ¡°Shut up,¡± he said. ¡°Let me go.¡± She squirmed under his hands. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°I said shut up,¡± he said before slamming her head into the floor. All Kylee got out was a small groan before blackness claimed her. *** The sun had already dipped low on the horizon of the Virginia sky when the black car pulled into the neighbor¡¯s driveway. A man stepped out of the driver¡¯s side, but Kylee¡¯s view was blocked by the moving truck that pulled up beside the car. She sat up taller on the crumbling porch step. Neighbors. No one had lived next to the Mansfields in years. She glanced over her shoulder, through the screen door that barricaded the flies from entering her mother¡¯s house. She heard the slurred drone of her stepfather¡¯s voice from the living room, her mother¡¯s tepid responses. She pushed herself off the porch and stepped through the knee-high weeds choking the front yard. The sun silhouetted the men as they stood behind the moving truck, blocking out their features. Still, it wasn¡¯t hard to make out the tailored suit the driver of the car wore as he directed the two men in t-shirts and overalls. Kylee wanted another look at that car. So far, they were too busy unloading the moving van to notice her. She stole a glance at the house sitting at the end of the long driveway. It was a gorgeous, white-washed building, full of character and history, like many of the houses in Pungo. Unfortunately, some idiot missed the memo and built a two-bedroom bungalow not fifty yards away. No wonder no one wanted to live next to them. As if the weeds threatening to go native in the yard, the run-down, rusted blue pick-up, and Bill¡¯s beat-up clunker weren¡¯t enough, the roof of the house sagged in the middle. Paint peeled from the sides and the gutter had come loose. It now dangled precariously over the concrete steps. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. A mosquito buzzed in her ear, and Kylee slapped her neck before it bit her. She¡¯d somehow escaped the summer with not a single bug bite. Probably because she spent almost every moment trapped inside. ¡°Kylee.¡± Her mother¡¯s voice carried to Kylee¡¯s ears. She jerked away from the split-rail fence separating the two yards and hurried to the house before her mother called again. Last thing she wanted was for the new neighbors to notice her. She pushed open the screen door and entered the living room. The whirling ceiling fan did nothing to ease the humid heat clinging to the walls or disperse the twisted trails of smoke floating from the living room. ¡°Mom?¡± Her mom sat at the kitchen table, head in her hands. She was always sick these days and rarely lugged herself out of bed. Her dark blond hair hung limply past the shoulders of her baggy T-shirt, and bruises showed across her arms and hands. She lifted her head, her eyes darting to the screen door behind Kylee. ¡°Were you outside?¡± ¡°Just on the porch.¡± ¡°Bill doesn¡¯t like you out there. Did you do the dishes?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± She bit her lip to keep from complaining. Her mom needed her. Bill made their lives miserable; the least she could do was help her mother out. A bird screeched outside, startling her. The dish in Kylee¡¯s hand slipped from her fingers and crashed on the scuffed linoleum floor, shards of cheap ceramic flying under the stove and into the vent. ¡°Kylee?¡± her mom said groggily from the kitchen table. Kylee was already on the ground, gathering up the sharp pieces. ¡°It was nothing. You can go back to bed.¡± The sounds of the television still blared from the other room, and she didn¡¯t hear the creak of the chair that would indicate her stepfather had lifted his body up. ¡°He didn¡¯t hear anything.¡± ¡°Theresa!¡± Bill hollered from the living room. Her mom gave a low moan. Kylee grabbed the broom and cleaned up the last of the pieces. She closed the trashcan and shoved the broom back into a corner. ¡°Get in here, Theresa!¡± Bill yelled. The chair shuffled back from the table, and her mother stood with a loud exhale. Her shoulders hunched forward and her head lowered. ¡°Don¡¯t go to him, Mom,¡± Kylee said, watching her mother shuffle down the kitchen corridor that led to the living room. ¡°Finish your job,¡± Theresa said. ¡°And stay in here.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Kylee sighed. The low murmur of her mom¡¯s voice carried into the kitchen. She heard the guttural grunt of her stepfather¡¯s response, and then a high-pitched cry. Kylee flinched. ¡°Kylee!¡± Bill summoned. She put down her towel, bracing herself. ¡°No,¡± her mom said. ¡°Keep her out of this.¡± She straightened her shoulders and hurried toward the living room. Fear shivered along her spine. She stepped down into the darkened room, the blue-ish light from the television and the sunlight filtering through the blinds the only thing to show her way. It took a second for her eyes to adjust, but she made out the shadowy figure of her mother next to the reclining chair. Kylee¡¯s eyes could see where she pressed a hand against an ugly red mark on her cheek. ¡°Always sticking your nose where it don¡¯t belong,¡± Bill growled, rocking his chair and taking a swig from the long-necked bottle in his hand. ¡°Kylee, go back to the kitchen,¡± her mom said. Kylee didn¡¯t budge. Her heart pounded hard, the blood thumping behind her ears. It took all of her courage to say, ¡°Only if you come back with me.¡± ¡°Worthless, just like your mom.¡± Bill pushed himself to his feet. His full height of six something towered over her, and he twisted his head around to pop his neck. As if he needed anything else to intimidate her. ¡°You got something to say, girl?¡± Kylee¡¯s insides turned to ice, and she felt herself wilting beneath him. ¡°No, sir,¡± she said, trying to maintain eye contact. ¡°I need my mom¡¯s help in the kitchen. With the dishes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare talk to me that way!¡± he snarled. ¡°Go to your room, Kylee,¡± her mom said. ¡°Yeah, Kylee,¡± Bill sneered, slurring her name. ¡°Go to your room so I can take care of your mom.¡± For a heartbeat, she forgot her own need for self-preservation. ¡°You leave her alone!¡± He stumbled toward her, but her mother¡¯s arm reached out, gripping him around the waist. ¡°Kylee,¡± she said, her voice forced and even, ¡°go. Now.¡± A warning prickled the skin on the back of her neck, and Kylee knew this was not the time to disobey. She turned and ran through the kitchen before swinging a left into the dining room. Her hip collided with the table, but she kept going. Gasping for breath, she closed her bedroom door and leaned against it. She could predict what would happen next. It was the same scene, over and over. Her parents would yell and throw things and get physical before her mother made it to her bed and Bill passed out in the living room. She heard him roar her name, and the house shook with the impact of his footsteps. Why, oh why, hadn¡¯t she thought to bring the phone? Not that it helped. By the time the police made it from town to the farmland in Pungo, the altercation was usually over. She stuck her desk chair under the doorknob in case Bill tried to come in. Falling to her knees in front of the bed, Kylee¡¯s hand searched under the pillow. Her fingers grazed a sharp knife, but that wasn¡¯t what she wanted. She kept searching, gingerly lest she cause an unwanted injury. There. She pulled out an extendable razor blade. Yanking her sleeve up, she made a tiny cut in the crook of her elbow, gasping at the sharp pain that skittered up her arm. She could still hear the sounds of the fighting, but her attention was held by the blood pooling in the joint of her arm. From her peripheral vision, she saw a light flick on next door. She scooted around the bed to get a better look. She saw the silhouette of a boy as he walked across the lit-up room on the second floor. He disappeared from view, then reappeared briefly before turning off the light. ¡°Kylee!¡± Bill¡¯s shout jolted her back to the present, but she ignored it. She made a deeper cut next to the first, and the white pain made her gasp. She put the razor blade away and curled up next to the bed. She closed her eyes and focused on the throbbing ache in her arm. The New Boy Saturday. Kylee flung the covers off and grabbed up a change of clothes. She streaked into the bathroom to shower and change before Bill noticed her. The worst part about the weekend was knowing he would be here, all day for two whole days. She ended her shower before the running water could attract his attention. She stepped into her room and found a pair of jeans and gray hoodie to put on. The kitchen was empty. Kylee began working on the dough that would be part of their dinner later. Pausing, she listened for Bill. Nothing yet. Last night¡¯s fight must¡¯ve done a number on him. She needed to check on her mother, but she didn¡¯t want to bump into him. She tiptoed into her mom¡¯s bedroom. Only her mother lay on top of the covers. ¡°Mom? Don¡¯t you want to leave this room?¡± Kylee placed a mug of coffee on the nightstand. The response was a soft groan. ¡°You need to get out of the house.¡± Kylee took a sip of the coffee. ¡°We could go meet the neighbors. Take them some fresh bread.¡± ¡°Too much light,¡± her mom whispered. Her mom got awful headaches that sometimes left her vomiting. Kylee closed the blinds and left the room. She needed to get the eggs. The cool morning air blew her wispy blond hair away from her face, and she took a moment to breathe it in. As always, the briny smell of aquatic life carried over the earthy aroma of farm life and woods. Less than an hour away, the Atlantic Ocean crashed against the Virginia shore. Twenty minutes from the Virginia Beach boardwalk, but Bill forbade her to go. Come to think of it, she hadn¡¯t heard him yell yet this morning. In fact, she hadn¡¯t even heard the television blaring. Where was he? She unlatched the door to the chicken coop. On the other side of the house, she heard voices calling back and forth. The neighbors. A big dog with shaggy reddish-yellow fur ran around their yard, panting as he ducked in and out of the legs of an adolescent boy and a young girl. The man stood in the moving truck, handing boxes to the two children. Kylee slowed down. The girl¡¯s brown hair was in a messy ponytail, as if she had slept on the hairdo. The boy¡¯s hair was a similar color, but spiked upward in a trendy style. He had his back to her, so Kylee couldn¡¯t see his face, but judging from his height, he had to be about her age. She felt a rush of energy. Having a neighbor her age, especially a boy, was more than she hoped for. As if sensing her stare, he turned around and met her eyes across the fence. For a heartbeat, neither of them moved. Then Kylee smiled and waved. ¡°Hi. I¡¯m Kylee.¡± He didn¡¯t smile back. He stared at her another moment, then turned his back on her and said something to the man in the van. Maybe he didn¡¯t hear me, Kylee told herself, the familiar coldness of disappointment seeping into her limbs. He could¡¯ve at least smiled. He swiveled around and met her gaze again. He took two steps backward, his eyes not leaving hers. And then he disappeared around the side of the van. Kylee heard his footsteps as he ran into the house. ¡°So much for making a friend,¡± she sighed. All the excitement about having new neighbors rushed out of her. Kylee pushed open the screen door and went into the house. She deposited the basket of eggs on the counter, then thought better of it. She better wash them first. She turned on the warm water and worked the soap into a lather. She hadn¡¯t expected the new family to hear the rumors already. Maybe the Realtor warned them when he sold the house. She¡¯d find a chance to talk to the boy. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. The egg she held in her hand slipped between her fingers. Kylee grappled for it, performing a desperate dance before gravity won the battle. It cracked open on the linoleum, the sound louder than a gunshot to Kylee¡¯s ears. She held her breath. Maybe Bill hadn¡¯t heard. Silence. She went to the front window and lifted the slanting blinds. Where she expected to see the dented, rusty car, the driveway was empty. ¡°Bill¡¯s not here,¡± she whispered. Kylee gathered the white laundry basket in her arms and headed outside with the wet clothes. She strung up the wet items and started pulling the dry things off the line as quickly as she could. She stopped short when her mom walked into the yard, holding one hand against her head. ¡°Mom? Are you well enough to be up?¡± ¡°We have to hurry,¡± Theresa said, stopping next to the line. ¡°I heard on the radio we¡¯ll be getting rain this afternoon.¡± Kylee swatted at a gnat buzzing near her eyes. ¡°Is Bill working today?¡± ¡°Not good enough. It¡¯s just not good enough.¡± Conversations with her mom were like this. ¡°We need more money, is that it? So he¡¯s working?¡± Her mom slid the clothes along the line. Kylee spotted her bra on the line and jerked it off, dropping it into the basket. ¡°A boy moved in next door.¡± Her mom took down a shirt, smoothed it, and pinned it back up. ¡°Careful, Kylee.¡± ¡°Careful of what?¡± Kylee snapped, irritated again. ¡°Is there something wrong with talking to a boy?¡± ¡°Yes. Always trouble.¡± Her mom began to hum. Kylee hated the sound of it. It meant she was checking out of reality. Kylee finished with her laundry. ¡°Thanks, Mom.¡± In three short years, Kylee would be out of here. College was on the horizon, and she didn¡¯t care where she went, as long as it was too far away to visit. Maybe she¡¯d study art, or literature. ¡°I¡¯m going in now.¡± Kylee picked up her basket again. ¡°Mom?¡± Her mother sat down in the grass. ¡°I¡¯m so, so tired.¡± ¡°Come on, Mom.¡± Kylee took her hand and helped her up. ¡°Back to bed.¡± Theresa stood. She looked a bit steadier on her feet now. She let go of Kylee¡¯s hand and walked in front. Bill was gone again before Kylee got up on Sunday morning. She couldn¡¯t believe her luck. He must¡¯ve picked up a weekend shift at the shipping yards at the docks. Kylee spied on the new family as they drove away in their fancy black car, everyone dressed for church. With nothing else to do, Kylee focused on getting through her history homework. The rooster crowed, and Kylee opened her eyes to a dark room. The pinkish glow of sunrise filtered in through the naked window. Morning already? Her book lay next to her, folded open where she¡¯d been reading. Kylee stood up with a yawn. At least Mondays were predictable. Bill would be at work by now. She picked up the egg basket and headed outside. The sun was up, a mellow orange coloring the sky as the yellowish orb started its climb on the horizon. Down the road, the bus¡¯s air brakes squealed. Kylee paused by the chicken coop to watch the long vehicle pull to a stop. Kylee waved at her old school friends Amy and Michael, trying to catch their eyes, but neither looked at her. ¡°Lisa! Move it!¡± a male voice hollered. Kylee turned her head to see the new kids running down the road. ¡°Wait!¡± the boy shouted toward the bus, stopping it just before it started to pull away. The hens were clucking at her, anxious to get their feed. She forced her attention away from the departing school kids and focused on the small feathered animals. *** Kylee kept her eyes on the oven clock while she peeled potatoes. The afternoon bus would be here in five minutes. Four. She put down the potato and wiped her hands on her apron before grabbing the laundry basket. The bus had already pulled up to the stop sign, and kids scurried around the front and down the street like ants leaving the anthill. Kylee went to the edge of the yard next to the mailbox, still holding the basket. She hesitated when she saw Amy, her curly brown hair pulled into a high ponytail while she strutted down the street in short white pants. ¡°Just say hi,¡± she murmured to herself. ¡°Amy,¡± she called. Amy turned her head, and Kylee¡¯s heart skipped a beat. But instead of looking at her, Amy shouted, ¡°Hey, Michael. What are you guys talking about?¡± Kylee followed her gaze and narrowed her eyes at the two boys who approached behind Amy. Michael called back to her. ¡°Just telling Price about that house.¡± Price. So that was the new kid¡¯s name. Amy shuddered. ¡°I can¡¯t even stand looking at it.¡± ¡°Which house?¡± the younger sister asked, swinging her backpack and turning her small face up to her brother. ¡°That one,¡± Michael said, pointing at Kylee¡¯s house. ¡°It¡¯s haunted?¡± she squealed. ¡°No,¡± Price said, shooting an annoyed look at Michael. ¡°It¡¯s just an ugly old house.¡± He had a slight accent that she only just now noticed, his consonants softer, his vowels rounder. His eyes darted toward the yard and then landed on Kylee. He jerked to a standstill. Kylee held his gaze a moment, hoping he felt embarrassed for being caught talking about her house. Her own face burned. She lowered her eyes and walked away from them. She didn¡¯t belong with them, anyway. They were better than her. She waited until she was at the clothesline behind the house before she let the tears fall. ¡°Stupid people,¡± Kylee sniffed, folding a shirt and dropping it into the basket. Stupid neighbors. Be a Jerk ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° *** ¡° ¡° ¡° Stalking Day four of stalking Price was going to be different. ¡°I have an idea.¡± Kylee kneaded the dough for the dinner rolls. Her mom lay on the couch, arm draped over her eyes, nursing a headache. ¡°Here¡¯s my plan. Every day, Price goes out to walk the dog. If I time it right, I can get the mail at the same time he¡¯s out there. I¡¯ll keep saying hi. He¡¯ll have to stop ignoring me, right?¡± ¡°Shh, Kylee. Not so loud.¡± Kylee frowned and took her frustrations out on the dough. ¡°I¡¯m going to the bathroom.¡± She hopped over the threadbare section of carpet between the hallway and the kitchen, careful not to step on any carpet tacks poking out. Inside the bathroom, she pulled on the chain suspended from the light bulb. The dull yellow light flooded the small room, swaying as the bulb sought equilibrium. Yellow. Such a happy color, except in this room. The stained yellow linoleum looked more like dried urine, and the water drips on the off-white walls reflected the artificial light like streams of stomach bile. Kylee turned her attention to the peeling mirror. Usually she didn¡¯t notice herself, but now she pulled the elastic out of her limp blond hair. It didn¡¯t bounce, curl, wave, or shine. Grabbing it up in her hands, she wrapped it back into a ponytail. Small wisps escaped the band, forming shapeless strands around her face. Her face wasn¡¯t too bad. She had high cheekbones and full, pink lips. A scattering of freckles decorated her small nose, and long brown lashes framed her blue eyes. ¡°This hair is a curse,¡± she muttered, yanking open the drawer and searching for the scissors. She spotted them behind the finger nail clipper. All handy cutting tools. I don¡¯t do that anymore, she reminder herself. She let the hair fall down over her shoulders and began cutting the strands. By the time she finished with one side, it was jagged and uneven and horribly shorter than the other. Heat rose in Kylee¡¯s face as she realized the disaster she¡¯d made of herself. She attacked the second side, trying hard to hold the scissors steady and keep the ends straight. It just got worse. Kylee kept cutting, frantic to make her hair even and stylish. She stopped herself when she realized her hair was above her shoulders. If she kept going, she¡¯d end up looking like a boy. She swallowed back tears, watching her nose redden in the mirror. Awful. She¡¯d made a mess of things. Hurrying to her room, Kylee shuffled around her drawer until she found a winter cap. Somehow she¡¯d have to hide her hair until it grew back. She shoved the cap on her head and pushed the hair up under it. The bus¡¯s air brakes sounded at the side of the road, but Kylee threw herself on the bed and cried. So much for her brilliant plan. No way did she want Price to see her like this. Her mind lit on the fingernail clippers still in the bathroom drawer. She pushed off the bed, wiping her nose as she stumbled into the bathroom. Just a little pain to take her mind off this. Nothing too bad. She closed the door to her room and used the clippers to cut off pieces of skin on the palm of her hand. She drew in sharp breaths with each little sting, until her whole hand ached. Kylee lay back on the bed and rested her open palm in front of her, glad for something else to focus on. Her pity-party ended when Bill came home and yelled for his dinner. Kylee checked the status of her hat before bolting from the room. She set the food on the counter and put the plates next to it, then stood there staring at it. The golden hue of the chicken dripped with rendered fat, juices surrounding the baked potatoes and carrots. ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat this again,¡± she whispered. She placed a roll and a carrot on her plate before returning to the dining room table. ¡°Food¡¯s out,¡± she said. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Bill glared at her. Kylee paused, her plate of food balanced on one hand. ¡°I was sitting down to eat.¡± ¡°We all work in this household, little girl. I¡¯m not breaking my back for nothing.¡± What, am I not allowed to eat now? She sighed, putting the plate on the table and letting her shoulders slump forward. ¡°I¡¯ll finish up my food in the kitchen while I start on the dishes. Was there anything else you needed?¡± She kept her voice sweet and mild. ¡°Yeah, get the mail,¡± he replied, stabbing his meat again. Of all the times when she didn¡¯t want to go outside. No one had questioned the silly cap on Kylee¡¯s head in the ninety degree heat, but that didn¡¯t mean she wanted to show off for the neighbors. ¡°Really? Right now?¡± ¡°And then go vacuum the bedrooms and living room before you start on the dishes.¡± Her mother jerked her chin at her, chasing away Kylee¡¯s further desires to argue. ¡°Right.¡± Dumping the plate of uneaten food in the sink, she stomped past the dining area and let herself out of the house. The screen door hit so hard it bounced back before closing shut. Squeals and shouts reached Kylee¡¯s ears from next door. She pulled her cap farther down to her ears and hugged her shoulders, wishing she could make herself invisible. She shuffled to the mailbox and opened the door. ¡°Down, Sisko. Down.¡± Price¡¯s deeper voice rose over Lisa¡¯s laughter. Kylee turned her head in his direction almost against her will. The dog kept leaping up and trying to put his paws on Price¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Here, boy!¡± Lisa picked up the ball Sisko played with and threw it across the yard. It rolled under the gate and came to a stop in the street, right in front of Kylee¡¯s mailbox. Kylee froze. Of all the rotten coincidences . . . ¡°Oops.¡± Lisa tucked her hands into fists and bolted forward. ¡°No, Lisa!¡± Price yelled. The panicked note in his voice stopped Lisa mid-stride. ¡°I¡¯ll get it.¡± Kylee did not move as Price¡¯s footsteps ran toward her. He breathed hard and glanced at her, his face red, before stooping to pick up the ball. He stood up and backed up a few steps, then swiveled around. Kylee knew he was about to run back without saying a word to her. ¡°Go on,¡± she shot out, surprising herself. ¡°Run on back to your pretty, happy little family and pretend like you don¡¯t hear me.¡± He paused. Kylee held her breath for countless seconds while he stood there, his back to her, not saying a word. Then he turned, squinting at her against the sunlight. ¡°Why are you talking to me?¡± Kylee shrugged. ¡°Why not? It¡¯s the nice thing to do. We¡¯re nice around here, you know.¡± He gestured at her head. ¡°And why are you wearing a hat? It¡¯s like a hundred degrees out here.¡± ¡°Oh, that.¡± She felt her face redden. ¡°I, uh, got a bad haircut.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I know, right?¡± Kylee kept talking, hoping he wouldn¡¯t notice how embarrassed she was. ¡°I mean, what kind of person cuts their own hair?¡± Stupid, stupid. She shouldn''t have revealed that. ¡°Yeah.¡± He blinked, a long slow movement of his light brown eyes. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here.¡± ¡°What?¡± She shook her head. ¡°I get you didn''t want me on your land. But this is my home. I can be here if I want.¡± He stared at her, scrutinizing her every feature. ¡°Yeah, I guess.¡± He turned without another word and walked away. Kylee realized her mouth was hanging open, and she snapped it shut. Would every conversation with him be so cryptic? Then she cheered up a bit. At least they¡¯d had a conversation. *** Kylee woke to the sound of Bill¡¯s rusty car disappearing down the road. She threw her covers off. ¡°Let¡¯s get this day over with,¡± she breathed. The winter cap slid off the blankets, landing on the carpet. Oh, lordy, her hair! Kylee¡¯s hand shot toward her head, and she winced in anticipation of finding the short, uneven strands. Closing her eyes, she ran her fingers down from the roots, dreading the moment when she reached the jagged ends of the bob she¡¯d given herself. The moment never came. Her hair kept going. Her eyes popped open, and she dragged a fistful of hair in front of her face. Still there. All of it. Rewind
¡°What the heck?¡± Kylee murmured. Her fingers closed around the strands of hair, and she gave them a good tug before letting go. She shoved open her door and ran into the bathroom.
Her boring, ordinary reflection stared back at her. The limp blond hair lay against her shoulder blades and continued halfway down her back, just like yesterday before she cut it.
¡°This makes no sense,¡± Kylee whispered. Had she imagined it? Was she going crazy? But no, the beanie had been on her bed. Proof she slept with it.
Which didn¡¯t mean she wasn¡¯t crazy. Perhaps she¡¯d imagined cutting her hair and put the hat on to hide something that hadn¡¯t happened.
The idea was alarming. Kylee put her hair into a long braid and tried to be grateful she still had it.
She planned her outside errands carefully. She gathered the chicken eggs at the same time the bus arrived to pick up kids for school. She hovered near the edge of the yard, the basket of eggs in the crook of her elbow. Standing on tiptoes, she tried to catch Price¡¯s eye. If he saw her standing there waving, he didn¡¯t let on.
Kylee pretended it didn¡¯t bother her. She went inside and sat at the kitchen table, unread history book open in front of her.
Her mom came out of the laundry room with the wet clothes piled high in the basket. She pushed a hand through the wad of twisted blond hair on top of her head and sighed.
She looked so tired. Dark shadows outlined her bloodshot eyes, and blue veins were visible on her pasty white skin. ¡°I¡¯ll help with the laundry,¡± Kylee said. She shut her pencil inside the history book.
¡°I can¡¯t do this anymore,¡± her mom said with another sigh.
Kylee felt a moment of panic, seeing her mother so desperate. ¡°It¡¯s laundry, Mom. We got this.¡±
Her mom stepped out the front door without a word.
The morning wash was dry, so Kylee pulled off the clothes and folded them while her mom put up new ones.
¡°We better hurry,¡± her mom said, pinning up a pair of pants. ¡°I heard on the radio we¡¯ll be getting rain this afternoon.¡±
¡°It never rains. Just says it¡¯s going to.¡±
¡°Yes, well. It won¡¯t be a good enough excuse to your stepfather.¡±
Kylee didn¡¯t want to talk about her stepfather. She took her loaded basket around to the front of the house.
She wasn¡¯t too surprised to hear the laughter and talking from the kids as they walked toward their houses from the bus. Kylee slowed her walk but didn¡¯t look toward them. She hoped Price would notice her not noticing him.
She reached the front door and pulled the screen, glad it creaked so loudly. She resisted the urge to look over her shoulder to see if Price was watching.
***
Kylee knew when Bill hollered for her mom that the evening argument was about to start. She stayed in the kitchen and counted to ten. The voices started out quiet, with her mom murmuring responses to Bill¡¯s increasingly louder accusations.
¡°Kylee!¡± he shouted.
¡°Leave her alone,¡± her mom said.
A smack followed by a muted cry came from the other room, and Kylee abandoned the dishes.
¡°What do you want, Bill?¡±
He shoved Theresa out of the way and glowered at Kylee. He was trying to get on his feet, swaying in the chair and holding a bottle of beer. ¡°Always sticking your nose where it don¡¯t belong.¡±
¡°Kylee, go back to the kitchen,¡± her mom said.
¡°Worthless, just like your mom.¡±
¡°She¡¯s not worthless. Neither am I,¡± Kylee said.
He¡¯d made it to his feet now. ¡°You got something to say, girl?¡±
¡°I already said it.¡±
The backhand that smacked across her cheek wasn¡¯t unexpected. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare talk to me that way!¡± Bill roared.
Her mom blocked the next swing with a shaky hand. ¡°Go to your room, Kylee.¡±
¡°Yeah, Kylee,¡± Bill sneered. He came at her again, shoving Theresa when she tried to latch onto his arm.
Kylee wasn¡¯t fast enough to escape the punch, but she turned her head so she only got part of it. Still, her cheek stung. She stumbled out of the living room, tripping over the raised lip leading to the kitchen floor.
Bill wasn¡¯t done. She heard him coming after her. She paused at the kitchen table, indecisive for a heartbeat. Her bedroom, or outside?
Outside.
She ran for the front door and let herself out. The night air pricked her skin, cooling her face where tears streamed down. She flew down the crumbling porch and ran into the forest behind the house.
Kylee knew the path with her eyes closed, which was good because the moon was just a sliver, too small to shine any light through the network of tree branches sheltering the woods. Her bare feet ran over the smoothed dirt, littered with pine needles and leaves.
There it was. A large oak tree had fallen down years ago, and sometime after that the forest animals had hollowed it out. Kylee knelt down and crept into the empty space. She pressed her back against it and wrapped her arms around her knees. In the safe solitude of her tree, she allowed herself to bawl.
¡°I can¡¯t take it anymore,¡± she sobbed. ¡°I¡¯m getting out of here.¡± She had to flee. She couldn¡¯t wait any longer. She¡¯d run away.
But no. She couldn¡¯t leave her mom alone with Bill.
How could she deal with this, then? She dropped one hand to her side and dug her fingers into the dirt behind her.
The sharp edge of a serrated knife tickled her skin, and she let out a cry of relief. Her willpower crumpled. A giddiness warmed her chest at the expectation of the pain the knife would bring her. And how the pain would take her away.
She gave into her desires and held the sharp blade against her skin. This was how she would deal.
¡°Hello?¡±
Kylee froze mid-sniffle when she heard the male voice calling through the trees. Someone had heard her. Tortured Souls If Kylee kept still, maybe whoever it was wouldn¡¯t be able to find her. The leaves in front of her hollowed-out log crunched, and a pair of black shoes with electric blue trim, visible even in the darkness, appeared. ¡°Hello?¡± he said again. Kylee grimaced. There was no escaping it. She¡¯d been found. The legs bent into a crouch, and then Price¡¯s face stared at her. A flicker passed through his eyes before he nodded. ¡°I knew it was you.¡± For some reason his comment annoyed her. Her fingers released the knife, and she shoved it back into the dirt. Kylee pushed herself out of the tree trunk. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean? You hear crying and assume it¡¯s your snivelly, white-trash neighbor? Cause that¡¯s what people like me do, right?¡± She stood to her full height, which was at least a head shorter than he was, and glared up at him. He stared back at her, his brown eyes flicking back and forth over her face as he studied her. ¡°No. That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Kylee folded her arms across her chest with a huff, though her annoyance was fading with the triumphant realization that he was talking to her. ¡°What did you mean, then?¡± He blinked and dropped his gaze. ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s hard to explain.¡± ¡°Oh. That clears things up.¡± A brief smile graced his lips. ¡°I thought you wanted to be friends. Now all you¡¯re doing is griping at me.¡± Kylee¡¯s face burned. She was glad it was dark, or he would notice the red creeping up her cheeks. ¡°I did. But you¡¯ve been a jerk since you moved in, so I pretty much gave up. I don¡¯t need any more jerks in my life.¡± He shoved his hands in his jeans pockets and shuffled his feet. ¡°Why are you out here?¡± ¡°I needed some air.¡± ¡°Was it a bit stuffy where you were?¡± ¡°Stuffy? No, stuffy isn¡¯t the word I¡¯d use for it. More like, suffocating.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± He nodded. ¡°I can see that. Kind of makes sense.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I was fighting with my stepdad. That¡¯s all.¡± He chewed on his lower lip. ¡°He still fights with you?¡± ¡°What do you mean, still?¡± She pressed her hands to her face, hoping the cold in her fingers would help soothe her hot skin. ¡°Yeah. So you¡¯ve noticed? Do you hear him?¡± ¡°Sometimes I do.¡± He lowered his head, kicking at the foliage again. ¡°Right. Okay. Nice talking to you.¡± Bow out and exit gracefully. Kylee slipped around him. ¡°Wait,¡± Price said, calling after her. His footsteps thumped over the dirt as he jogged up to her. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m sorry. I know I¡¯ve been . . . well, weird.¡± ¡°Rude,¡± Kylee corrected, hugging her torso with her arms. ¡°What¡¯s your problem, anyway?¡± The days of aggravation since he¡¯d moved in had mounted up into a big ball of angst. ¡°Is it just because I¡¯m poor?¡± ¡°What? No, no, of course not!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°You think I¡¯m rich, huh? Because my dad drives a hot car and our house is bigger than yours. So?¡± ¡°Then what is your problem with me?¡± Kylee pressed her lips together, not about to let him off easy. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He gestured toward her house. There were no windows in the back, and it wasn¡¯t visible from here in the forest. ¡°I guess I was afraid.¡± ¡°Of my stepfather? Because of the fighting?¡± ¡°Everything, I guess. You. Your house.¡± Kylee pictured her old rundown house. Ugly, unkempt, yes, but not scary. ¡°What do people say about us?¡± He avoided her eyes. ¡°Nothing.¡± Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± He shrugged. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Kylee opened her mouth to press the issue, then changed her mind. ¡°Like I care. Small people always talk.¡± Take that, she thought, hoping her words hit him somehow. ¡°I¡¯m Kylee, by the way.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Price.¡± ¡°I know who you are.¡± She gestured at the distance between them. ¡°I don¡¯t bite, you know.¡± He shuffled a little closer. She laughed. ¡°Do I make you nervous?¡± It was kind of cute. Like he¡¯d never been near a girl before. ¡°Je ne sais pa.¡± ¡°What language is that?¡± ¡°French.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re speaking it because. . . ?¡± ¡°It helps me think.¡± ¡°Are you French?¡± ¡°Technically but not really.¡± Kylee waited for more explanation, but he offered none. Swirling her hand around, she said, ¡°And it means . . . ?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He ducked his head, then lifted it and met her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re a bit . . . different than other girls I¡¯ve met.¡± Kylee considered that rather ambiguous statement. ¡°Okay . . . I¡¯m going to take that in a good way.¡± She paused, but Price didn¡¯t say anything. She turned and started walking down the path toward her yard. Ahead of her, the jungle of weeds separating her house from the forest loomed darker and more forbidding than the trees. She could sneak in the bedroom window and lock the door to her room. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Price joined her, walking behind her but keeping pace. Kylee glanced at him, pleased he hadn¡¯t left yet. ¡°Home, I guess.¡± ¡°Why do you want to go there?¡± ¡°I know, right?¡± She chuckled. ¡°Who would want to go back in there? I don¡¯t have any choice.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t just not go in?¡± ¡°What, are you allowed to stay out all night?¡± She stopped to face Price.¡°Everyone¡¯s tied to their home, right? We can¡¯t just walk away from it. No matter how much we want to.¡± Oh, and she wanted to. ¡°Have you tried to leave?¡± Kylee shook her head and lowered her voice. ¡°Not yet. But I plan to. Maybe sooner than later.¡± She cleared the edge of the forest and paused. Even without the trees, the sliver of moon didn¡¯t cast enough light to see. She barely made out the clothesline several paces in front of her. She fought the desire to turn around and run back into the dense nest of trees. The earthy aroma of the dirt and bark called to her. ¡°How far can you go?¡± She stared at the star-studded sky. ¡°As far as I want. I have all kinds of plans. When I go to college¡ª¡± ¡°College?¡± Price interrupted. ¡°You¡¯re thinking about college?¡± She leveled her gaze on him. ¡°Sure. I¡¯m gonna make a name for myself, just you wait.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what most people do, Price. Grow up. Go to school. Get jobs away from home. What do you plan to do?¡± He shrugged. ¡°Oh, well, the same kind of thing. As what you said,¡± he mumbled. Kylee tried to discern his features in the darkness. ¡°You¡¯re so strange.¡± A choked laugh escaped him. ¡°Me? You¡¯re calling me strange?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, I already know. Everyone thinks I¡¯m weird.¡± She pushed off the tree. He matched her steps, this time staying by her side. ¡°What about your friends?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any,¡± she answered, so softly he leaned in closer to hear her. ¡°Nobody talks to me now. Nobody comes over. Once I quit going to school, it¡¯s like I just quit existing. Amy and Michael ignore me when they walk to the bus.¡± She swallowed past the sudden lump in her throat. ¡°I¡¯ve tried so many times to talk to them. Just to say hi. They won¡¯t even look at me.¡± One hot tear rolled down her cheek, and Kylee shoved it away with the bottom of her palm. ¡°You don¡¯t know,¡± Price whispered. ¡°What? What do I not know? What they¡¯re saying? Please. I can imagine.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°I was so happy when you moved in,¡± she admitted, not daring to look at him now. ¡°I thought we could be friends. But you did the same thing. Why? You don¡¯t know me!¡± She let the tears trail down her nose and drip into the grass. Price lifted his hand like he was going to touch her shoulder, but he didn¡¯t. ¡°I was a little scared. Uncertain.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± She nodded. ¡°We all have things we¡¯re scared of. I guess creepy neighbors is right up there. I like talking to you.¡± She risked a glance toward him. Price hesitated, and then bobbed his head. ¡°Yeah. Me too.¡± She couldn¡¯t stop the smile that pulled at her lips. ¡°Can I visit you sometime? Come to your house?¡± ¡°Can you do that?¡± Kylee shrugged. ¡°Maybe some time during the day, when my stepfather¡¯s not home. Like when you first get home from school.¡± Price squinted one eye. ¡°Yeah, you know, probably not a good idea.¡± ¡°Oh. Because of your dad?¡± ¡°Yeah. Something like that.¡± Kylee cocked her head. At least they¡¯d introduced themselves. That was good enough for a night. ¡°Well, I¡¯m gonna sneak back into my house.¡± She gave a smile, hoping it looked confident. ¡°Are you afraid of your stepfather?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. We just don¡¯t get along. Anyway.¡± She gave a little wave and crept closer to the house. ¡°Good night.¡± ¡°Night.¡± Price hovered in the yard a moment longer. Kylee gave him another wave, and he turned back to the forest. She figured he must be cutting around to the back of his house, where there was no fence. She climbed inside, glad she always left it open. A quick scan of her room showed it was empty. No Bill lying in wait for her. Thank goodness. Her feet barely made a sound as she landed on the threadbare carpet. Kylee fell into her bed. She pulled the blanket up to her chin and closed her eyes. The conversation with Price replayed in her mind. She pictured the cock of his head, the quizzical expression in his eyes when he spoke to her. Her lips pressed into a smile. *** Kylee had just finished taking the clothes off the line when it started to rain. ¡°Dang it,¡± she muttered. She hadn¡¯t been fast enough to beat the downpour. She clutched the laundry basket of clothes to her chest and ran for the front door. The rain came in at an angle, slamming into the sagging porch steps. She lifted one arm over her head, though it did little to shield her from the onslaught of water. ¡°Hurry!¡± ¡°Come on, Lisa, it¡¯s pouring!¡± Kylee paused on the porch and watched the kids from the bus run toward their houses. Amy squealed and laughed, holding her notebook above her like a shield, her backpack bouncing behind her. Michael howled and charged through the rain as fast as he could. Price tugged on Lisa¡¯s hand, trying to get her out of the puddles. He stopped and looked her direction. The back of Kylee¡¯s neck grew warm, but before she could dart inside, he nodded his head at her. Room for One More The corners of Kylee¡¯s lips turned up. She waved, but he¡¯d already turned his attention back to Lisa. Kylee didn¡¯t move from her spot until he and Lisa went through the gate and ran up the sidewalk to their house. ¡°He looked at me,¡± she whispered, pulling open the screen door and going inside. She settled herself on the kitchen floor and folded the laundry. At least only the top pieces were wet. The front door opened, and Kylee looked up to see her mother vanish into the laundry room. ¡°Well. That¡¯s done,¡± Theresa said. Kylee craned her head to peer after her. Her mom didn¡¯t even look wet. A glance out the window showed the water still coming down in buckets. ¡°Some rain storm, huh? How¡¯d you stay dry?¡± No response from the other room. Kylee put the towels away first, then her own clothing. She left her mom and Bill¡¯s clothes in two little piles by the closed bedroom door. Carrying the kitchen rags in one hand and the basket in the other, she made her way back to the kitchen. Kylee tossed the empty basket into the laundry room, then went to the kitchen. She opened the oven. There sat the raw chicken in its roaster, seasonings speckled over the bumpy off-white skin. Soon a bath of carrots, potatoes, and onions would accompany it. The rain was slowing. Kylee walked into the dining room and looked out the window. Water spilled down the roof from the overflowing gutters. The air inside the house felt humid, stuffy. She wanted to open a window. She wanted to flee outside and find freedom. She heard her mother talking to herself. Should she be concerned? Was her mother losing it? She turned around and went back to the kitchen. Her mom opened the refrigerator, a tuneless hum escaping her lips. She didn¡¯t so much as cast her eyes in Kylee¡¯s direction. ¡°I¡¯m taking a break,¡± Kylee grumbled. ¡°If you need me, I¡¯ll be in my room.¡± When her mom didn¡¯t make a move to stop her, Kylee exited the small kitchen. Her bedroom door was closed again. ¡°Quit closing my door, Mom!¡± she muttered under her breath. She shoved it open and went inside.
By the time Bill got home, the sun was out, drying up the puddles as if they hadn¡¯t existed. The sky glowed an odd greenish blue, like the ocean when the seaweed strands neared the surface. She went outside to get the mail before Bill complained about her. As expected, Price was in his yard, playing with the dog. Kylee slowed her walk to the mailbox. She reached up and tugged on a piece of her blond hair. Look at me, she willed. Come on, look at me. He didn¡¯t. Kylee reached the mailbox and yanked on the jammed lid. Nothing. Now what? She couldn¡¯t go home without talking to Price. So much for subtlety. She walked over to the fence and pressed her toes against the pole. ¡°Hi,¡± she called. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Price had just thrown the stick for his dog, and he whipped around, eyes widening. He glanced around the yard and up and down the street before facing her. ¡°Hi. Didn¡¯t see you there.¡± Kylee shrugged. ¡°Yeah, well. I guess I was quiet.¡± ¡°Yeah. You came out of nowhere.¡± He approached the fence as well, his expression still a bit cautious. ¡°No one¡¯s around to see you talking to me,¡± she teased. His cheeks reddened, and he looked down. The dog joined him, butting the stick into Price¡¯s palm. She hardly believed it. That was what he¡¯d been checking for! Kylee sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t talk to you when other people are nearby. I¡¯d hate to embarrass you.¡± ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not that,¡± Price protested, looking up again. ¡°Give me a break.¡± She studied him, one hand poised to shove off the fence and push her toward home. But she could be persuaded to stay. ¡°Give me a reason to. What¡¯s your issue with me?¡± He laughed under his breath and shook his head. ¡°What?¡± Kylee asked. ¡°What¡¯s so funny? I¡¯m not stupid, you know. I know when someone¡¯s laughing at me.¡± She crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to offend you.¡± He coughed. ¡°You¡¯re right. You¡¯re very smart.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± He guffawed. Yet somehow, she knew his laughter was friendly now. She liked the rich sound of it. Her shoulders relaxed, and she stepped closer. ¡°How¡¯s school? Do you like it here?¡± ¡°I like it fine. It¡¯s a nice town.¡± ¡°Have you made any friends? Do you know Jessica White?¡± Kylee pressed, suddenly wanting to know more about the life she¡¯d left behind. ¡°What classes are you taking? Do people mention me?¡± Her heart beat faster with anticipation, hope, nerves. She hated to think she no longer existed to the outside world. Price kicked a rock into the grass. He pushed at it with the toe of his shoe, embedding it further in the green stalks. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about school.¡± ¡°Oh. You don¡¯t like it?¡± He shrugged. ¡°Maybe you¡¯d like it if you couldn¡¯t go anymore.¡± ¡°I doubt it.¡± She tried to give him a flirtatious smile, but at the last moment she lost her nerve. Kylee swallowed her fear and straightened her shoulders. ¡°So talk about the weekend. What are you doing Saturday?¡± Oh, lordy, she was being gutsy! Her fingers plucked at a rusty nail poking through to her side of the fence. Fascinating coloring. ¡°Not that you have to tell me. Unless you want to.¡± He rested his elbow on the chest-high railing. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m going to the beach.¡± Kylee perked up. Even though Bill worked at the docks, she and her mother never went to the beach. ¡°Can I come? I¡¯d love to go. I haven¡¯t been in so long.¡± ¡°Uh¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, please. You won¡¯t notice me. In fact, just give me a ride there and bring me home.¡± Now that she¡¯d had the idea, it seemed impossible not to go. She could already feel the sunshine on her deprived skin. She¡¯d suffocate in that old house if she didn¡¯t get to the beach. She stood on her tiptoes, begging. ¡°I¡¯ll even ride in the trunk. Please?¡± He cast his eyes upward toward the sun. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not just me going. I¡¯m catching a ride with friends.¡± ¡°There¡¯s room for one more, right?¡± Price blinked at her and twirled one hand. ¡°I can¡¯t ask them to take you. I mean, it¡¯s not my car. It¡¯s kind of rude.¡± Kylee took a step back from the fence, her shoulders hunching forward as she deflated. ¡°You just don¡¯t want your friends to know you talked to me.¡± ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s picking you up? Michael? Amy?¡± Of the twelve hundred students at Kellam High, only a small handful lived in this part of town. Whoever he was going with had to be a friend of hers. ¡°Forget it. Tell everyone hi for me.¡± She turned on her heel and stomped toward the house. ¡°Kylee,¡± Price called after her. He remembered her name. In spite of her anger and hurt, a spark of triumph flared in her chest. It wasn¡¯t enough to slow her down, though. You Make Me Nervous The rooster crowed at the break of dawn. Saturday. Kylee groaned to herself. That meant two things. First, Price was going to the beach today. Second, Bill would be home all day. She had no desire to spend any time around her stepfather. Throwing herself from the bed, Kylee raced to the bathroom. She locked the door and ran through her quick shower. Five minutes. That was about how much time she had before Bill yelled about using up the water. Kylee shivered as she wrapped the towel around her dripping body. September heralded the end of summer, and while the days were still warm, mornings were cooling off. She managed to slip outside unnoticed. Kylee put the eggs in the basket, scraping off chicken feed and feathers stuck to the outsides of the blue-speckled shells. She headed back, swinging the basket gently. Kylee stopped and studied the vacant parking spot in front of her house. Where was Bill¡¯s car? Just the rusty pick-up decorated the overgrown yard. A tan SUV with dirt along the hubcaps blew down the road and pulled into Price¡¯s driveway. The horn sounded twice, and Price appeared in the doorway. He jumped down the porch steps two at a time and ran toward the car, a beach towel slung over one shoulder, his flip flops slapping with each step. ¡°Come on!¡± someone shouted through the open window, and laughter and jeers followed. ¡°Coming!¡± Price responded, his teeth flashing behind an excited grin. He disappeared inside the car, and then the vehicle backed up and roared away as quickly as it had come. Kylee tried not to imagine how much fun they¡¯d have. Why did she care? She wasn¡¯t a part of their group. She never had been. She slipped into the house and started washing the eggs in the kitchen sink. ¡°Hi, Mom.¡± Setting the clean eggs on a dish towel to dry, she turned toward her mother. ¡°Where¡¯s Bill? Is he working weekends now?¡± Kylee waited a moment, and then pressed for a response. ¡°Well?¡± Her mom began to hum, the same tuneless melody as always. Like I¡¯m not here, Kylee thought. She tiptoed down the hall into her room. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Kylee didn¡¯t want to face her mother again and the ominous silence that passed for conversation between them. She snuck out the window, book tucked under her arm. YYY Kylee hid out at her favorite hollowed out tree trunk until she could no longer ignore the growlings of her stomach. Still no sign of Bill. The house remained silent, no yelling or crashing things or TV turned up too high. Kylee shoved out of her tree trunk and headed home. She bypassed her window and entered through the front door. Her mom sat at the kitchen table, her eyes glazed over as she stared at the wall. Kylee opened the fridge and pulled out an egg. Theresa opened the front door and stepped outside without speaking to Kylee. Unhappiness burrowed in her chest like a sinkhole. She hugged her elbows. Her fingers brushed the edges of the big, jagged scar on her inner arm. The urge to slip into her room and add a few neighboring cuts almost overwhelmed her. Kylee gripped the edge of the table, willing herself to go outside like her mom. A cool breeze blew the hair around her face as soon as she opened the door. That was all she needed to clear her head. Only after she¡¯d sat down on top of her decaying log, kicked her shoes off, and started to relax did she realize she¡¯d left her book on the kitchen table. Kylee leaned back on her elbows. The tree bark dug into her skin. She closed her eyes, relishing the clarity it brought to her mind. She opened her eyes and lifted her head. The sun had changed positions, shining down through the leaves from a different angle. It felt like she¡¯d closed her eyes for a second, but hours had passed. Which meant one thing: Price must be home from the beach. Kylee sprang from the tree and jogged out of the forest. Sure enough, Price climbed out of the car, still wearing his navy blue swimming trunks. His light brown hair stuck out at odd angles, thanks to a combination of sand and salt water. He fist-bumped the other kids in the car, oblivious to Kylee as she leaned on the fence and watched them. He backed away from the SUV and waved, a smile pasted on his face. The car revved and backed down the long driveway. As it disappeared into a cloud of dust, Price dropped his hand, the grin fading. Kylee pressed her hands around the tops of the wooden poles. She debated whether to call out to him, but before she could, he spotted her. He stumbled backward, tripping over his feet. ¡°Where¡¯d you come from?¡± he said. He approached the fence. ¡°Hey,¡± Kylee greeted, resting her chin on one hand, her cheek smashed against the wood. ¡°You were too busy with your friends to notice me. You know, the ones you didn¡¯t want to ask if I could come?¡± Price¡¯s eyes shifted to the right, and he chewed on his inner cheek. ¡°Listen, I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t invite you. It wasn¡¯t my thing.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Kylee pushed off the fence. ¡°I get it.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t.¡± Price took a step closer. ¡°It wasn¡¯t about you, okay? I¡¯m the new guy. I can¡¯t be inviting other people along.¡± ¡°Especially not me.¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°Listen. I couldn¡¯t bring you. Not today. But . . .¡± he hesitated. ¡°Maybe you could come with me next Saturday. Just you.¡± Lordy, keep calm, she told herself. ¡°To the beach?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He glanced behind him for a moment and then looked back at her, squinting against the sun. ¡°Listen, I¡¯m gonna be honest. I¡¯m a little . . . nervous around you.¡± Block his Laser Eyes Kylee lowered her eyes. Suddenly everything about Price was endearing, from his spiky brown hair to his light-brown eyelashes to his fidgeting feet. She made him nervous? The thought brought a delighted smile to her lips. He coughed. ¡°Yeah, okay, you can laugh.¡± Her eyes shot up. ¡°No, no, I¡¯m not laughing at you. I understand better than you think, actually. I get nervous too, right?¡± She gave what she hoped was a sincere smile. ¡°I¡¯d love to go. It would be nice to have a friend. I deserve that, right?¡± He cocked his head and peered at her. ¡°Yeah. Yeah, you do.¡± Something in his eyes was so serious, so tender, that Kylee felt like he was seeing an intimate part of her. She pulled her shirt tighter around her as if to block his laser eyes. ¡°I better get inside,¡± she whispered, more because she didn¡¯t know what else to say than that she wanted to leave him. ¡°Me, too.¡± Price shouldered his towel. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later.¡± He lifted a hand in a gesture that might have been a wave. ¡°Later,¡± Kylee echoed. She backed away toward the house, not tearing her eyes from Price until he went inside. *** Kylee¡¯s ears perked up at the sound of Price¡¯s front door banging shut. She¡¯d become very familiar with it over the past week, and now she could recognize the sound from almost anywhere in the house. She dropped her pencil, leaving the math homework half-finished. ¡°I think I¡¯ll check on the chickens,¡± she told her mother. She hurried outside before her mother questioned her. Every day after school, Price came outside to get the mail. Kylee skipped the chickens and hurried toward his yard. He stood at the mailbox, flipping through a pile of envelopes. ¡°Hi,¡± Kylee called, striding across the yard as fast as she could without looking anxious. It wasn¡¯t easy to hurdle the waist-high weeds. He looked up and flashed her a grin. ¡°How do you always know when I¡¯m here?¡± ¡°I hear you come outside?¡± she suggested, trying to ignore the burning that crept up her neck. I¡¯ve memorized your routine. Duh. ¡°Yeah?¡± He gave her that probing look of his. ¡°You must have excellent hearing.¡± ¡°Or you¡¯re just loud,¡± she teased. ¡°Yeah, must be it,¡± Price said. Kylee nodded at the mail in his hands. ¡°Anything good?¡± ¡°Here? No, just junk for my dad.¡± He shoved the mail under one arm. ¡°Nothing from your old friends?¡± He shrugged. ¡°Nobody writes letters anymore.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Kylee nodded. ¡°Do you still talk to them?¡± Something like disappointment went across his face. ¡°I get messages sometimes, but they¡¯re pretty generic.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I guess that¡¯s life.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Kylee walked beside him. ¡°That¡¯s what happened to me when I quit going to school. It was like I died or something.¡± He shot an undecipherable look at her. ¡°How odd.¡± If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°I know, right? But I¡¯ve got you now.¡± My one and only friend. She had the sudden urge to touch him. She started to reach for his hand, then thought better of it and withdrew. She hoped she didn¡¯t botch this. ¡°You¡¯ve got me,¡± he murmured. The front door opened, and Lisa came out. ¡°Anything for me?¡± she called, running over to Price and scooping the mail away from him. ¡°Just junk for Dad.¡± He shoved his hands in his pockets. ¡°Oh, well.¡± ¡°Hi, Lisa,¡± Kylee said, expecting no response. Lisa didn¡¯t disappoint her. She took Price¡¯s hand and started dragging him to the house. ¡°I need help with the noodles. I think I overcooked them.¡± Price groaned. ¡°Again? I¡¯m tired of being the guinea pig while you learn to cook.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know how to cook?¡± Kylee asked. ¡°Why does your little sister have to do it?¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m doing a good job,¡± Lisa said. ¡°Next time you can cook.¡± ¡°Okay, you¡¯re right,¡± Price said, laughing. He avoided Kylee¡¯s eyes. ¡°Just keep making your mac and cheese.¡± She was the outsider again. Every time Lisa came along, Price went back to ignoring her. ¡°Your sister doesn¡¯t like me, does she?¡± Price spared her a glance, his eyes squinched up and tight. He looked back at his sister. ¡°Lisa, go inside. I¡¯ll be there in a minute.¡± ¡°No way. There¡¯s no time. The noodles will be ruined.¡± ¡°Lisa, I¡ª¡± ¡°Forget it,¡± Kylee interrupted. ¡°I¡¯ll just go home.¡± She willed herself to be angry and indignant as she walked away, but all she felt was disappointment. That friendship was short-lived. YYY For two days Kylee didn¡¯t talk to Price. She didn¡¯t try to meet up with him when the bus came or when he walked the dog or got the mail. She about died of boredom. She hadn¡¯t realized, or at least not in a cohesive thought, how much Price brightened her dull and predictable life. All they did was meet up for a few minutes here and there. Yet it meant something to her. So much so that she nearly gave in on Thursday. If he¡¯d gotten off the bus with the other kids, she might have talked to him. But he didn¡¯t. She was thus both surprised and pleased on Friday to see Price waiting at her mailbox when she went out after dinner. She looked back toward the dining room. No faces showed through the window, yet her heart rate picked up anyway. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she hissed. She rubbed the tips of her fingers against sweaty palms. He blinked, those molasses-colored lashes closing over his light brown eyes. ¡°Are you afraid of something?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard anything I¡¯ve said about my stepdad? No way will he be okay with you talking to me.¡± ¡°Maybe he won¡¯t see me.¡± ¡°Yeah, if we¡¯re lucky.¡± Kylee lifted her chin and let her tone frost over. ¡°You should go back to your house. You know, where you can pretend I don¡¯t exist.¡± She jerked on the mailbox, angry when the lid jammed. ¡°Need help?¡± ¡°I got it.¡± She gritted her teeth and pried it open on the third pull. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be like that. I don¡¯t pretend you don¡¯t exist.¡± She whirled to face him, jaw tightening. ¡°Yes, you do! As soon as your sister appears, you stop talking to me! I know she ignores me, which is rude enough, but you, too? Can¡¯t you just tell her we¡¯re friends?¡± His face reddened, and Kylee interpreted his answer for him. ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°Okay. I get it. Fine.¡± She swiveled around. ¡°Wait, Kylee, please, listen.¡± Price paraded in front of her, holding his hands out with the palms facing her. ¡°Don¡¯t stop talking to me again.¡± He scratched at his eyebrow, keeping his gaze on her. ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering where you went. If I¡¯d see you again.¡± He blurted the last line out like he was tossing a grenade and didn¡¯t want to get caught in the explosion. His eyes darted to the ground, the blush rising all the way to his ear ¡°I don¡¯t want to be treated like a nobody.¡± She crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°If we¡¯re going to be friends, you have to acknowledge me in front of other people.¡± He hesitated. Kylee leaned closer. ¡°Is it that hard? Is your reputation so fragile?¡± ¡°No, hey, it¡¯s not like that. You¡ª¡± He sighed. ¡°You have no idea.¡± ¡°Then tell me,¡± she said. He lifted his face, those eyes flicking back and forth as he studied her. ¡°Listen, I¡¯m going to the beach tomorrow. The offer still stands. Want to come with me?¡± Her heart pitter-pattered in her chest. She hadn¡¯t forgotten his mention last weekend, but she¡¯d assumed he¡¯d changed his mind. ¡°You drive?¡± ¡°No.¡± Price grinned, the corners of his eyes crinkling. ¡°But I¡¯m a quick study with city buses.¡± The beach was twenty minutes away by car, but the public transportation system would take at least an hour. One hour each way of the two of them, with only each other for company. A full day away from Bill, away from the chores. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± ¡°Yeah, do that.¡± One side of his lips turned upward. ¡°I mean, I want to,¡± Kylee amended. ¡°But I have to ask Bill.¡± He blinked, an expression of blank confusion on his face. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, duh. Don¡¯t you have to get permission before you go places?¡± Maybe he didn¡¯t. ¡°I¡¯ll work it out.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Price said, though he sounded less sure of himself. ¡°Then, uh, meet me at my house at eight tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Perfect,¡± Kylee breathed, unable to stop the smile pulling across her face. ¡°See you tomorrow!¡± Too Much Blood Kylee once again ran over the scenario of getting permission to go to the beach. She stepped into the living room and sat on the edge of the couch, her hands tapping her knees. She needed the right moment, the perfect opportunity. Otherwise, she knew Bill would say no just to be spiteful. A commercial came on, and Bill picked up the remote, flipping through channels. Kylee exhaled, so intent on her thoughts she didn¡¯t know what he was watching. ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s Saturday,¡± Kylee blurted out. Ugh. What a lame beginning. Bill didn¡¯t glance at her. He took a sip of his beer and changed the channel. ¡°Some kids from school are going to the beach,¡± Kylee continued. If all she got was silence, it wouldn¡¯t be so bad. She could pretend it was a yes. ¡°They invited me. Can I go?¡± Now she held her breath, waiting to see what Bill would say. Nothing. The game came back on and Bill settled in his chair, dropping the remote on the end table with a loud belch. ¡°Okay, then,¡± she said, pushing herself to her feet with fake cheer. ¡°Sounds great. I¡¯ll be off in the morning, then.¡± She made a beeline for the kitchen, already envisioning herself locked in her room, out of Bill¡¯s reach. ¡°Kylee!¡± Bill shouted, sitting up in his chair. Kylee froze in the doorway, then slowly turned around. ¡°I can go, right? You know, to the beach. We talked about it.¡± Kind of. ¡°Leave her alone,¡± Theresa said from where she stood by the couch. ¡°Always sticking your nose where it don¡¯t belong.¡± Her mother took a step toward them. ¡°Kylee, go back to the kitchen.¡± Bill rose to his feet, rolling his head and popping his neck. ¡°Worthless, just like your mom.¡± He shoved Theresa aside and stepped toward Kylee. ¡°I just want to go out tomorrow,¡± she said, hating the pleading that entered her voice. ¡°I¡¯ll get my chores done when I get back. I promise. Let me go for a bit.¡± ¡°You got something to say, girl?¡± Bill backhanded her across the face, and Kylee caught herself before she crashed into the doorframe. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare talk to me that way!¡± he hollered. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. He was out of control. The skin on the back of Kylee¡¯s neck prickled, warning her of danger. ¡°Go to your room, Kylee,¡± her mother said. ¡°Yeah, Kylee,¡± Bill sneered. ¡°Go to your room so I can take care of your mom.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not trying to be ungrateful.¡± Why couldn¡¯t he let her go? Bill¡¯s fist lashed out again. This time Kylee ducked in time, and his fist propelled through the empty air. Theresa grabbed Bill¡¯s arm. He rammed his elbow back, smacking her in the face. ¡°Kylee! Go. Now!¡± her mom said, one hand pressed against her cheekbone. She¡¯d watched this scene play out dozens of times, and she knew she couldn¡¯t help her mom. If she didn¡¯t leave now, Bill would just get angrier. But as Kylee turned on her heel and raced for her room, she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of cowardice and guilt at leaving her mother behind. She locked her door with shaking hands. Then she grabbed the chair from her desk and wedged it under the knob. Get out, get out, get out. The thought hammered through her head like a metronome. She couldn¡¯t stay here. Bill would get in. Kylee whirled around. She slipped out the open window and raced across the yard. Bill¡¯s voice carried all the way to the tree line. Kylee covered her ears, sobbing as she ran to her fallen trunk. Shaking and trembling, she crawled inside the hollow. Finally, silence. From here she couldn¡¯t hear Bill. She was safe. Her heart tightened as she thought of her mother. Bill would turn on her now, take out his anger on someone else. ¡°Stupid, stupid,¡± Kylee sobbed. She never should¡¯ve asked to go to the beach. She knew better. She needed a release. She needed a cut. To hell with her resolution. Reaching behind her and digging her fingers into the dirt, Kylee¡¯s fingers brushed the small paring knife before she found what she wanted: a sharp steak knife. Reckless, shaking with emotion, Kylee dug the knife into her skin at the bend of her arm and ran it down toward her wrist, right over the jagged scar. The red blood welled up along her forearm before spilling over the sides in small rivulets. Kylee waited for the pain to come. It didn¡¯t. Angry and impatient, she gripped the knife in her bloody fingers and cut the other arm the exact same way. And then the sensation kicked in. She gasped as the nerve endings sent wave after wave of agony through her arms. Adrenaline drove out the anger and hurt, and she focused instead on the physical throbbing of her body. Such relief. Kylee settled back under the tree and shut her eyes, cradling her arms against her body. She¡¯d cut herself deeper than usual. The blood soaked into her shirt. Her arms felt hot, like fire had started beneath her skin. She tried to open her eyes, but her eyelids seemed made of lead. Her short, shallow breaths deepened as her heart rate slowed. A small warning bell rang in her head. Should she be alarmed? It took a monumental effort, but she pried one eye open. Cloudiness fogged her mind, and she tried to lift her head up. Too much blood. The sight of it pooling across her abdomen and creeping up her shirt startled her into reality. Swearing at herself, Kylee yanked her shirt off and tore it up. Her hands trembled so badly she could hardly do a bandage, but she managed to wrap both arms up. She crossed them over her exposed torso, her teeth chattering. She couldn¡¯t think anymore. Exhaustion hit her between the eyes. She¡¯d done what she could; there was nothing else to do. She lay down in the dirt, still clutching her elbows, and let the heavy fog wrap around her mind. Can I Stay? Kylee woke up suddenly, shivering as a cold breeze blew over her bare flesh. Goosebumps rose up on her stomach, and she curled up, huddling in a ball for warmth. The dirt did little to reflect her body heat, however. She stumbled out of the hollowed out tree trunk, kicking up leaves and twigs as she made her way back to the house. She examined the make-shift bandages on her arms. The bleeding must¡¯ve stopped, but the rags were stained crimson. She touched one with a finger, and the crusty dried blood crunched under her touch. The world tilted around her. Kylee needed to lay down. The full moon lit the yard, casting a ghostly pallor on the dark and silent house. Whatever fighting and yelling had gone on was long over now. She climbed back into her bedroom. The door was closed, but her desk chair lay sideways by the wall. So much for keeping anyone out. It wasn¡¯t the first time she¡¯d snuck back in to find Bill had forced open the door. A dark suspicion took root in her mind, sprawling outward before she could pluck it away: had Bill ever followed her? Did he know where her secret tree was? She shook her head. No. If he knew, he¡¯d chase her down. The hall light was out. No sounds came from her mom and Bill¡¯s room. Kylee turned on the closet light. She grabbed a sweatshirt and yanked in on over her head. Turning the light off, she spun in a slow circle. Shadows from the desk and bed loomed in the otherwise bare room. The lack of personality and life mocked her. This generic room could belong to anyone. Or no one. She couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. Kylee wasn¡¯t staying here another moment. She no longer wanted her bed. She bolted for the window and climbed back out before she could question her thoughts. A moment later she found herself in front of Price¡¯s house, staring up at the window on the second floor. She knew that was his room. She¡¯d watched his silhouette in the evenings when the night grew dark and his light was on. Kylee couldn¡¯t recall making a conscious decision to come here, and she didn¡¯t remember running over to his house. Yet now that she was here, it seemed the most logical course of action. She glanced around, wondering how to get to that second floor. There were no nearby trees. A vine snaked up the brick exterior, but Kylee doubted it would hold her. Still, she didn¡¯t see any ladders or anything. That left the vine. She grabbed onto it and gave it a tug. It didn¡¯t budge. She put her weight on it, pushing off from the ground and swinging. It didn¡¯t come free. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Satisfied, Kylee pressed her feet against the house and rappelled upward, using her grip on the vine to climb to the second story. There was no landing or anything to rest on when she reached the window. Luckily, Price had left it ajar, probably to let in the cool evening breeze. The screen was already off, leaning against the wall inside. Kylee shimmied her slender body under the cracked window. Her hands hit the hardwood floor first. She crept inside, letting her eyes get used to the dark before she moved around. Last thing she wanted to do was make a loud noise and spook Price, or wake the whole house. A worm of doubt niggled in her mind. Only weirdos snuck into other people¡¯s houses at night. What would Price think of her? As soon as she thought it, other doubts trickled in. This was a stupid idea. They¡¯d both get in trouble if she was caught. This was a stalkerish thing to do. Kylee turned back to the window, eager to make her getaway before her foolish actions were discovered. ¡°Kylee?¡± She froze at Price¡¯s voice. Too late. He¡¯d spotted her. She sighed and faced him. ¡°Hi.¡± She gripped her hands in front of her, feeling awkward in her jeans and sweatshirt. ¡°I¡¯m, uh, well, sorry. I shouldn¡¯t be here.¡± Price sat up in his bed, the blankets falling back to reveal the snug dark t-shirt he wore as pajamas. ¡°Are you okay? Do you need something?¡± He looked adorable with his brown hair poking out in unfashionable directions, his face swollen with sleep. Kylee hugged herself. ¡°No, no. I¡¯m fine. This was stupid.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Nothing, nothing. I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°Do you need a place to go, Kylee?¡± He was looking at her that way, his head cocked. It was too dark to see his eyes, but Kylee was certain they studied her, probed her intimately. She sagged with relief. ¡°Yes, actually.¡± She thought of Bill, of the environment in her house, her room, and she didn¡¯t want to go back. ¡°Can I stay? Just tonight?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Price climbed out of bed and went to the closet. Kylee glanced at him in his boxers and t-shirt before averting her eyes. ¡°Here.¡± He tossed a pillow and a blanket at her. ¡°Do you need that?¡± Kylee lay down on the pillow in the middle of his floor and pressed her face into the quilt, inhaling the fresh laundry scent. So soft. ¡°Thank you.¡± The bed creaked, and she swiveled her head to see Price pulling his covers back over his body. ¡°Will you be okay down there?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Kylee whispered, staring at the ceiling. Price hadn¡¯t acted as weirded out as she¡¯d expected. She chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m not the first girl to show up in your bedroom, huh?¡± ¡°What was that?¡± His voice sounded drowsy, the words slurred together with sleep. ¡°You didn¡¯t seem too surprised to see me.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t.¡± Kylee barely heard his response, he was so quiet. ¡°Oh. So I¡¯m just one girl of many to sneak through your window.¡± Silence followed. Kylee closed her eyes. Just when she thought Price must be asleep, he said, ¡°I¡¯ve never had a girl in my room before. But you¡¯re different.¡± A smile pressed itself to her lips, and a warm feeling flooded her limbs. She curled up in the blanket and went to sleep. This Wasnt her Room The rooster crowing woke Kylee in the morning. She stretched her arms out, wondering why the bed felt so hard beneath her shoulder blades. And she had a horrible crick in her neck. She rolled over and opened her eyes. This wasn¡¯t her room. Kylee bolted upright before her memory came crashing back. She spotted the open window, the screen propped up under it. Her eyes scanned along the pastel-blue wall and reached the desk with a fancy computer monitor next to a set of speakers. A stack of games in plastic cases leaned against the side of the desk. She had no idea what that desk was made of, but she knew it was something more solid than the plywood construction she had in her room. Swiveling in her blankets, Kylee turned to see the twin bed next to her, the sheet-covered lump in the middle that rose and fell with each heavy breath. She pulled her own blankets up around her chin. She¡¯d slept in Price¡¯s house last night. The thought was so illegal and illicit that she giggled. She could imagine what Jessica would say. If they were still friends. What should she do now? Go home? Kylee stood up, letting the blanket fall as she walked to the window. It was Saturday, the beginning of another weekend in hell. Bill would be watching the clock to make sure she didn¡¯t shower for too long. ¡°Are you leaving?¡± Kylee turned to see Price watching her. He lay sideways on the bed, eyes open and on her. ¡°I never want to go back,¡± Kylee whispered. He pushed up on one elbow. ¡°I thought maybe I was dreaming last night. I half expected you not to be here.¡± Heat crept up her cheeks. ¡°No. I really came. Like some idiot.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Such a simple question. Yet it expected so much. She shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to be there anymore.¡± ¡°Bad memories?¡± ¡°I guess.¡± Bad memories, and a bad life. But she couldn¡¯t say that. The last thing she wanted Price to think was she needed a pity party. She wanted to be normal. A flirty, sexy, girl-next-door type of normal. Price¡¯s voice softened. ¡°This isn¡¯t your home, though. You might not be able to stay.¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m not really an idiot.¡± Annoyed, Kylee looked back out the window. What did he think, that she planned on moving in? That would go over well with everyone. Still, a part of her wished he¡¯d offered. They had to have a spare bedroom somewhere in this giant house. ¡°Je n¡¯ai jamais dit que tu etais une idiote.¡± ¡°What?¡± He was speaking another language again. ¡°Nothing. Of course you¡¯re not an idiot. So . . . can you wear a swimsuit?¡± His eyebrows lifting in a curious expression. Kylee was still trying to work out what he meant by speaking a language she didn¡¯t understand. This new question caught her off-guard. ¡°A swimsuit?¡± Was he being suggestive? Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°The beach, right? It doesn¡¯t have to be a swimsuit,¡± he amended. ¡°You¡¯re fine in what you¡¯re wearing. Or are you not coming with me?¡± The beach! She¡¯d forgotten about the invite, the one that started last night¡¯s argument. She opened her mouth to say she couldn¡¯t go, and then shut it. What was Bill going to do? Likely he¡¯d never notice she was gone. He¡¯d think she stayed in her room all day. She smiled, pleased with herself and her little plan. ¡°I¡¯m good the way I am.¡± ¡°Are you sure? I have clothes if you want to borrow them. Some shorts, a t-shirt.¡± She looked down at her sweatshirt and jeans. ¡°What, this isn¡¯t sexy enough for you?¡± Oh lordy. She couldn¡¯t believe she¡¯d said that out loud. She cleared her throat, hoping her face wasn¡¯t as red as it felt. ¡°I¡¯ll take your clothes. Where can I change?¡± ¡°Uh.¡± Price avoided her eyes and scratched his eyebrow. ¡°The bathroom. Follow me.¡± He led her down the hall. The right side was open, revealing a landing that looked out over a living area. Kylee kept glancing around, taking in the decor of the natural wood finish, the darkened knots in the flooring. It resembled a rustic log cabin. The ceiling had been removed to reveal the criss-crossing wood of the attic. Rifles decorated the upper wall, and huge antlers hung over the fireplace. A wide television screen at least four times the size of her own was set up in one corner, a variety of leather couches and chairs assembled in front of it. ¡°Is your dad a hunter?¡± Kylee asked. Price pressed a finger to his lips and gestured to the bathroom. Kylee nodded. It wouldn¡¯t do for his dad to know she¡¯d spent the night. Price deposited his change of clothes on the counter. She stepped inside, and he closed the door behind her. The floral scent almost knocked her over. Kylee poked her head around the shower curtain and examined the pristine tile walls, the shampoo and razors stacked on the shelf. She turned back to the white marbled countertop and the bronze vase sitting on top. A wicker basket of potpourri revealed the source of the scent. She bent over the petals and sniffed, shutting her eyes so she could focus every sense on the smell. Exhaling, she opened her eyes and came face to face with her reflection in the mirror. She took a step back, startled by the wide blue eyes over pink cheeks and freckles staring back at her. The mirror at home was yellowed and covered with black spots. Could she really be the same girl? She undid her ponytail and ran her fingers through the unruly blond hair. How did Price like girls¡¯ hair? Up or down? Down just looked like a hot mess. She swept it over to the side and pulled it into a bun at the nape of her neck. Pieces still escaped. She tried again, but it refused to be neat and ruly. She gave up with a huff, letting it fall around her shoulders. She pictured him as he¡¯d looked when he woke up, like a sleepy little boy with bed head. A smile tickled her lips, and she resisted the urge to hum. Kylee pulled off the sweatshirt and hesitated at the sight of the torn shirt wrapped around her forearms. She¡¯d have to take the strips of cloth off, or Price would notice. But which would be worse, asking about the bandages, or asking about the wounds beneath? Best to see how bad they were. Kylee held her breath and undid the wrappings. They slid right off, not sticking to her skin with crunchy, dried blood the way she expected. The wound didn¡¯t look that bad at all. Kylee ran her fingers along the hot pink line in the crease of her elbow down to the middle of her arm. This one looked more like a healing wound than a fresh cut. In fact, she couldn¡¯t be sure, but it seemed like this was the same jagged scar she¡¯d had before last night. She turned her head to examine the other arm and let out a startled gasp. There was no mark. She pressed her fingers against the undamaged skin, save for white scars from previous cuts she¡¯d made. She tried to remember her cuttings from the night before. They¡¯d looked so much worse in the forest, with blood seeping everywhere. The light-headedness, the trees swimming around her, the blood pooling on her chest. She couldn¡¯t have imagined it. Had she? What if none of it had been real? She picked up the torn rags that had wrapped her arms. Her heart skipped a beat. ¡°No blood,¡± she whispered. Her hands shook, and the strips of cloth slipped from her fingers. Her mind replayed the scene from the night in the forest again. She had cut herself. It hurt. She bled. But now it looked like it had never happened. Like It Never Happened Kylee stuffed the torn cloth into the trashcan and shook her head. Her hands trembled, and she took several deep breaths to steady herself. ¡°I must¡¯ve dreamed it,¡± she whispered. That was the only explanation. Shaking it off, she pulled Price¡¯s shirt on over her head. Price opened the door and poked his head in. Kylee gasped and clutched her midsection, even though she¡¯d already gotten her shirt on. ¡°Price! What if I was still changing?¡± He had the grace to blush. ¡°Sorry. You were taking so long, I started to worry,¡± he whispered. Kylee stepped out. She looked at him, surprised he had waited. He gestured and led her back to his room. She settled herself on his bed, feet dangling a few inches from the floor. He gathered up an armful of clothes, choosing a pair of shorts from a pile by the computer desk and a shirt sitting on top of a stack of books. Kylee couldn¡¯t tell if this was what he planned to wear or if he was cleaning up. ¡°Stay in here, okay?¡± he said, pausing with his hand on the bedroom doorknob. ¡°Sure,¡± Kylee said. She got up and went to the computer desk. She sat in the chair with netted backing in front of his computer and pulled on one of his textbooks. It didn¡¯t budge. She touched the spines of the thick, heavy books on top of it. ¡°I won¡¯t go anywhere.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He cast her another searching look, as if everything she said was in code and he wanted to decipher what she meant. Then he left the room. As soon as the door closed, Kylee hopped to her feet. This was her chance to find out who Price was. She¡¯d expected his room to be more extravagant, judging from the rest of the house. But it was about the same shape and size as her own. He had a standard sliding closet door that looked like it remained perpetually open. Posters of different athletes decorated the walls, and a shelf held various trophies. Kylee stood on her tiptoes and examined them. Baseball, soccer, basketball. Looked like he played everything. Several of them had years from tournaments and championship games imprinted on them. The door creaked open, and Kylee ducked, ready to hide behind the bed if necessary. Price came in, wearing his navy blue swimming trunks and a white t-shirt. Kylee glanced down at what she wore. Blue shorts and a white shirt. They looked identical. ¡°Hey,¡± he said, tossing a pile of clothes on the bed. ¡°My dad¡¯s up.¡± He hesitated. ¡°Do you need any breakfast? We¡¯ve got yogurt, Poptarts.¡± Kylee¡¯s stomach growled in response, but she shook her head. She didn¡¯t want to eat in front of him. ¡°No, I¡¯m good.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t get hungry?¡± ¡°Your dad might get suspicious if I join you for breakfast.¡± Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°Okay. Right.¡± He nodded. ¡°Listen, I have to do some chores, and then we¡¯ll leave. You can just chill here for a bit. ¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Kylee wrapped her arms around her knees, wondering what she¡¯d do alone in his room. ¡°Will you be all right by yourself?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°I mean, you won¡¯t go back, will you?¡± Kylee thought of her mom and Bill. Maybe they¡¯d already noticed she was gone. She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s best if I stay away.¡± ¡°All right, then, sit tight. I¡¯ll be back. I promise.¡± Kylee scanned the books on his bookshelf and glanced through the clothes in his closet. She thought about picking up the piles on the floor, but she had no idea what was dirty and what wasn¡¯t. Besides, that felt a little too intrusive. After about ten minutes, she¡¯d run out of things to do. So she lay down on Price¡¯s bed. She breathed in his scent, a mixture of sweat and something musky and the freshness of deodorant. He smelled like a boy should. ¡°Kylee.¡± The bed vibrated, and she opened her eyes to see Price standing above her. He had that odd look on his face again. ¡°Oh.¡± She got off his bed, embarrassed. ¡°Hi.¡± She rubbed her face, certain she must look awful. She hadn¡¯t heard him come in; she must¡¯ve fallen asleep. ¡°So you play sports?¡± she asked, trying to change the subject. ¡°What?¡± His brow furrowed. ¡°All the trophies?¡± She gestured to the shelf behind her. ¡°I used to play,¡± he said, a bit gruffly. ¡°Before we moved here.¡± Then his life had changed with the move, and not just the house or his friends. ¡°Your dad won¡¯t let you play now?¡± she asked, trying to get a feel for the reason behind the change. ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± Price picked up a red sack with pull-strings. He pulled it closed and slung his arm through it, an agitated expression on his face. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± ¡°What will you say to your dad when I come down the stairs?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t say a word.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not gonna ask questions?¡± ¡°If I act normal, he will too.¡± ¡°He¡¯s okay with you having girls over?¡± She remembered her suspicion the night before that this must¡¯ve happened previously. Maybe she wasn¡¯t wrong. ¡°No, it¡¯s just . . . don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯ll be fine.¡± She pictured Price and his sister the way she saw them every Sunday, all dressed up for church. Good church boys didn¡¯t have girls over all night. She was certain of that. ¡°What church do you go to?¡± ¡°The old stone one a few miles away. My dad likes small, close-knit places. Wait.¡± One corner of his mouth lifted. ¡°How did you know I go to church?¡± Because I spend my spare time spying out the window at you. Kylee felt as though the words were engraved across her forehead, and she could only lift her shoulders. ¡°Everyone goes to church?¡± ¡°Do you?¡± She shook her head. ¡°Everyone but me.¡± His eyes probed hers. Kylee looked down, feeling the heat creep up the back of her neck and into her ears. ¡°Why do you look at me like that?¡± she said. ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°Like that.¡± She gestured at his face. Price picked a piece of trash from the carpet and tossed it into the wastebasket. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± He turned and left the room. Was she supposed to follow? They were leaving now, right? Hesitantly, she went after him. Price strode ahead of her, his gait like someone trying to leave something behind. A nagging sibling, an annoying classmate, or an unwanted neighbor. Her earlier confidence faded. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to upset you¡ª¡± she began. Price turned around, pressing a finger to his lips. Kylee froze mid-step to keep from walking into him. ¡°Listen, you didn¡¯t upset me. Let¡¯s just be quiet until we get to the beach.¡± Without another word, he started down the stairs. ¡°Okayyyy,¡± Kylee murmured, trying not to let his behavior concern her too much. He was a boy, after all. From what she understood of her stepfather, they tended to be moody. Take Them Off Sisko lay at the foot of the stairs. He lifted his head from his paws and wagged his tail at the sight of them. Then he whimpered, stood up, and ran around the corner. ¡°I don¡¯t think your dog likes me either,¡± Kylee said. Price didn¡¯t answer. Lisa stood beside the front door, wearing shorts and flip-flops, jabbering away at the man Kylee assumed was their father. He stood in slacks and a t-shirt, checking his phone. He looked up when they came down the stairs. ¡°There you are,¡± he said, his eyes focusing on Price¡¯s face. ¡°I thought maybe you¡¯d changed your mind.¡± ¡°Nah, just getting stuff together.¡± Kylee followed close behind Price, a bit self-conscious in his blue shorts and white shirt. But neither Lisa nor their father looked at her. ¡°Is Lisa coming?¡± Price asked, giving his sister a gentle shove. ¡°You wish!¡± she retorted, shoving him back. Her waist-length brown hair fell in disorganized chaos down her back. ¡°No! Dad¡¯s taking me to Jumping Land.¡± ¡°Well, at least something¡¯s going my way today,¡± he said. She stuck her tongue out at him. ¡°Into the car if we¡¯re getting out of here.¡± His dad slid the cell phone into his pocket and pushed the button to open the garage door. ¡°Call me when you catch the bus home, and I¡¯ll meet you at the station.¡± ¡°Great. Thanks.¡± Lisa climbed into the back of the BMW, nonstop chatter the whole time. ¡°Can you sit in the back next to Lisa?¡± Price whispered to Kylee, leaning close to her. She furrowed her brows together. Lisa? The girl who pretended she didn¡¯t exist? ¡°What? She doesn¡¯t even¡ª¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± He opened the back door and gave her a sheepish grin as he tossed his bag on the floor. ¡°Don¡¯t bother with the seatbelt. It¡¯s broken.¡± Lisa scurried over from the other side and plopped herself in the middle. ¡°I¡¯m already in, Price!¡± she yelled. ¡°Just putting my bag in, sheesh, Lisa.¡± Kylee shot him a glare and ducked into the car. Great. She got to imagine what it was like to be invisible for the next ten minutes. Why hadn¡¯t Price sat back here with her? He closed the door before she asked him. The engine started with a purr, and his dad backed the car out of the garage. Kylee ran her hand over the chic orange leather seats, stopping at the modern black trim and pinching it between her fingers. Lisa didn¡¯t waste a moment turning on the small rectangular screen between the two front seats. Kylee gasped. ¡°There¡¯s a TV in the car?¡± Price started laughing. His dad stopped talking mid-sentence. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± he asked. Price shook his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. I just thought of something. That¡¯s all.¡± She leaned back and smiled to herself. At least she knew Price was listening. His dad pulled them into the bus station, still talking. Price got out and opened her door before she touched the handle. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Lisa asked, frowning at him. His dad swiveled in the front seat to look at him. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°Just getting my bag.¡± He returned her look and grabbed his bag from the floor next to Kylee. ¡°Thanks for the ride, Mr.¡ª¡± she fumbled as she realized she didn¡¯t know Price¡¯s last name. ¡°Sir,¡± she finished lamely. He didn¡¯t respond, and Price bobbed his head at her, motioning for her to get out. Barely had her feet hit the asphalt before he closed the door behind her. ¡°Well, that was awkward,¡± she said as they approached the station. ¡°It¡¯s Hudson,¡± Price said. ¡°What¡¯s Hudson?¡± ¡°My last name. You know.¡± He motioned behind him. ¡°You didn¡¯t know what to call my dad.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Kylee shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s not what was awkward.¡± ¡°What, then?¡± ¡°Your dad!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°Does he ignore all your friends? Or did he just think I wasn¡¯t worth his time?¡± ¡°Uh, he¡¯s kind of hard to connect with sometimes. You know. Like he¡¯s not always paying attention.¡± Kylee relented. That, at least, she could relate to. ¡°I know, right? My mom¡¯s that way. She¡¯s all I¡¯ve got. But she never notices when I need something.¡± She stopped. The back of her neck burned. ¡°Yeah. Just forget that.¡± ¡°I get it,¡± he said, sitting on a bench outside the depot. ¡°You¡¯re lonely.¡± She sat next to him. ¡°You¡¯re not?¡± ¡°I get lonely sometimes.¡± She looked at his hand, at the way his fingers tapped his thigh in a repeating pattern, and curled her hand into a fist so she wouldn¡¯t touch him. ¡°Maybe we need each other.¡± He squinted sideways at her. ¡°Maybe.¡± The bus pulled up, and Price stood. Kylee thought of something, and she wished she could melt into a puddle and disappear. ¡°Price.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± He shouldered his bag. ¡°I don¡¯t have any money.¡± ¡°Oh. Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ve got you covered.¡± She bit her lip. She hated to put him out in any way, but if he didn¡¯t pay for her, she wasn¡¯t going. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He nodded. ¡°Go on in front of me.¡± The door was already open, so Kylee climbed up the steps. ¡°Um, he¡¯s paying for me,¡± she said to the driver, jerking her thumb at Price. He came up behind her, handed the driver some bills, and nodded for her to find a seat. She walked down the aisle of the bus, avoiding backpacks and extended feet from sleepy passengers. She spotted an empty seat in the back and collapsed into it. She gave Price a smile when he sat next to her, hoping she didn¡¯t look too excited. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to ride a bus.¡± He scratched at his eyebrow and pressed his forehead into the stretchy vinyl of the seat in front of them. ¡°Yeah? You¡¯ve never done this before?¡± He spoke into the chair, and she had to lean forward to hear him. ¡°No. I hardly ever leave home, actually.¡± ¡°You¡¯re kidding. I never would¡¯ve guessed.¡± ¡°I know, right?¡± Kylee laughed and turned her gaze out the window. They passed the rest of the drive in what Kylee considered a comfortable silence. The bus stopped every couple of blocks to let people off and let others on. She envied those who lived in the city and didn¡¯t have to catch a ride to the depot. How nice to just come and go using the bus route. About an hour later, the bus pulled to the curb of the cobblestone walkway along the beach. ¡°This is us,¡± Price murmured, pushing off and exiting from the back of the bus. She took two steps away from the bus and came to a stop. The whole boardwalk curved along with the ocean, and all she saw was the greenish-blue water as it foamed along the golden sand. The ocean itself was a wide expanse full of small boats and people bobbing in the distance. ¡°Did you want to go closer?¡± Price asked. She blinked at him. ¡°I can¡¯t believe how big it is!¡± ¡°Okay, now you¡¯re kidding. You¡¯ve lived in Virginia Beach how long? And you¡¯ve never been here?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve been here,¡± Kylee corrected. ¡°Seven years ago. My mom brought me before she married Bill. That was the last time.¡± She gestured out toward it. ¡°It¡¯s so much bigger than in my memory.¡± ¡°Your stepdad doesn¡¯t like the beach?¡± ¡°He works at the docks.¡± She indicated the massive wooden platform to the south, covered with cranes and huge crates. ¡°He hates coming here.¡± ¡°And your mom won¡¯t bring you?¡± She shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s only one car. Bill doesn¡¯t like anyone to take it. What if he needs it?¡± ¡°Well, come on. Let¡¯s get closer.¡± Price shouldered his bag and walked across the cobblestone, his flip-flops snapping with each step. Seagulls crooned and circled above them, and Kylee ran to catch up with him. He stepped down into the sand, a contented, lazy smile glazing his lips. ¡°Ahh.¡± Sand pooled into his flip-flops, gathering around his toes and sliding back out the sides. She looked down at her worn pair of gray tennis shoes. The idea of getting tiny granules in her socks and shoes wasn¡¯t appealing. ¡°Take ¡¯em off.¡± ¡°What?¡± She lifted her head. He shrugged. ¡°How will you feel the sand on your toes if you don¡¯t get them off?¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°Unless you can¡¯t. . . ?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t what?¡± He squinted and looked to the horizon. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Take your shoes off.¡± Did he think she had clubfeet or some ghastly foot disease? She slipped her shoes off and shoved her socks into the empty foot hole. Her mouth dropped open when her first bare foot slid beneath the warm, sunbaked sand. She hadn¡¯t remembered it being so delicious and scratchy and itchy and soothing at the same time. ¡°Wow! It¡¯s amazing.¡± He laughed. ¡°Want to get in the water?¡± She shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t. I didn¡¯t bring a swimsuit.¡± ¡°What makes you think you need one?¡± More to the Story Kylee gaped at him. Was he suggesting¡ª ¡°Your shoes are already off,¡± he said, meeting her eyes with unabashed confidence. ¡°We can wade in it.¡± Oh. That¡¯s what he meant. Of course. She looked toward the edge of the sand where the water rolled up and down like a soft blanket. Other people, families, couples, frolicked in it, wading in up to their ankles or building sandcastles. Kylee wanted to be with them more than anything. She wanted to be them. ¡°Oh, yes.¡± She smiled. Today she could be. ¡°What do you think of it?¡± Price asked as they stood at the edge of the ocean. She stood still and let the water wash over her ankles. It tickled as it pulled back, scratching the soles of her feet. ¡°It¡¯s wonderful. I love it.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He shoved his hands into his pockets. He pried his foot from his flip-flop and dug his big toe into the sand, then started walking again. ¡°It¡¯s great here. I used to come¡ªa lot.¡± Something in his tone of voice caught her attention. Like there was more to the story¡ªand he wanted her to ask. ¡°Yeah?¡± She matched his strides, walking side by side with Price through the water. ¡°Why used to?¡± He took so long to answer that she thought he wasn¡¯t going to. ¡°My mom brought us here the first Sunday of every month.¡± She¡¯d never heard him speak about his mom. She pictured Price and Lisa playing at the beach with a woman. The image in her head matched the other children she saw running around, escorted between the arms and warning shouts of protective mothers. ¡°But not your dad?¡± ¡°What do you mean? My dad always came too.¡± Kylee revised the family picture to include his father. ¡°Oh. But you don¡¯t come anymore?¡± She¡¯d never seen evidence of a mother. She¡¯d noted her absence, and the absence of any reference to her at Price¡¯s house. That explained a lot. The move to the country, his moodiness. ¡°No. My mom¡¯s not here anymore. Everything¡¯s different without her.¡± ¡°I know, right?¡± She sighed. ¡°My dad left us when I was a kid. Then my mom married stupid Bill. Nothing¡¯s been the same since.¡± He sat down and made a trench through the moist sand with his fingers. ¡°You never see your dad?¡± ¡°No.¡± She shrugged like it didn¡¯t bother her. ¡°He obviously didn¡¯t care about us too much.¡± ¡°What? How could your dad not care about you?¡± He furrowed his brows and stared at her. ¡°Yeah.¡± She wrapped her arms around her knees. ¡°Do you still talk to your mom?¡± He gave a sad smile. ¡°No.¡± Kylee shook her head. ¡°Wow. What bad luck we have.¡± The only response was the crashing of the waves along the shore and the laughter of children as they splashed in the water. ¡°My mom didn¡¯t leave us,¡± Price said, scooping up a handful of sand and letting it drift between his fingers. ¡°She died. Two months ago.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± She closed her eyes, feeling like an idiot. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± He shifted in the sand and faced her. ¡°Have you seen her?¡± ¡°When?¡± The first time she¡¯d seen Price was a month ago. She tried to recall if she¡¯d seen him earlier. Maybe when they looked at the house? ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. He rested his head on his hand. ¡°Stupid question.¡± ¡°No.¡± She understood his desire to link his mother to his present life. Kylee felt the overwhelming need to touch him, to feel connected to him. Before she could second-guess herself or rethink it, she pressed her hand over his. She barely noted the sensation of his warm skin under her hand before he jerked back. At the same moment, a wall of light erupted around her, washing over her like a shock wave before dissipating into the atmosphere. In its wake, the beach looked brighter, cleaner, like someone had wiped the muck off the windows of a dirty car. ¡°What was that?¡± Kylee gasped. She blinked and looked at Price, who stared back at her, wide-eyed. He jumped to his feet, shaking his left hand. ¡°Okay. That was weird.¡± He began pacing in the sand. Kylee stood also, squeezing her hand into a fist. It tingled, like the time she¡¯d turned off the bathroom light when her hand was still wet. But she was more interested in the light she¡¯d seen. Even now, the people on the beach had a halo around their figures, a ring of color that dazzled Kylee¡¯s eyes. She stepped in Price¡¯s direction. ¡°Did you see it, too?¡± He stopped pacing and frowned at her. ¡°See what?¡± Something in his tone warned Kylee from coming any closer. ¡°You didn¡¯t see anything?¡± She glanced around her, but there was no mistaking the reflective sparkle of the blue ocean, or the brilliant ring of white light around the sun on the horizon. She felt like she¡¯d had sunglasses on her whole life and just now realized it. ¡°Wait.¡± She paused as Price¡¯s words registered. If he hadn¡¯t seen the light . . . ¡°So what was weird, then?¡± He hesitated, and she understood what was weird. Her touching him. It was so weird that he still stood several steps away from her, no longer shaking his hand, but clutching it as if it had been wounded. ¡°Oh.¡± Kylee felt the burn start in her neck and creep up to her ears. It wasn¡¯t anything. Just a touch. Apparently that was too much. She took a shallow breath, wanting very much to get as far away from Price and her embarrassing move as possible. She gestured along the shore. ¡°You know what, I¡¯m just going to walk on ahead. You don¡¯t need to wait up for me. I¡¯ll find a way home.¡± Even if she had to hitchhike, she wouldn¡¯t rely on him any longer. Shouldering her shoes, Kylee started down the beach. Her eyes burned, and she blinked fast to keep the tears at bay. ¡°Kylee?¡± Price called after her. She kept going, quickening her pace as the tears broke free. Her chest felt hollow and achy. What had she thought was going to happen here today? That they¡¯d bond and become the best of friends? She kind of thought they would. Sand kicked up around her as Price jogged up to her. ¡°Kylee, wait. Hey, are you crying?¡± He moved in front of her and put his hand out, palm up. ¡°Stop. I didn¡¯t mean to upset you.¡± She stopped walking because if she didn¡¯t, she¡¯d walk right into him. And they both knew how he felt about that. He leaned his head forward and peered at her, but she kept her face down. ¡°Really, Kylee. You just surprised me.¡± ¡°¡¯That was weird¡¯?¡± Kylee quoted, lifting her eyes. She shook her head. ¡°Sorry for weirding you out.¡± ¡°Hey.¡± He gave a small smile. ¡°You¡¯re taking this wrong. Blowing it out of proportion.¡± His smile infuriated her more. He thought she was funny. Silly, even. She sidestepped him and continued trudging through the sand, wishing it let her make her getaway a little faster. Price wrapped a hand around her forearm and just as quickly released her. Kylee turned around to see him staring at his hand. Then he looked at her with that quizzical, probing expression. At least he hadn¡¯t screamed in pain. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, I wasn¡¯t trying to¡ªyou know.¡± She couldn¡¯t bring herself to say ¡°flirt.¡± ¡°What?¡± Price whispered, his eyes so intense she had to concentrate to remember their conversation. ¡°Trying to what?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you already have a girlfriend,¡± she murmured, turning away from his gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± She frowned, still unwilling to meet his eyes. ¡°Then why are you acting so strange?¡± ¡°Can I see your hand?¡± He held his out. Kylee hesitated. The ocean breeze blew a strand of stringy blond hair in her face, and she tucked it behind her ear. The comfortable feeling between them was gone. This was formal, official, and intimidating. She reached her hand out and placed it in his. Price closed his fingers around her wrist, then tugged her closer. He took her hand in both of his and trailed his fingers over the veins under her skin. He turned her hand over and traced the prints in her palm. Then he lifted his eyes to hers, his expression unreadable. Kylee resisted a shiver. How could he not know the way he affected her? ¡°Can I see your other hand?¡± Price didn¡¯t relinquish his hold on her, but he held his hand out in expectation. Kylee gave it to him. She wondered at how they must look, standing in the sand, him holding onto her wrists and examining her palms. He dropped the right hand and pressed his fingers against a criss-crossing of white scars on her left arm. Who Did this to You? Kylee started to pull back, but he tightened his grip. He touched her in the crease of her elbow, smoothing the skin enough to show the myriad of healing cuts. ¡°What are these from?¡± he asked, his voice tight. ¡°Nothing.¡± Panicking, Kylee tugged harder. If he should look at her other arm, he¡¯d see the jagged wound from wrist to elbow, still fresh enough to be tender. This time she succeeded in freeing herself. She tugged on his short-sleeve shirt and wrapped her arms around her torso, wishing she¡¯d kept her sweatshirt on. ¡°Just old scars.¡± ¡°Who did that do you?¡± He looked at her, a muscle in his jaw clenching. Kylee opened her mouth, but she didn¡¯t have any lies available. ¡°Did you do that, Kylee?¡± She turned her gaze to the sand, wishing she could disappear. She knew she shouldn¡¯t cut herself. She knew normal people didn¡¯t do that. But it was so soothing. It made everything else less painful. Price touched her shoulder, and then his arms went around her, pulling her into his chest. His heart pounded beneath her ears, and his chin rested on her head. ¡°You¡¯ll hurt yourself, Kylee,¡± he whispered. ¡°Life¡¯s not that bad.¡± She closed her eyes and listened to the waves pounding on the surf, the beating of his heart, his breath easing in and out of his lungs. She felt the sun on her arms, the warmth of his skin through her shirt. She believed him. Right now, at least, life wasn¡¯t that bad. Price didn¡¯t let go of her hand until they got back to the boardwalk. Kylee took a moment to put her shoes on, and then he led her away from the hustle of shoppers and visitors to Pacific Avenue, a street behind the boardwalk. ¡°Where are we going?¡± she asked as the number of pedestrians diminished. ¡°I need some lunch.¡± He shot her a speculative look. ¡°Do you want something to eat?¡± Her stomach tightened. ¡°I am hungry,¡± she admitted. ¡°Well, okay, then. There¡¯s a great sandwich place back here,¡± he said, shoving his hand in his pocket while the other held on to his bag strap. ¡°It¡¯s out of the way, always busy, and a little cheaper than the boardwalk.¡± ¡°A place your mom used to take you?¡± He grinned without looking up. ¡°All the time.¡± ¡°Have you always lived in Virginia Beach, then?¡± ¡°Pretty much. We lived out in Chesapeake Bay before.¡± ¡°Why did you move?¡± Kylee hoped she wasn¡¯t being too nosy. It had been such a small move, just an hour away. But enough to change houses, school districts, probably the work commute. ¡°Change of scenery. Dad said it would be good for us. Maybe it is. At least the house isn¡¯t full of memories everywhere.¡± He stopped walking, his eyes staring at a spot on the sidewalk. ¡°She took months to die. Months of dying. It was good to leave. Everything in the house felt wrong.¡± Kylee could imagine. Happy memories haunting every room would be bad enough. Memories of a loved one withering away would be excruciating. ¡°And your friends? Do you miss them?¡± He ushered her into a small cafe with a highway sign on it that read ¡°Route 58.¡± ¡°Yeah. But they got weird when she got sick. Like they thought it was contagious. By the time Dad said we were moving, I didn¡¯t care anymore.¡± He got in line and Kylee shuffled close to him, her shoulder brushing his. Paraphernalia and iconic New York symbols decorated the walls, but Kylee didn¡¯t care if she was in New York, Virginia, or Egypt, as long as she was right here next to Price Hudson. ¡°I¡¯m glad you moved,¡± she whispered, more to herself than to him. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. But he heard her. He turned his head, his face mere inches from hers. His eyes flickered over her. ¡°Can I help you?¡± the boy behind the register asked. His tanned skin and sun-bleached hair said he¡¯d rather be outside than behind the counter, and the way he drummed his fingers proved the point. ¡°Yeah.¡± Price stepped up. ¡°I¡¯ll take a Reuben, please.¡± He pulled a few bills from his wallet. ¡°Want it in the combo?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The kid handed Price a plastic tripod with a number on it. ¡°Put this on your table and we¡¯ll bring it to you.¡± ¡°Great.¡± Price bobbed his head at Kylee and headed for the patio outside. He pulled a red metal chair out for her. ¡°Go ahead and sit. I¡¯ll get us a drink. You okay with sharing? These sandwiches are huge.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Price pushed a hand through his brown hair, spiking it up. Kylee watched him slip back inside and settled back in her chair. One of the bus boys lumbered out of the cafe, a backward hat on his head with the cafe¡¯s logo on it. He picked up the plastic number from Kylee¡¯s table and placed a tray with a sandwich and an assortment of side items on it. ¡°Thanks,¡± Kylee said, shooting him a smile. He didn¡¯t so much as grunt in response. Just turned around and loped back to the kitchen. Price returned with a cup in his hand. He placed it in between them and sat next to her, scooting his chair around to her side. He glanced around the empty patio. ¡°We beat the lunch crowd.¡± Kylee looked at the clock nailed to the brick exterior. It wasn¡¯t quite eleven. ¡°What are we eating?¡± The sandwich was already cut in half. She watched Price unwrap one side, which looked more like a pastry than bread. ¡°Only the best.¡± He took a huge bite, white vegetables and slices of meat leaking from his sandwich onto the paper beneath. His next words came out jumbled, and Kylee laughed. ¡°Must be good,¡± she teased. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to have any?¡± He met her eyes over his sandwich. Now that the food was here, her appetite seemed to have vanished. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± He arched a brow. ¡°You didn¡¯t eat breakfast.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Do you eat?¡± ¡°Yeah. When I feel like it.¡± ¡°Come on.¡± He shoved half of the sandwich toward her. ¡°It feels weird eating by myself.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± she relented. ¡°I¡¯ll just try it.¡± She took a nibble of the edge, catching a piece of meat with her hand as it tried to escape. The sensation of flavors and seasonings burst like a water balloon in her mouth. She swallowed and took a sip of soda, shuddering at the fizziness that burned her throat and tongue. ¡°Lordy, that¡¯s amazing!¡± she gasped. ¡°What is it?¡± Price leaned back in his metal chair, a pleased smile on his face. ¡°Sprite.¡± ¡°No, no no.¡± She shook her head and gestured to the sandwich. ¡°That. I¡¯ve never tasted anything so . . .¡± She had no words for it. ¡°So bright.¡± Price took a huge gulp of soda and washed down his bite before responding. ¡°It¡¯s a Reuben strudel sandwich. Corned beef, pastrami, swiss cheese, and sauerkraut. This place makes the best ones.¡± He picked up an orange crinkle-cut fry and shook it at her. ¡°Try the fries.¡± ¡°This is the best food ever.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get out much.¡± ¡°I know, right?¡± He watched her, an amused smile on her face. ¡°What do you eat at home?¡± She shrugged, picturing herself in the kitchen, kneading dough, peeling potatoes. ¡°The same thing. Rolls, roast chicken, and potatoes.¡± ¡°That sounds good.¡± ¡°Yeah, it was at first.¡± Kylee pushed her lips out and raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m tired of it now.¡± ¡°How often do you have it?¡± He wasn¡¯t getting it. ¡°I told you. We have the same thing. Every night.¡± His mouth dropped open. ¡°Wait. Your mom makes that for dinner¡ªevery night?¡± ¡°Well, I make it for dinner. Every night.¡± ¡°Why?¡± He sounded incredulous. ¡°Because that¡¯s what Bill wants. Even though he hardly eats it.¡± At least that meant sometimes she could serve leftovers and pass it off as a whole new meal. Price shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s insane. He sounds psycho, man.¡± His eyes widened. ¡°Oh, no offense.¡± ¡°None taken. There¡¯s no love between us. He¡¯s not my dad.¡± ¡°Well.¡± He watched her take a few more bites of her food. ¡°At least you can taste.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Kylee arched a brow and laughed. ¡°At least. That¡¯s definitely a good thing.¡± She shook her head, still laughing. ¡°You say the weirdest things, Price.¡± His face reddened, but he grinned. ¡°Yeah, well. Sometimes life is weird. So what do you like to eat?¡± She shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never had a favorite food, I guess. I like chocolate.¡± He tilted his head, regarding her, his amber-colored eyes somber. ¡°Come on, it¡¯s not that weird,¡± she said, shifting under his gaze. ¡°What about you? What¡¯s your favorite?¡± He lowered his eyes, finally. ¡°The usual. Pizza. Ice-cream. Pop Tarts.¡± ¡°Pop Tarts?¡± She lifted a brow. ¡°Like the little cakes that come in foil?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He grinned at her. ¡°Why? Not good enough for you?¡± His words reminded her of Bill. ¡°Something like that. I like those things too.¡± ¡°Even the Pop Tarts?¡± She couldn¡¯t remember if she¡¯d ever had them. She waved her hand and said, ¡°Maybe not them.¡± Price laughed, which had been her goal. ¡°Where are we going now?¡± Kylee asked as they exited the cafe and started down the sidewalk, moving farther away from the boardwalk. Not that she cared. Price had taken her hand again, his fingers running over each knuckle. They could go nowhere, as far as she was concerned. Dont Have Sex with Him ¡°We¡¯re going to the bike shop.¡± Price¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°I haven¡¯t been in months. Come on.¡± He pulled her down the street, turning a corner and stopping in front of a store with a bike tire hanging from the front, spinning in the wind. The name rippled on the awning. It took Kylee a few seconds to make out the words, ¡°North End Cyclery.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know you ride,¡± Kylee said, squinting up at the flashing spokes. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you have a bike.¡± ¡°I do. I just haven¡¯t ridden it since we moved.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The tires are all wrong. I¡¯ll show you.¡± He opened the door with a whoosh as the air conditioner sucked them inside. ¡°Be right with you!¡± a voice yelled from somewhere in the store. ¡°I¡¯m good!¡± Price yelled back. He took her to a rack of tires. ¡°Back in Chesapeake, all I needed were these.¡± He fingered some smooth, floppy rubber tires. ¡°Road wheels. Made for concrete. The problem with that being?¡± He quirked his lip at her. She thought about it. ¡°We don¡¯t have a paved street.¡± She looked at the smooth rubber tire and imagined it bumping over the small pebbles and gravel that made up the street in front of their houses. ¡°You¡¯d get a hole in it.¡± ¡°And it would be difficult to steer, to keep it straight.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bummer. So do you have to buy a new bike?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± He tilted his neck back and looked up, and Kylee followed suit. More floppy rubber tires dangled above them, but these were covered in thick treads and little poky things. ¡°That¡¯s the beauty of these.¡± He lifted his hand above his head and ran his finger over one. ¡°All I have to do is switch out the tire, and I can ride the bike off-road.¡± He smirked at her. ¡°Which is what our road is considered.¡± ¡°Nice.¡± She watched as Price examined each one before selecting two. ¡°What¡¯s special about those two?¡± ¡°They fit my bike.¡± He took them to the register in the back of the store. A large man wearing a greasy apron came out of the back room. ¡°Price! Haven¡¯t seen you in a while.¡± ¡°No, sir.¡± Price shifted his feet and pushed the tires toward the man. ¡°Been busy since the move.¡± The man rang up the tires. ¡°How¡¯s your dad, son?¡± ¡°Getting by. We¡¯re all getting by.¡± He plopped a wad of cash down on the counter. ¡°Well, good to see you. Pass along my regards.¡± The man pushed the empty tires into a large plastic bag. ¡°I will. Thanks.¡± Price turned around, his eyes searching out Kylee. His cheeks were a bit flushed. Maybe he was afraid the owner thought she was his girlfriend. She made sure to keep her distance as they walked out. Price relaxed as soon as they stepped outside. ¡°This is great,¡± he said, the plastic bag crinkling as he opened it up to peer inside. ¡°My life just got a lot better.¡± ¡°Am I going to see you out riding your bike all the time now?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± He kept talking, but Kylee was distracted by a shop across the street. A wood plaque with the silhouette of a hand holding a goblet bumped against the doorframe, blowing in the wind. Something about it intrigued her. She stepped closer, but didn¡¯t see the name of the store. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°Kylee? Where are you going?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± She turned her head in Price¡¯s direction without taking her eyes from the store. She didn¡¯t realize she¡¯d crossed the street until the door was right in front of her. She reached a hand out to it. Price grabbed her arm. ¡°Kylee. Are you okay?¡± ¡°I want to go into this store.¡± The words had already left her mouth before she realized what she¡¯d said. But the instant she heard them, she knew it was true. She had to get inside that store. ¡°Okay.¡± Price squinted up at the sign. ¡°I don¡¯t know what store it is. I¡¯ve never been in here.¡± ¡°First time for everything.¡± She grinned at him before pushing open the door. A bell tied to the top of the door jingled when they walked in. The smoky scent of incense filled Kylee¡¯s nostrils, and Price coughed behind her. Kylee paused inside, giving her eyes a moment to adjust to the dark interior. Shelves filled the entire store like an old library. One had books, but the others had spice jars and herbs and jewelry. ¡°What kind of store is this?¡± Price murmured, fingering a rock tied to a black cord on the countertop next to the cash register. ¡°Hello!¡± A woman wearing a colorful billowing skirt and a scarf around her head greeted them. She flowed down the aisle between bookshelves, a huge smile pasted on her lips. ¡°I¡¯m Madame Humphrey. Welcome to my shop! Can I help you find something?¡± ¡°Um.¡± Kylee glanced at Price and echoed his question. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. What kind of shop is this?¡± ¡°This is a spiritual shop, my dear.¡± ¡°What?¡± Price jerked backward, hitting his ribs on the corner of the glass countertop. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kylee asked. ¡°Like, religion?¡± Price¡¯s eyes were wide. ¡°Or, like, the occult?¡± Madame Humphrey laughed. ¡°Not the occult. Spiritualism is a gathering of all beliefs. All the good that can be found in religions around the world.¡± ¡°This is too weird,¡± Price said, shaking his head. ¡°Kylee, let¡¯s go.¡± She hesitated. She didn¡¯t want to do anything to alienate Price, not now. But something had drawn her into this store. She couldn¡¯t leave yet. ¡°Just give me a second, Price.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be outside.¡± He fled the store, the bell jangling as he slammed the door behind him. Kylee faced Madame Humphrey, not sure what to say after Price¡¯s hasty exit. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve never seen him act that way before.¡± Madame Humphrey went behind the glass counter and opened a drawer. ¡°What¡¯s your name, dear?¡± ¡°Kylee.¡± Kylee watched her with mild interest. Madame Humphrey poured something from a small packet into a cup, then added hot water. ¡°Kylee. What a lovely name.¡± She took a sip from the cup as a tangy, herbal smell filled the air. ¡°Where are you staying?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not a tourist. I live at home. With my mom and stepdad.¡± Madame Humphrey put her cup down and lowered her eyes to stare directly into Kylee¡¯s. ¡°That young man out there. He¡¯s your friend?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Her only friend. But she didn¡¯t add that. ¡°He¡¯s very special.¡± Kylee felt her face burn. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°How close are you?¡± ¡°Oh, um. Just friends. I mean, we hold hands.¡± Her tongue felt awkward in her mouth, and Kylee shut up. ¡°When was the first time?¡± ¡°That we held hands?¡± Kylee blinked, not sure why they were having this conversation. ¡°Today, I guess.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The skin around Madame Humphrey¡¯s eyes softened. ¡°Let me see.¡± She opened another drawer and fished around in it. ¡°I might have something¡ªah, yes. Here.¡± Smiling, she held her hand out to Kylee. A silver ring with a clear round stone in the setting nestled against her palm. Kylee stared at it. What did the woman want her to do? ¡°For you,¡± Madame Humphrey said, pressing her hand closer to Kylee¡¯s face. ¡°Take it.¡± ¡°Oh. It¡¯s nice. But I didn¡¯t bring any money,¡± Kylee said, beginning to wish she¡¯d left with Price. Madame Humphrey¡¯s warm hand closed around Kylee¡¯s wrist, and she dumped the ring into her hand. ¡°It¡¯s a gift. A mood ring.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Kylee said. She turned it over, admiring the scrollwork around the stone. A flash of blue spiraled in the clear globe. ¡°What does the color mean?¡± ¡°The brighter the color, the more alive you feel.¡± She leaned forward, close enough that Kylee saw the gold specks in her greenish eyes. ¡°But if it starts to turn black, Kylee, you need to come back and see me. Right away.¡± Kylee saw the seriousness on this woman¡¯s face. She backed away, holding the ring out. ¡°I can¡¯t promise I can do that.¡± ¡°Shh.¡± Madame Humphrey waved her hand. ¡°You just do your best. What I¡¯m saying won¡¯t make much sense to you. Yet. But things are about to change. You hold onto that ring. And if that light goes out,¡± she pointed to the ground next to her, ¡°you get back here.¡± Goosebumps popped up on Kylee¡¯s neck. A sensation like a spider crawling up her spine made her shudder. Part of her wanted to toss the ring back at the woman, but the other part of her had already closed her hand over it, squeezing it possessively. ¡°I better go now.¡± ¡°Go.¡± Madame Humphrey straightened and smoothed her skirt. ¡°I¡¯ll be here when you come back. Make sure you bring him.¡± She paused with her hand on the door. ¡°Him?¡± ¡°The boy. And Kylee? Don¡¯t have sex with him.¡± Beg for Mercy Kylee choked back a gasp. ¡°Yeah, okay,¡± she said, aware of the prickly burning creeping up her face and into her hairline. Hot, it was so hot in here. She resisted the urge to run from the store screaming. She pushed opened the door, annoyed by the jingling bell. Price paced the sidewalk in front of the store. He stopped and stared at her when she appeared, his rigid expression relaxing. ¡°I thought maybe you wouldn¡¯t come out.¡± ¡°Okay, that lady was weird.¡± She stepped up to him, stopping a few inches from him and looking up into his face. ¡°But I don¡¯t think she¡¯d get away with kidnapping me.¡± ¡°What did she say to you?¡± Kylee shrugged. ¡°Nothing that made any sense. Let¡¯s go back to the beach.¡± Price found a shady spot where they watched the volleyball game. He lay down in the sand, taking Kylee¡¯s hand and tugging her down next to him. She didn¡¯t try to resist, relishing the warm feeling bubbling up in her chest. ¡°What time is it?¡± she asked after what seemed like a few minutes but was probably hours. She watched the sun as it flared overhead. ¡°Oh. I better check that.¡± Price sat up and hauled out his phone. He frowned. ¡°Qui est-ce?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I have a bunch of text messages. No one texts me.¡± Kylee leaned closer, peering over his shoulder. The same number had sent him seven messages. He shifted, just enough that her view was blocked. She tried not to feel shafted. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Just Amy.¡± He blinked out at the ocean and put his phone back in his pocket. ¡°Something about a French project. Come on. Let¡¯s play in the water.¡± He stood up, brushing the sand from his shorts. They toed along the edge for a bit before Kylee got brave enough to walk in up to her ankles. Price stayed close beside her, his hands out as if he were ready to catch her at any moment. ¡°I¡¯m not going to fall,¡± she said, laughing as she walked back to the sand, carrying her tennis shoes in one hand. ¡°Hey.¡± He grabbed her left hand and stared at her fingers. ¡°Where¡¯d you get that ring?¡± Kylee pulled her hand away and examined it. The ring already had a bluish glow to it. ¡°The lady in the shop gave it to me.¡± ¡°She gave it to you?¡± ¡°Yes. I didn¡¯t steal it, if that¡¯s what you think.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t saying that at all. It¡¯s just weird. No one gives away things.¡± He couldn¡¯t take his eyes from the ring. ¡°Can I see it?¡± She hesitated. ¡°It¡¯s kind of tight. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to get it off.¡± He scowled. ¡°Tight on your hand? Uh-huh.¡± ¡°It is. See?¡± She made a show of twisting it around. ¡°Whatever, Kylee. I just wanted to see it.¡± He plopped into the sand, and Kylee collapsed beside him. They sat in silence, Kylee wondering why she didn¡¯t want to give the ring to him. ¡°Are you mad I won¡¯t show you?¡± He lifted a shoulder and let it fall. ¡°No. I just think it¡¯s weird.¡± He gave a half-grin. ¡°Like it¡¯s your precious or something.¡± ¡°I guess it¡¯s precious.¡± He sat up, the overhead sun lighting up his face when he smiled. ¡°No, like ¡®Precious.¡¯¡± ¡°Right.¡± She nodded. ¡°I heard you.¡± He laughed out loud. ¡°No way. You¡¯re kidding me.¡± She stared at him, waiting for the joke to become obvious. He placed a hand on her forearm, his eyes flicking from his hand to her face. ¡°You¡¯ve never seen Lord of the Rings.¡± Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. The same could be said for every movie ever made. ¡°Right.¡± He swished his hands together, grains of sand falling onto his knees. ¡°That¡¯s it. You¡¯ve got to see it. No, listen. We¡¯ll watch it. Like a total movie marathon. You¡¯re gonna love it.¡± She nodded. She¡¯d watch anything Price wanted. He stood up, taking her hand and pulling her to her feet. His thumb pressed against the stone in her ring, and she glanced at him, wondering if he was trying to get to it. But his eyes were on the horizon, and his grip had already changed. ¡°Come on,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s walk toward the bay.¡± He shouldered his bag, the plastic sack with the tires poking out of the top. They spent a half hour walking barefoot through the sand before Price decided they¡¯d better go home. A knot of dread formed in her stomach at the thought. She¡¯d avoided acknowledging the fact that at some point she¡¯d have to face Bill and her mom. ¡°Do we have to?¡± Kylee murmured, following Price back to the cobblestone walkway. He didn¡¯t answer. He fished into his bag and pulled out his phone. ¡°Hey, Dad. It¡¯s me. I¡¯ll catch the three-thirty bus. Yeah. Thanks.¡± He shoved the phone back in his bag. ¡°Will your dad be okay giving me a ride home?¡± Kylee asked, pulling her hair into a ponytail. The hair felt thick and gross from the sea breeze and spray. ¡°Huh? Yeah, of course. He won¡¯t notice you.¡± Kylee rolled her eyes. Wasn¡¯t that the truth? No one did. The bus ride home was pretty quiet. Kylee stared out the window, the scenery less exciting now that she knew she was moving closer to home. She turned to Price, who rested with his head against the back of the seat, eyes closed. ¡°Are you sleeping?¡± she whispered. ¡°No,¡± he murmured, peeking one eye open. She smiled at him, and he smiled back, which relieved her. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He shrugged. ¡°Yeah. Tired, I guess.¡± His hands were clasped in his lap. Gathering her courage, Kylee reached forward and touched his knuckle. Price turned his hand around enough to grasp her fingers, tugging them into his grip. ¡°I had a nice day today,¡± she said, her fingers tingly where he touched her. ¡°Thanks for inviting me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± he murmured, his eyes sliding shut. Kylee turned her attention back to the window. Life couldn¡¯t be so bad, not now that she had Price right next door. She thought he¡¯d fallen asleep until he whispered, ¡°Kylee. I don¡¯t get you.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± She faced him again, but he hadn¡¯t opened his eyes. He squeezed her fingers. ¡°Rien. Nothing.¡± ¡°Okay. How do you know French, and why do you keep speaking in it? Are you French or not?¡± ¡°Kind of. My mom was, so my sister and I are citizens. It was important to her that we know French. She spoke to us in French. I wasn¡¯t great at speaking it until she took me with her to France a few years ago.¡± True to form, when Mr. Hudson¡¯s car pulled up, he didn¡¯t say anything to Kylee. Nor did Lisa, who played a game on a small screen in her hands. Kylee sat in the back next to her, hoping she¡¯d turn on the TV, but she didn¡¯t. With a sigh, Kylee leaned back in her seat and pressed her head against the window. ¡°How was the beach?¡± Mr. Hudson asked. ¡°Fine,¡± Price said. ¡°I went to Route 58. And bought some bike tires.¡± I? Kylee thought. Price leaned around the front seat and pulled the tires out of the bag at Kylee¡¯s feet. His eyes lifted enough to catch her gaze, and he winked. Her irritation melted away. ¡°These are them.¡± He showed the tires to his dad. ¡°That¡¯s great, son,¡± Mr. Hudson said, not taking his eyes from the road. ¡°I should¡¯ve taken you already. I¡¯m glad you got some for yourself.¡± ¡°Yeah. And Mr. Riley says hi.¡± ¡°That was nice,¡± he said, but Kylee heard the strain in his voice. Price didn¡¯t mention the strange little shop they¡¯d gone into. Mr. Hudson pulled the BMW into the garage and parked it underneath a rack of bikes hanging from the ceiling. Kylee hadn¡¯t noticed them before. Price opened her car door, and Kylee climbed out. She stared at the spinning tires above her while he got his sack. ¡°You coming inside?¡± his dad asked, holding the door to the house open while Lisa disappeared down the hall. ¡°In a moment. Thanks for taking me.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Mr. Hudson closed the door, and Price turned to Kylee. She cleared her throat. ¡°Thanks for today. And . . . last night.¡± Her neck warmed, and she had to clench her hands to keep from fanning her face. He smiled. ¡°Yeah. It was fun.¡± She gestured outside. ¡°I should get home now.¡± ¡°Want me to walk you there?¡± ¡°Nah.¡± Kylee shook her head. ¡°It will attract less attention if I sneak in.¡± ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Beg for mercy, I guess.¡± ¡°All right.¡± He half-turned, and then swiveled back around. ¡°Listen, if you need to come over here, that¡¯s fine. You can stay. As much as you want.¡± ¡°Thanks. But I should be all right.¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m sure.¡± He gave a small wave. ¡°Well. I¡¯ll see you later.¡± ¡°Later,¡± Kylee echoed, backing out of the garage. Her own dilapidated house faced her, looking shabbier than ever after the bright, spotless interior of Price¡¯s house. May as well get this over with. Kylee opened the gate and crossed over to her yard. She stopped short when she noticed the blue pick-up was gone. Had Bill sold it? He never used it because the back was rusted out, but maybe some of the parts still worked. As cluttered and overrun as the yard was, the spot vacated by the truck looked naked and bare. The window was closed to her bedroom, and Kylee knew she¡¯d left it slitted open. Which meant her absence had been noticed. She pictured Bill coming into her room and blowing a gasket when he didn¡¯t find her. The window wasn¡¯t locked, and Kylee managed to get enough of a wedge to pry it open. She slipped inside, heart already pounding. A glance at the ring on her finger showed the electric blue changing to a deeper blue, as if being swallowed up by mist. Her bed was made, a ragged teddy bear sitting on top of the pillow. The chair had been tucked into the desk, the whole room picked up and put together. Definitely her mom¡¯s doing and not Bill¡¯s. Kylee¡¯s skin prickled at the thought of someone going through her stuff. The only sound from the rest of the house was the television. Steeling herself for the worst, Kylee opened the door and went into the dining area. Meeting the Enemy Her parents were eating without her and hadn¡¯t even set a place for her. Her mom poked at a piece of chicken with her fork, her eyes tired and droopy. Kylee paused, surprised to note she¡¯d gotten a haircut. Her dark blond hair hung around her face. But it wasn¡¯t styled, and the cut didn¡¯t flatter her. Bill shoveled his food into his mouth, his perpetual sneer in place. In the kitchen, flies buzzed over the sink full of dirty dishes. ¡°Theresa, you know how to use salt, woman?¡± He kicked at her chair leg. She lifted her eyes to glower at him. ¡°Next time salt your own food.¡± Kylee cleared her throat. ¡°Sorry I wasn¡¯t here. I needed to get out for a bit.¡± She waited for a reprimand, for Bill to jump to his feet and lay into her. Neither of them reacted. ¡°I¡¯m done eating,¡± Bill grumbled, standing and leaving his half-eaten plate of food on the table. Kylee sat down in his vacated chair and faced her mother. ¡°Did you get your hair cut?¡± Obviously she had. ¡°I mean, why?¡± Her mom poked at the food a bit more, her teeth gnawing at her lower lip. A scab healed on her mouth, and another on her arm looked like she¡¯d recently scratched it. She often scratched when she was nervous. Theresa got up and disappeared down the hall, leaving her plate beside Bill¡¯s. Kylee sat stock still for another minute, but her mom didn¡¯t return, and Bill didn¡¯t call out from the living room. She took a deep breath, her heart beginning to slow down. Had she gotten off so easy? She¡¯d take the silent treatment any day. The chicken and potatoes on her mom¡¯s plate didn¡¯t look appealing. Kylee eyed it for a moment, then turned around and went back to her room. Kylee woke up in the morning to the sound of voices in the other room. The sun shone through her window, speckling her bedspread with silhouettes from the grime on the glass. She jumped out of bed. It had to be past eight in the morning. Bill never let her sleep in so long. ¡°Mom?¡± she called, moving toward their bedroom. The door was ajar, and Kylee tapped on it. ¡°Mom?¡± She poked her head in. Theresa stood in front of a mirror, doing up the buttons on a faded flower-print dress that had to be from the eighties. Bill stood next to her, scowling as he folded the collar on a green plaid shirt. Kylee did a double take. She couldn¡¯t remember ever seeing her mom in something besides sweats or pajamas. ¡°Where are you guys going?¡± ¡°This is a pointless endeavor,¡± Bill growled. Her mother turned around and helped him with his collar. ¡°Try and look respectable.¡± She yanked hard on his shirt. ¡°Ow.¡± He narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°It¡¯s that damn pastor I can¡¯t stand. Always staring right at me when he talks. Like he¡¯s preaching to me.¡± ¡°He probably is.¡± Her mom picked up a small yellow purse from the bed. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lucid and awake today,¡± Bill said, leering at her. ¡°This is important. Act normal.¡± Church! They were going to church! Why hadn¡¯t someone told her? Kylee turned and raced back to her room. No time to shower. She flipped through the clothes in her closet, looking for something appropriate. Did she own a dress? Not finding one, she settled on a nice button-up blouse and a long, beige skirt. She ran a hand over her ponytail, feeling the bumps and strays that had emerged during the night. She yanked out the holder. Price would be at the old stone church. Little butterflies erupted in her stomach at the thought of him, and she couldn¡¯t stop the giddiness bubbling up in her heart. A smile pressed itself to her lips, stuck on like a sticker. Footsteps trooped down the hall, continuing past Kylee¡¯s door and into the entryway. Her time was up. She threw off Price¡¯s T-shirt¡ªher new favorite pajamas¡ªand scrambled into the skirt. ¡°Wait for me!¡± she called, scanning her room for shoes other than her sneakers. Yeah, right. She slipped her sneakers on and ran out the door. Bill had the car on and stood in front of it, holding his shoe and scraping the bottom of it on the grill. Ew. She opened the back door and got in. Her mom was already sitting in the passenger seat, and she looked up when the door closed. ¡°Were you going to leave without me?¡± Kylee asked. ¡°And since when do we go to church?¡± Her mom swiveled around and looked at the backseat, her dull expression flickering for a moment. Before she could answer, Bill got in. ¡°I don¡¯t know why we¡¯re doing this,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Just drive,¡± her mother groaned, spinning around and settling into her chair. She pressed her fingers to her forehead and massaged. ¡°I¡¯m getting a headache.¡± ¡°I would expect so. Need something?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take something when we get back.¡± The old country church was a ten-minute drive from their house. The original part of the building had been built with rocks and stones more than a hundred years ago. It was where the congregation gathered to hear the sermon. A newer section had been added on sometime in the past two years, and the white rectangular building looked incongruous next to the old chapel. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. It might be nice inside. Kylee didn¡¯t know. They¡¯d never stayed for Sunday School. Bill didn¡¯t wait for anyone. As soon as he parked the car, he stuffed the keys into his pocket and headed across the gravel lot toward the church. Her mom followed, her legs wobbly in her heels. The steeple bell rang out, indicating that services were starting. Kylee shrugged off the weirdness and got out of the car. A chilly breeze nipped at her bare arms, and she wished she¡¯d grabbed a sweater. Her new ring felt heavy on her finger. She glanced at it and saw only the barest hint of blue. A family with five little girls hurried past her, the mother scolding her daughters to move faster. They got inside, the father closing the big wooden door behind them. Kylee grasped the iron ring of the door and pulled. It didn¡¯t budge. She gave it another tug, and then put her body into it. She held the ring with both hands and planted her feet against the wall. She stepped away, dumbfounded. She knew the door was heavy, but she couldn¡¯t be that weak. Someone must¡¯ve locked it after that family went inside. She walked around the steps and peered through the wavy glass of the window. She spotted her family sitting in a pew toward the back. She pressed her face closer, searching for Price. There he was. His dad sat ramrod straight, listening to every word. Lisa had her eyes on something in her lap, and Price was poking her, whispering in her ear. He¡¯d combed his hair down and parted to the side like a choirboy. It made him look younger, but in an angelic sort of way. He lifted his eyes and met hers through the window. A blush crept up her neck, and she was glad the glass wasn¡¯t very clear. She gave a small wave and ducked out of view. She considered going back into the car, but it would get too hot in there. She sat down on the church steps. The sermon lasted an hour, and she counted on Bill not to stay for Sunday School. Why hadn¡¯t she brought a book? She¡¯d been in such a hurry to get to church, she hadn¡¯t thought about what a boring hour it would be. The big wooden door creaked open behind her, and Kylee looked over her shoulder, resting her chin against her collar bone. She wasn¡¯t surprised to see Price. He shut the door and sat next to her. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Was that door locked?¡± she asked. ¡°I tried to get it open. It wouldn¡¯t budge.¡± He shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s heavy. Must¡¯ve gotten stuck.¡± He reached over and touched her hair. ¡°I like it down.¡± She¡¯d forgotten to put a new ponytail holder in it. For that matter, she hadn¡¯t brushed her teeth or used the bathroom or anything. ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to do it this morning.¡± She pressed her hand over her mouth and gave a discreet puff. Not too bad. ¡°You don¡¯t usually come here,¡± Price said, settling back on his elbows. ¡°You don¡¯t like church?¡± ¡°They never want to come.¡± She bobbed her head toward the chapel. ¡°I don¡¯t know why they wanted to today.¡± ¡°What do you mean, they never want to come?¡± He frowned at her. ¡°Just that.¡± Kylee lifted a shoulder. ¡°Who never wants to come?¡± ¡°Bill. He hates church.¡± ¡°Why does he come, then?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t. This is the first time in like, years.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Price had that inquisitive look on his face again. He stared at her, his mouth in a solemn straight line, his brown eyes flicking over her face. ¡°What?¡± She brushed a hand down her face. ¡°Is there something on me? Why are you staring at me?¡± His cheeks reddened, highlighting the scattering of freckles across his nose. He turned his gaze out toward the parking lot. ¡°You¡¯re interesting, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Thanks, I guess,¡± she teased. ¡°I¡¯ll try and take that as a compliment.¡± She bumped his shoulder with hers, pleased when he shoved her back. She moved closer to Price and rested her head on his shoulder. She half expected him to shrug her off or stand up. But he didn¡¯t. She listened to the pounding of his heart as it thumped in his chest. Did she make him as nervous as he made her? ¡°Everything is so much better now,¡± she said. His head moved against her hair. ¡°What¡¯s better?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Life was like, ugh before. Now I have something to look forward to.¡± ¡°What do you look forward to?¡± You. No way could she say that. ¡°Change.¡± ¡°What was so bad about your life?¡± ¡°It felt like it would never end. The same thing, day after day.¡± The despair, the loneliness, the anger. ¡°What¡¯s different now?¡± Kylee fell silent, aware of how she¡¯d set that trap for herself. She didn¡¯t want him to think she was some love-sick girl. That would be a great way to chase him away. ¡°I have a friend,¡± she said, hoping that wasn¡¯t too mushy. Price reached over and squeezed her hand. ¡°I wish I¡¯d met you sooner.¡± The comment warmed her heart. ¡°Me, too. Better late than never, though.¡± He didn¡¯t answer. Kylee bumped his shoulder again. ¡°You should come over sometime.¡± ¡°Come over where?¡± ¡°To my house. Duh.¡± The silence stretched on for longer this time. Kylee listened to a semi-truck horn in the distance, a whippoorwill calling in the trees. ¡°D¡¯accord,¡± Price said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Okay what?¡± ¡°Yeah. Okay. I¡¯ll come over sometime.¡± Kylee pulled back to peer up at his face, but he wasn¡¯t looking at her. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. Sometime.¡± A chorus of footsteps approached from inside the chapel, and they scooted over to one side of the steps. The doors opened, and the congregation spilled out. People lingered in the doorway and on the steps, sidestepping Price and Kylee, gossiping and chatting. Some headed for their cars, others made their way toward the add-on. ¡°There you are.¡± Mr. Hudson spotted Price. ¡°Everything all right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Price stood up and brushed his hands on his pants. ¡°Needed to think about some things.¡± ¡°Can we go home now?¡± Lisa whined, fiddling with something in the Hello Kitty bag dangling from her shoulder. ¡°Not until Sunday School¡¯s over,¡± her father said, a stern tone in his voice. ¡°I better go,¡± Kylee said, her eyes on her mom and Bill as they walked out the big wooden doors of the chapel. Bill looked like he¡¯d spent the entire time sucking on a lemon. ¡°I¡¯ll catch ya later.¡± Price nodded at her. He turned his attention back to his family. Kylee hurried down the steps after the retreating figures of her mom and stepfather, afraid Bill might leave her if she didn¡¯t get in the car before they did. ¡°We¡¯re here because of the investigation,¡± her mother was saying as she yanked the car door open. Kylee opened hers too, ears tuned to her parents¡¯ conversation as she leaned forward on the worn plastic seat. ¡°We¡¯re under investigation because of your stupid brat.¡± Kylee pulled her door closed just as Bill slammed his shut. ¡°Wait, what?¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re under investigation? Because of me?¡± ¡°Kylee¡ª¡± her mother began. ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Bill roared, hitting the steering wheel with his hand. ¡°We are not going to talk about this! Not now, not here, not ever!¡± Kylee slumped back in her seat, recognizing the end of the discussion. She wasn¡¯t done asking questions, though. Something strange was going on. And it had something to do with her. Nobody talked after church. Bill changed out of his clothes and sat down in front of the television, grumbling as he nursed his beer. Theresa rolled into bed and covered herself with a blanket as if the very act of leaving the house had sucked the energy from her. Kylee went into her room and changed also. The doorbell rang, and she jerked upright, her ears pricking up like a dog¡¯s. Jerking on a pair of jeans, she popped her head out the bedroom door. ¡°Who are you?¡± Bill¡¯s gruff voice carried in the small house. ¡°My name¡¯s Price. I¡¯m your neighbor.¡± Tell Me about Kylee Kylee stifled a gasp and pressed her hand to her mouth. She hadn¡¯t expected Price to come over today! Unannounced! She hurried out of her room and stopped in the hallway, in Price¡¯s line of sight. His eyes flicked to her for a moment before returning to Bill. ¡°Yeah, so?¡± Bill said. ¡°What do you want? You the one whose dog¡¯s been pissing on my yard?¡± Oh, lordy. Kylee ducked her head. This was going badly. Price furrowed his brow. ¡°No, don¡¯t think so. We have a fence around our house. The dog¡¯s never crossed it unless he¡¯s with me. Must be some other neighbor.¡± ¡°You got an attitude problem, boy?¡± ¡°No, sir. Just clearing up a confusion.¡± ¡°Maybe you¡¯re a confused individual.¡± Kylee stepped forward, ready to drag Price away before this conversation got ugly. ¡°I am a little confused about one thing. I was hoping you could tell me about Kylee.¡± Bill stiffened. His whole back went rigid. ¡°Tell you about Kylee?¡± he growled, the words low and ominous. ¡°What do you know about her?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Price said. ¡°Just things I¡¯ve heard. From kids on the bus, you know. Different stories. I thought you could tell me the truth.¡± Enough was enough. Kylee hurried to the door. ¡°Price, what are you doing?¡± Bill would hurt him. His dad and the big house and fancy car wouldn¡¯t save him. Why was he egging Bill on? ¡°Get off my porch!¡± Bill shouted. ¡°Stay away from my house!¡± Price didn¡¯t budge. His face went stony, his eyes cold. ¡°What happened to Kylee?¡± Kylee stepped outside and grabbed Price¡¯s arm, dragging him backward before Bill lashed out and hit him. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Bill yelled. ¡°Get your sorry ass out of here! Before I call the cops on you for trespassing! If you come back, I¡¯ll put a bullet in your butt!¡± The door slammed shut so hard, a shutter fell off the front window. ¡°What were you thinking?¡± Kylee cried, letting go when they were past the mailbox. She didn¡¯t realize she was shaking until that moment. Her whole body trembled, and she choked back a sob. Price gripped her shoulders. ¡°Hey, Kylee. Hey.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll kill you! Price, he¡¯s a drunkard with no conscience! Why provoke him?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Price¡¯s arms went around her, and he pulled her close. ¡°At least he can¡¯t hurt you.¡± Kylee shook her head and stepped backward. ¡°You think you¡¯re protecting me from him,¡± she whispered. She made her hands into fists and turned them outward, displaying the inner parts of her arms. ¡°Price, I know it makes me look like a depressed psycho or something, but I did this to myself. He didn¡¯t do it.¡± Price pushed her hands back down. ¡°Look me in the eyes and tell me he never laid a hand on you. Tell me you didn¡¯t cut yourself because of him.¡± She opened her mouth to object, but the objection died on her lips. Instead, she hugged herself and whispered, ¡°Yeah. Maybe.¡± Price lowered his head and swallowed, his throat bobbing with the effort. ¡°Listen, I¡ªI better go home. I shouldn¡¯t have come. I thought¡ªI don¡¯t know. Maybe I could change things.¡± ¡°It is what it is,¡± Kylee murmured. ¡°Yeah. But, sometimes, the unexpected happens.¡± He grabbed her and hugged her to him. ¡°You were unexpected.¡± He let her go and turned his face toward the road. ¡°It¡¯s not fair.¡± ¡°What isn¡¯t?¡± Kylee asked, though she thought she knew. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°None of this is.¡± He shoved his hands in his pockets and trudged off without looking back. YYY Price didn¡¯t get off the bus with the other kids on Monday. Kylee waited after the bus had driven away and Lisa had disappeared inside their house. Where was he, then? She supposed he could¡¯ve had a doctor appointment. Or tried out for a sport. Or had something as mundane as detention. Still, it drove her nuts not to know. She was finishing up her English workbook when she saw Price through her bedroom window, taking Sisko outside for their daily play. She dropped her pencil and hurried out the front door, not even trying to find an excuse to see him. ¡°Hey,¡± she called, approaching the fence. ¡°I didn¡¯t see you get off the bus.¡± He threw a stick across the yard, and the dog ran for it. Then he walked over to her, resting his forearms on the wood. ¡°I rode home with someone.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Kylee¡¯s heart tightened. Had it been a girl? ¡°Why?¡± He looked down and kicked at the bottom of the fence. ¡°I wanted to go to the library.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± She nodded. ¡°Research project?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡± He met her eyes. ¡°How was your day? Bill get on to you about yesterday?¡± ¡°Actually, no.¡± Kylee shook her head. ¡°Thing¡¯s have been weird with him. He¡¯s been pretty much ignoring me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, right?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± she agreed, though she was starting to feel like she didn¡¯t exist. ¡°I better go back in,¡± Price said. He picked at something on his side of the fence. ¡°Time to eat.¡± He seemed more subdued. Maybe school was hard right now. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay, Price.¡± He squinted at her and faked a smile. ¡°Right.¡± He stared at her a moment longer, opened his mouth, then shut it and shook his head. ¡°What?¡± she asked. ¡°I don¡¯t even know.¡± He shook his head again. ¡°I better go.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± she replied, frowning as he walked away. He whistled for the dog and paused long enough to glance over his shoulder. He gave a small wave before going into the house, Sisko at his heels. YYY Nobody called Kylee for dinner. When she came into the kitchen, the table was cluttered, but not with plates or food. If they¡¯d eaten, they¡¯d done it without her. This silent treatment was getting old. Kylee wandered into the den. Bill and Theresa lay sprawled out on the couch, arms and legs dangling from the sides and armrests. A beer can dangled in Bill¡¯s hand. Kylee exhaled, hating to bring their attention to her. But she couldn¡¯t go on this way. She stepped next to the couch and drummed her fingers on her thighs. ¡°Okay,¡± she said, ¡°I get that you¡¯re mad at me. I disappeared all day Saturday. I¡¯m grounded, sure, whatever, let¡¯s move on. Okay?¡± Neither adult looked at her. Kylee¡¯s frustration got the best of her. ¡°Hello!¡± she shouted, waving her arms in the air. Bill lifted his can to his lips. Kylee shoved the armrest, and Bill jerked upright when his beer spilled down his shirt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Kylee said, immediately contrite. ¡°I¡¯ll get a rag.¡± She headed for the kitchen just as Bill¡¯s yelling started. ¡°You idiot! You bumped me! Or are you going to blame that on Kylee, too?¡± Kylee hurried in with the towel, guilt twisting her stomach. She should¡¯ve reveled in her solitude. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. I got carried away. A bit klutzy.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you say her name,¡± Theresa whispered, lifting her bloodshot eyes. ¡°All I wanted was the best for her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Bill growled, pushing himself to his unsteady feet. ¡°I¡¯ve had it with your lip, woman.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you touch her!¡± Kylee shouted, ramming her shoulder into his ribcage. She knocked him off-balance. Kylee caught a glimpse of his eyes widening a second before he went down, his head slamming against the coffee table with an audible crack. Kylee stood frozen in shock. Bill didn¡¯t move. Had she killed him? Her mother crouched next to him, her face gaunt and pale. Her fingers twitched, and she scratched at one arm. ¡°Bill?¡± she whispered, her eyes wide. ¡°I didn¡¯t do this. I swear I didn¡¯t do this.¡± He groaned in response, his eyelids fluttering. Then he lay still. Relief flooded Kylee¡¯s bones. He wasn¡¯t dead. Terror followed on its heels. There¡¯d be hell to pay for this one. Her finger burned, and she shook her hand. The burning increased. She turned her attention to it, expecting to find a cigarette ember or something irritating her skin. It was the ring. It glowed a purplish red. She gripped it and tugged on it, but it refused to budge. The burning decreased, but the glow didn¡¯t diminish. She turned and ran through the kitchen. She opened the front door hard enough for it to bang into the wall next to it and bolted from the house. ¡°Kylee?¡± her mom called after her. Kylee let herself in through the gate to Price¡¯s yard and stumbled across the brittle grass, sobbing and shaking. She stopped beneath his bedroom window and stared up at it. For the life of her, she couldn¡¯t remember how she¡¯d made it up there the first time. Had she climbed the bricks? Scaled the vine? She bent down and picked up a couple of pebbles, then reared back to chuck them at his window. Before she could, the front door swung open, and Price stepped out. He closed the door behind him and took a step in her direction. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked. Hot tears sprang to her eyes, and she shook her head. He beckoned to her, and she walked toward him, still clutching the rocks she¡¯d picked up. He pried open her fingers and let them fall to the ground. ¡°Come inside. Wait for me in my room. I¡¯ll be up in a bit,¡± he said. She nodded. He tipped her chin back with one finger and peered at her. ¡°Will you be okay?¡± Again a nod. ¡°Promise?¡± Price asked. ¡°I promise,¡± she whispered. ¡°Okay.¡± His hand slid down her arm and he squeezed her fingers, then pulled her into the house. Stay the Night with Me ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° I¡¯m going to bed and you¡¯re in the way If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° Always. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Dors ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Not Good for Each Other She jumped up and ran to her dresser, searching her drawers for the smaller serrated knife. Missing as well. And whoever had taken it had reorganized her clothing, folding everything into neat, color-coordinated piles. There was one more. Standing on her dresser, Kylee reached up to the shelf in the closet. She probed the far corner, poking, prodding. And there. No one had found this one, pushed back behind the wallpaper. She allowed herself a brief smile of victory. Then she sat back down on the closet floor and pushed the paring knife into the flesh at her elbow. She closed her eyes and inhaled, feeling the rush of euphoria the cut brought. She bit her lip and dug deeper, whimpering as her arm began to throb. Gasping, she dropped the knife and leaned over, cradling her injured arm to her chest. ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± she whispered to herself. ¡°We don¡¯t need anyone else. We¡¯re okay.¡± *** Kylee lay in her bed in a state of dull monotony, too disinterested to do anything. Her homework sat untouched at the desk. Her books were stacked under the desk, and she had no desire to read them. She already knew how Anne¡¯s story ended: with love and happiness, an education, fulfillment. Kylee¡¯s story wasn¡¯t going that way. She didn¡¯t realize the day had passed by until she heard the bus pulling away outside. Price. She sat up, feeling energized for the first time since that morning. He spotted her when she reached the mailbox. She saw the way his eyes turned from Michael to her. They stayed on her as he waved goodbye to Michael and Amy. He took Lisa¡¯s hand and went through the gate to his house. ¡°Lisa,¡± he said, tugging his hand from hers, ¡°go on inside. I¡¯ll be in in a moment.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± she said, too young to be curious about his desire to stay outside. He went back out to the mailbox and rested his arm on the wooden pole, not quite looking at her. ¡°Hi.¡± Kylee hugged her torso, wishing he would come around to her side and hold her like he had during the night. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re home.¡± He lifted his eyes and dropped them again, picking at the splitting wood in the stake. ¡°You okay?¡± Kylee ducked her head so she could see his face. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He looked away, a blush creeping up his cheeks. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked, the all-too-familiar feeling of dread forming a rock of discomfort in her stomach. He took a step back. ¡°I should get home.¡± Something had changed while he was at school. Maybe he¡¯d rethought what happened last night. ¡°It¡¯s me, isn¡¯t it? I screw everything up.¡± He shook his head. ¡°No. It¡¯s not you.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Even Kylee knew how this story went. ¡°It¡¯s not me, it¡¯s you. I get it.¡± The ache in her throat was a tell-tale sign that tears weren¡¯t far behind, and she didn¡¯t want to break down in front of him. ¡°You¡¯re taking this all wrong, Kylee.¡± ¡°Taking what wrong?¡± she spat out, wishing she could just walk away with what was left of her dignity. ¡°You haven¡¯t told me anything.¡± She let out a short laugh. ¡°It¡¯s like everyone in the world decided to leave me in the dark.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make this about you.¡± ¡°Who else would it be about?¡± She tossed her hands skyward and turned around. Price grabbed her arm, spinning her back to face him. She tried to jerk out of his grip, but he applied pressure on her forearm, forcing her elbow to straighten. ¡°How did you do this?¡± he demanded, pressing his thumb against the new cut in her elbow joint. Kylee didn¡¯t respond. The answer should be self-explanatory. He shook her arm, harder than she thought necessary. ¡°Kylee, what¡¯s going on?¡± Still she didn¡¯t answer, just glared at him. He let her go. ¡°Why? Why did you do that?¡± He met her eyes now, and his expression was so wounded that Kylee felt her heart clench. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she whispered, though she did. It didn¡¯t make any sense if she explained it out loud. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°I¡¯m making things worse.¡± He took two steps backward, increasing the space between them. ¡°I¡¯m not helping you.¡± ¡°No, no, no.¡± Kylee shook her head, desperation building within her. She felt Price slipping through her fingers. ¡°It¡¯s not because of you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got to stay away from you, Kylee.¡± He backed all the way to the fence, and he held up a hand to stop her when she moved forward. ¡°You, too. This isn¡¯t good for us.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± she choked out. She couldn¡¯t seem to breathe. ¡°You¡¯re the only thing that¡¯s good for me.¡± He was shaking his head. ¡°This is crazy. It¡¯s ridiculous. It can¡¯t work. You¡¯ve got to go back. Just go back.¡± He turned and fled from her, speed-walking over the sidewalk, his backpack bouncing against his back. He disappeared into the house. YYY When Bill got home from work, Kylee saw the huge bump on the back of his head, visible through his thinning hair. But it hadn¡¯t changed him. He opened the fridge, grabbed a beer, and slammed it. ¡°There¡¯s no food,¡± he said. Kylee felt a pricking of guilt. She should have made dinner, but her mom had gone to bed and not roused herself all day. Kylee hadn''t realized there was no food until a minute ago. ¡°I¡¯ll make something,¡± she told Bill. ¡°Just give me a minute.¡± But he wasn¡¯t giving anyone a minute. He stormed down the hall and started yelling at Theresa. Kylee grabbed her copy of The Story Girl and stalked out of the house. She felt him before she saw him. Kylee turned her head as she crossed to the side of the house and saw Price outside with Sisko. His eyes were on her. Kylee started to smile before she remembered their last conversation, the one where Price said it would be better if they stayed away from each other. She forced herself to look forward again. She stayed out at her tree in the woods until it got too dark to read. Her ring glowed, but only a soft, deep blue that didn¡¯t give much light. She walked back to the house in the dark, stumbling on the outlying tree roots and underbrush. First she¡¯d been pulled from school and her friends quit talking to her. Then her mom and Bill got weird, and now they were giving her the silent treatment. And finally Price. For whatever reason, he also felt like he shouldn¡¯t talk to her anymore. Something tapped against her window. She paused, pulled out of her imaginations. More pattering followed, unrandom enough for her to realize someone was at her window. ¡°Kylee!¡± She recognized Price¡¯s voice and pushed the blankets off her legs. Price yelled again, louder this time. ¡°Kylee!¡± She dashed to the window and pulled. She must¡¯ve shut it hard last time, because it took more effort to lift it. The colors on her ring swirled from blue to red, lighting up her room like a cop car. She got the window up and ducked before she got a face-full of gravel. ¡°Price? What are you doing?¡± He stood three feet from her window, hand still cocked behind his head, ready to throw his ammo. The hand dropped, the rocks falling unused to the dirt. ¡°I wanted to talk to you.¡± She leaned her head out and propped her chin in her hands. ¡°I thought we weren¡¯t talking anymore.¡± It was hard to tell in the dark, but she thought he cringed. ¡°Can you come outside?¡± Of course she could. Climbing out the window was easier than going out the front door. But it felt like Price should have to work harder at this, if it were some sort of apology. She gestured at her sweats. ¡°I¡¯m in my PJs. Why don¡¯t you come in here?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± He shifted his weight from one leg to the other. ¡°Listen,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about the other day. I know I said some things that didn¡¯t make sense to you. It¡¯s just¡ªI can¡¯t explain it¡ªI¡¯m¡ª¡± He shoved both hands through his hair, spiking it up further. ¡°I can¡¯t even tell you, Kylee, because you¡¯re so¡ªyou don¡¯t know¡ª¡± He was right about one thing: he was making no sense. She didn¡¯t remember any altercation from the other day, but she remembered a few hours ago. Kylee pulled her ponytail around the front and played with the ends. ¡°You said we shouldn¡¯t see each other anymore. That we¡¯re not good for each other,¡± she said, hoping he at least explained those statements. Or take them back. ¡°Yeah. I shouldn¡¯t feel this way. It shouldn¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°Feel what way?¡± ¡°The way I feel about you!¡± The last words exploded out of him, so loud that Kylee shrank back into the room. She listened, holding her breath. When no sounds came from the living room, she stuck her head back out. ¡°Why can¡¯t you feel something for me? Because I¡¯m poor? Everyone at school makes fun of me? Your dad and sister won¡¯t acknowledge me?¡± She gave a strained laugh. ¡°Yeah, those are some pretty strong reasons.¡± ¡°Kylee, would you just come out here?¡± He sounded frustrated, even a bit angry. ¡°Can we go somewhere and talk?¡± ¡°No,¡± she whispered, swallowing back tears. ¡°You¡¯ve said enough.¡± She backed away from the window. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what we feel. We¡¯re not good for each other. I get it.¡± ¡°Why do you have to make things so difficult?¡± His hands grasped the windowsill, and he hefted himself into the room. She took two steps backward to make room for him. He glanced around the small sleeping quarters before focusing on her, the dim light from the hall casting his features into shadow. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do about us. Okay? The only thing I know is I can¡¯t get you out of my head, and it¡¯s crazy, and it¡¯s making me crazy. But I have to be near you.¡± He closed the distance between them and grabbed her hands. Kylee sucked in a breath. Price made her feel something she¡¯d never felt before. Safety, security, happiness, peace. Was that love? ¡°Say something,¡± Price murmured. The light in Kylee¡¯s room turned on. She turned to see Bill standing in the open doorway. He took one look at Price and roared. Crazy About Her ¡°I knew I heard someone!¡± Bill yelled. Price looked like a raccoon paralyzed by a flashlight. ¡°Leave him alone!¡± Kylee cried. ¡°We were just talking!¡± Bill charged at Price, grabbing his shoulders and shoving him into the wall. ¡°Trespassing! I¡¯ll get you now! I¡¯m calling the police!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Price said, squirming in his grip. ¡°Just let me go. I won¡¯t come back, I promise.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too late for that! You¡¯re gonna pay now, you nosy little SOB!¡± Kylee cried out as Bill punched Price in the face. Price yelled and twisted around. Kylee ran into the hallway and banged on her parents¡¯ bedroom door. ¡°Mom! Mom, I need you!¡± She paused, listening for footsteps, for some sort of response. The bed didn¡¯t even creak. ¡°Mom!¡± Kylee screamed, her throat aching from the force of the sound. Still nothing, which meant it was up to Kylee. She scanned the hallway for something, anything she could use. She spotted an old photograph of herself as a toddler. She yanked it off the wall, gasping at the weight of it. Her hand throbbed as if the frame had burned her. Kylee raced back to her room. Blood splotched Price¡¯s upper lip, but he had both arms up in defensive positions, blocking Bill¡¯s blows. Kylee launched herself at the two of them and rammed the sharp edge of the picture frame into Bill¡¯s ribcage. The force of the impact jerked it from her hands, and it shattered on the floor. ¡°What the¡ª?¡± Bill whipped around and stared at the frame. ¡°Price, run!¡± Kylee yelled. Price didn¡¯t need to be told twice. He tossed himself out the window, stumbling to his feet before racing across the yard. Bill spun toward the bedroom door. Broken glass crunched beneath his bare foot. He swore and stopped moving long enough to pull pieces from his skin. ¡°Kylee!¡± he yelled. ¡°Theresa!¡± Kylee backed into the wall, wishing she had one of those shards of glass in her hand now. Banging on the front door silenced Bill. ¡°Hey!¡± Mr. Hudson¡¯s voice echoed through the small house. ¡°Hey!¡± The walls shook beneath his pounding fists. ¡°You come out here and talk to me before I call the police!¡± Swearing under his breath, Bill left the room, favoring his bleeding foot. Kylee shut the door and shoved her desk chair under it. She couldn¡¯t make out the words, but she heard Price¡¯s father and Bill arguing on the front porch. Then Bill shouted, ¡°We ain¡¯t done talking, mister. If your boy comes near my house again, I¡¯ll make him wish he hadn¡¯t been born. Hear me? Keep him away!¡± ¡°Now you listen here!¡± Mr. Hudson shouted back. ¡°If I see so much as a hair out of place on my son¡¯s head, I¡¯ll have you hauled away on child assault charges so fast, your head will spin. And then I¡¯ll hire a big fancy lawyer and you won¡¯t ever see the light of day again. Am I clear?¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Kylee shuddered and pressed her hands to her ears. If only she¡¯d gone outside to talk to Price like he wanted. The front door slammed, and the small house trembled in its frame. Kylee climbed into bed, her whole body shaking. Any moment now, Bill would burst in here and beat the living daylights out of her. She wished she could disappear. She imagined his footsteps pounding down the hall, his grip on her arm as he hit her. Coldness crept over her, starting with her toes and fingers and freezing her arms and legs. A heaviness pressed down on her chest, the pressure increasing until she found it difficult to breathe. She gasped out, lightheaded. The familiar, constant blue glow from her ring darkened. She turned her head. The light had nearly gone out, leaving a speck of blue in the very middle. Wasn¡¯t she supposed to do something if that happened? If she could find a razor, a knife, something to focus her mind. But she couldn¡¯t move her fingers. She squeezed her eyes shut. At least Price had made it home okay. Heat sparked in her chest, anger that Bill had dared touch him. Hurt him. The warmth spread through her torso, relieving some of the pressure. She fought the desire to get up and knock Bill in the head with another frame. Or something harder. Price had come here to tell her he liked her. That he was crazy about her. The thought relaxed her. Her eyes didn¡¯t feel so heavy, and she opened them. The electric blue light was back, swirling around in her ring. She touched the globe with her other hand. The blue was good. Good feelings. Like Price. She closed her eyes. She saw the blue light still, the brightness searing through her eyelids. Bold and alive and constant. *** Kylee woke to the sound of the bus leaving. Bright sunlight streamed through her open window, and a cool breeze teased her face. She shivered and pulled the blankets closer around her. The bus was already here? Last night¡¯s ordeal must¡¯ve taken a bigger toll on her than she¡¯d thought. The events from the previous night twisted her insides, but foremost of all, almost eclipsing the nastiness of the confrontation with her stepfather, were Price¡¯s words. He liked her. Enough to come over here and tell her. Sure, it had turned into a fist fight and then a shouting match between their parents, but the words were out. Whatever happened now, Kylee knew his feelings for her. She wiggled her toes and didn¡¯t resist the grin that spread across her face. She changed her clothes and climbed out the window, figuring that was easier than going through the house and facing her mom. Already the air felt warmer. The sun shone down on her head, and she tilted her face up so it beat upon her bare skin. The exhilarating warmth matched the feeling in her heart. The potato bucket hadn¡¯t moved from its spot upside down against the back of the house. Kylee flipped it over and blew at the spiders that had made it their home. They scrambled out, and she carried it over to the garden plot next to the clothesline. Remnants of the spring and summer plants still dotted the dirt, some with green leaves in an attempt to thrive during the changing season. Most, however, were shriveled and brown, good for nothing except tossing into a compost pile. She sat down on the ground and dug her fingers into the cool soil. The dirt seemed to grow rocks better than it grew vegetables. Within moments she retrieved her first stone. She chucked it across the yard and resumed searching for a potato. She had the urge to fly, to throw her arms out and let the wind carry her away. It felt as though she could, as if she could be free of everything that held her down. She took her shoes off and dug her toes into the soil. She put the bucket down and lifted her face to the sky, arms extended. The glimmer of her ring caught her eye. She pressed her hand over it, feeling the coolness against her palm. She removed her hand and saw the color had darkened from a blue to a gray. Suddenly the urge to fly seemed like a compulsion. She felt weightless, and it frightened her. Kylee sat down in the dirt, trying to glue herself to the ground. The sky summoned her, beckoning gravity to release its hold. She put her head on her knees and held on tight. You Belong with Me The dirt spun beneath Kylee¡¯s feet, and she swallowed hard to keep from puking. She closed her eyes, but even her head spun. A dog barked, but it seemed far away, remote. A hand closed on her shoulder, and the world came to a sudden stop. Kylee¡¯s body jerked forward. She lifted her head, still dizzy from the rotating. ¡°Kylee?¡± Price squatted in front of her, his brows knitted in concern. One hand held Sisko¡¯s leash, restraining the animal as he whined and bucked against Price¡¯s hold. She shifted in the dirt, disoriented from the spin cycle. ¡°When did you get home?¡± she asked, taking in the swollen lip and his puffy, purple left eye. ¡°Two hours ago. What are you doing in the dirt?¡± His grip tightened as the dog grunted and tried to back away. Kylee pushed off the ground, holding one hand out until she regained her balance. ¡°You got home two hours ago?¡± How had she not noticed the car? ¡°Why are you home early?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± He cocked his head, peering at her in that way again. ¡°What makes you think it¡¯s early?¡± ¡°It was just lunchtime.¡± She blinked up at the sky, noting how the sun had moved down the horizon. ¡°You must¡¯ve lost track of time.¡± ¡°No. . . .¡± She pressed a hand to her head. Had she dreamed the whole world-spinning thing? ¡°Maybe I fell asleep. Your eye, Price.¡± He grinned, the skin pinching up on his face. ¡°Awesome, huh? Everyone asked about it at school.¡± ¡°What did you tell them?¡± ¡°My girlfriend¡¯s dad caught me in her room.¡± Kylee laughed out loud, stunned and tickled by the response. ¡°Mostly true, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. He¡¯s practically your dad.¡± And am I practically your girlfriend? She refrained from asking the question. She liked the easiness between them, the familiarity. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. Does it hurt?¡± She reached out and touched the puffy skin. ¡°Pretty much. But it was fun, too. Being threatened, getting my dad involved.¡± ¡°I know, right?¡± Kylee shifted and dropped her eyes. ¡°About last night¡ªwhat you said¡ª¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have to talk about it,¡± he interrupted. ¡°I said it. You know it, I know it, that¡¯s all that matters.¡± She lifted her face. ¡°Okay.¡± Price studied her, backing up a bit as Sisko yanked harder. ¡°Has Bill ever hit you?¡± Kylee bit her lip. She didn¡¯t want him to see her as a victim, or someone weak who couldn¡¯t defend herself. But she didn¡¯t want to keep things from him anymore, either. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Salaud.¡± Price sucked in a breath. ¡°I knew it.¡± Darkness lingered on the edge of her vision, sending forth jagged fingers of tingling ice. She shivered and hugged herself. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about that.¡± Sisko continued to pull Price toward their house, and Kylee followed, trailing behind him. ¡°Why¡¯s your ring glowing like that?¡± Price asked, his eyes on her hand. He yanked Sisko to a stop by the mailbox. She twisted the ring, the electric blue warmth radiating against her skin. ¡°It just does sometimes.¡± He took her hand, holding the ring up to the sun. ¡°Weird.¡± ¡°I like it,¡± she said, though she wasn¡¯t sure of that. ¡°Really?¡± He dropped her hand, still staring at the ring. ¡°Yeah.¡± Kylee shoved her hand in her pocket. Sisko jerked Price¡¯s arm, and he let the dog go. Kylee watched the animal as he trotted through the yard, sniffing at tree trunks and chasing butterflies, happy to be free. ¡°How¡¯s your bike?¡± she asked. ¡°Taken it out yet?¡± ¡°Yeah. Half an hour ago.¡± ¡°Wow, I . . . must¡¯ve been sleeping.¡± Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Definitely out of it. I didn¡¯t see you in your yard, or I would¡¯ve come over.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Tell me when you go out again. I want to see you ride.¡± ¡°I could take you for a ride, if you want.¡± His cheeks reddened, and he cleared his throat. ¡°Listen, my dad¡¯s taking Lisa to the movies tonight. I thought maybe you could come over for dinner and we could watch something. A little Tolkien, maybe?¡± ¡°Movies on a Wednesday?¡± she said, arching an eyebrow. ¡°It¡¯s Friday, Kylee,¡± he said, cocking his head at her. That made no sense. ¡°We just went to the beach four days ago.¡± ¡°No,¡± he said very slowly, ¡°it was almost a week ago.¡± ¡°But yesterday was Tuesday,¡± she said, quite certain of it. ¡°It was Thursday. You didn¡¯t talk to me for two days, remember? You were mad at me.¡± She struggled for a moment. That wasn¡¯t possible. But what reason did he have to lie to her? And then what had happened to the other days? She swallowed back her uncertainty. ¡°What¡¯s Tolkien?¡± He groaned. ¡°That question does not deserve an answer.¡± ¡°Well, if I can¡¯t find anything else to do. . . .¡± ¡°That¡¯s the spirit. I¡¯m always here as a last resort.¡± ¡°You¡¯re never a last resort.¡± She hadn¡¯t meant to say the words out loud. ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you at dinner.¡± His intense brown eyes bored into hers, no longer asking but demanding. ¡°Yes,¡± Kylee answered. There was no other response. She knew she¡¯d be over to his house the moment Mr. Hudson and Lisa backed down the driveway in the fancy black car. ¡°Good.¡± Price leaned toward her and brushed his lips against her forehead. They lingered there for a moment, and then he pulled away and opened the mailbox. ¡°I¡¯ll see you in a bit.¡± Bill came home an hour later. Kylee crept out of her room and hovered in the hallway, half-fearing, half-hoping he would talk to her. He didn¡¯t so much as glance at her. Just made his way to the fridge, grabbed a beer, and slunk down to the living room. Her mom sat down at the table with a cup of coffee. Well, it could be worse. They¡¯d be fine without her. She watched the BMW back down the long driveway and reach the road, then disappear from view. As soon as it was gone, she yanked the window up and hopped outside. Price greeted her at his front door. ¡°Hi,¡± he said, and then he squeezed her into a hug as if he¡¯d been looking forward to that moment all day. He pulled back without releasing her and bumped her forehead with his. ¡°You always smell so good.¡± ¡°Like dirt and chickens?¡± she joked. He pulled her hair out of its ponytail, then pivoted her elbow joint toward him. ¡°It¡¯s not here anymore. Where you cut yourself Tuesday.¡± ¡°Sure, it is.¡± She yanked her arm back, disturbed by the direction the conversation was going. ¡°It¡¯s just scabbed over.¡± She pressed her other hand over the wound to prevent further inspection. ¡°Whatever.¡± Price shrugged it off and led the way to the kitchen. ¡°Dad left me a pizza. You like pizza?¡± ¡°I like anything that¡¯s not chicken and potatoes.¡± She stood behind a chair at the counter-height table and looked around the kitchen. The countertops were some kind of hard stone. One was set out in the middle of the floor and had four burners on top. Dark cherry-colored cabinets lined the walls. ¡°I like your kitchen.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Price set a pizza on the counter and used a rolling knife to slice it up. ¡°I liked our old one more. It was never this clean, though.¡± ¡°Oh? Why¡¯s that?¡± She accepted the plate of pizza he offered her. ¡°My mom was always cooking.¡± He headed out of the kitchen, motioning for her to follow. ¡°We spent Saturday morning cleaning before we got to do anything fun.¡± Kylee followed him into the living room. A flat-screen TV stuck to the wall, shining an electric blue that reminded her of her ring. Which, come to think of it, was warming her finger. Price sat down on a leather couch, popping it out so his feet were upright. ¡°Come and sit,¡± he said, patting the spot beside him. ¡°This is nice.¡± Kylee approached with her plate in her hands but couldn¡¯t bring herself to sit down. Somehow she felt like she¡¯d ruin it or something. He picked up the remote control. ¡°The movie is prepped and ready to go. You ready for this? We can always just watch TV. Lots of dumb shows on.¡± He looked up at her. ¡°Are you going to sit down?¡± ¡°Um, yes.¡± She plopped on the couch, her body sinking into the cushions. Her skin prickled with unease. She didn¡¯t feel like she belonged in this clean, modern home. Price studied her. ¡°I¡¯ll put on a TV show.¡± He clicked the remote, and color picture filled the television, much clearer than what showed up on the small box screen at her house. He settled back and bit into his pizza, the gooey cheese peeling away in melted strings. Kylee didn¡¯t touch her slice. Price clicked mute on the television and turned to face her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She forced a smile. ¡°Nothing.¡± He sat up straighter, a flicker of doubt creeping into his eyes. ¡°Are you uncomfortable here? Is it me?¡± She shook her head. ¡°No! No, it¡¯s not you. I just¡ªI don¡¯t feel like I belong here. Anywhere.¡± He brushed her cheek with the back of his finger, leaving a trail of liquid heat from her cheekbone to her lip. ¡°You belong with me.¡± He turned her to face him and pressed a kiss to her mouth. ¡°You¡¯re here with me.¡± She focused on the taste of his lips. ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± she echoed. He kissed her again, a gentle touch of his mouth on hers. She closed her eyes, losing herself in the heady feeling his lips created. He pulled her closer, his hands caressing the length of her back. He laid her on the couch, shifting his weight on top of her. She returned his kisses instinctively, not bothering to think about how well their bodies melded together. She felt more alive than she ever had. Price kissed her jaw, then her neck, and then her collarbone. A low sound hummed in Kylee¡¯s throat, and she clutched his hips, wanting to feel every part of him pressed against her. She couldn¡¯t think of a single reason why she shouldn¡¯t have him. My First Time Price¡¯s fingers gripped the bottom of her shirt, pulling it up over her belly. The blast of cold air shocked her skin and her senses. Kylee opened her eyes and sat up, reality crashing over her like a bucket of water. ¡°Wait, wait, wait,¡± she gasped out, her voice thick. Price sat up too. ¡°What is it?¡± His voice had a husky quality to it that made her stomach tightened. ¡°I¡¯m a little . . . nervous.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he said, one hand stroking her bare waist. ¡°It¡¯s just me.¡± He leaned over her and kissed her again. For a moment she was distracted. The kiss grew stronger, hardly giving Kylee a moment to breathe. His hands caressed her over her clothing, leaving a trail of liquid desire under her skin. This was going somewhere. They might even go all the way. Think, she reminded herself. No one had ever seen her naked before, and fear shook her to her senses. She couldn¡¯t show herself to him. What if she wasn¡¯t acceptable, what if he didn¡¯t like her? She turned her head sideways so his mouth met with her cheek. ¡°Price. I¡¯ve never done this before.¡± She needed to get away from his electric fingers. ¡°Me neither. It¡¯s going to be fine, I promise.¡± He was willing to let it happen. Kylee pushed his chest away and straightened up. ¡°Price, I can¡¯t. I¡¯m not ready for this.¡± Her fingers plucked the edge of her shirt away from him, and she pulled it down over her stomach. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. ¡°No, no, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s okay. Whatever you want.¡± He pressed a quick kiss to her forehead and scooted farther away, exhaling again. ¡°I¡¯m crazy about you. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°I know.¡± And she did. She gave him a timid smile, feeling an odd mixture of shyness and intimacy after their kisses. ¡°I just want to be sure.¡± She tried to break away from the intensity of his gaze, but he held her captive, even with one eye swollen and purple. ¡°I want it to be you,¡± he said, his words certain and confident. Her stomach tightened in a delightful shudder, and she managed to look away. ¡°I¡¯m not ready.¡± His fingers stroked her arm. ¡°You don¡¯t have to explain. It¡¯s fine, Kylee.¡± She let out a breath, waiting for her heart rate to slow. ¡°Did you want to get that show going again?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The couch shifted, and Price un-muted the TV. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Kylee had no idea what was going on in the show. She tried to get into it, but her mind kept wandering back to Price sitting beside her, the way he¡¯d kissed her, the feel of his body as it pressed against hers. She shifted her weight sideways so she could see him in her peripheral vision. From here she couldn¡¯t see his purple eye, and the swelling on his lip barely showed. He¡¯d surprised her, coming on so strongly. The feelings had frightened her a little. He laughed at something on the television, a small dimple popping out on his cheek. He glanced at her and caught her watching him. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± he asked, poking her leg with his socked toe. A surge of warm affection coursed through her. Screw caution. She wanted to be with him as badly as he wanted to be with her. ¡°You know what?¡± She crawled the distance between them and kissed him, the action easier and more natural than before. ¡°Forget this show. I¡¯m ready.¡± Price leaned back. ¡°Yeah?¡± He turned the TV off and put a hand behind her head, returning her kiss. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m crazy about you too.¡± He didn¡¯t miss a beat but slid his hand under her shirt, his palm against her back, pressing her closer. She closed her eyes, slipping away in the physical sensations as his mouth captured hers. This felt so right. It had to be right. She ignored any nagging doubts or hesitations, shoving them from her mind. Price pulled back, his thumb rubbing her jaw while his brown eyes studied her, burning with desire. ¡°Come on.¡± ¡°Where are we going?¡± She allowed Price to take her hand and tug her from the couch. He led her up the stairs, turning around to kiss her once. ¡°My room.¡± The sun had gone down, and his room was dark. The glow from her ring cast a bluish hue to the walls. He didn¡¯t bother with the light. He lay down on the bed and pulled her on top of him. His hands went through her hair, and he brought her mouth down to his. Kylee couldn¡¯t see anything, but she didn¡¯t need to. She could feel. The doubts in her head started speaking louder, taking the edge off her pleasure. ¡°Is this a good idea? I mean, us. . . .¡± She couldn¡¯t bring herself to continue. She wasn¡¯t comfortable having this conversation. ¡°As long as you¡¯re okay,¡± Price whispered, his breath warm on her neck. ¡°I love you. I want you.¡± His words burned into her heart. ¡°I love you too,¡± Kylee mouthed, but no sound came out. Instead she gripped his face between her hands and kissed him hard. Price¡¯s arms went around her, and he rolled her over. She lost track of his hands as they ran over her body, stroking her, caressing her, finding her secret places, and her inhibitions fell away. She gasped at the rising intensity in her core, arching her back to meet his every touch. His mouth came to hers, kissing her before roaming down her neck and shoulders. Something was building in her body, pulsing with an aching need, as if she were on the brink of an explosion, one touch away from shattering. A sudden sharp blade of blackness stabbed into her mind. Kylee cried out and flinched away, but the pain was in her head. She wasn¡¯t in the bedroom anymore. The pleasure of moments ago vanished in an instant, replaced by red hot pain. Images flashed before her eyes, brutal visions of hands and fists, hitting, pounding. Blood. The throbbing of her heartbeat. Kylee screamed and curled into a ball, but it wouldn¡¯t go away. Then the hands and fists coalesced into a person, a face distorted with anger and hatred. Bill. Punching her, kicking her. She spotted the pink ruffle of her bedspread, felt herself roll under it. He had a knife in his hand. Her knife. He must¡¯ve found it under her pillow. The bedroom filled with more muted yells, stomping, crying. Something stabbed into her shoulder, and then the room shuddered. A cozy warmth blotted out the aching in her body, and darkness swallowed her. Youre Dead ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° She can¡¯t see me. What Death Feels Like ¡°If it starts to turn black, come back and see me. Bring him with you.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°You don¡¯t have nervesYou can¡¯t feel pain. ¡° Guess that shows you how pathetic my life was before Not Ready to Go I changed my mind! I¡¯m not ready to go! He¡¯s leaving me here, ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°¡°The lady in the weird shop.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Ive Been Waiting for You ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Who Killed You? ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Dont Leave Me ¡° ¡° He¡¯s upsetSad ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Dead Girls Room Price swiveled from the desk, then hurried to the window. A breeze blew in when he lifted it, slamming the bedroom door shut. ¡°Hey,¡± he greeted, a wisp of a smile touching his lips. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you.¡± She shrugged and slipped inside, taking in his cotton pajama shirt and flannel pants. ¡°I don¡¯t have much else to do.¡± She arched an eyebrow. ¡°No church?¡± Price coughed loudly and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m sick.¡± ¡°Great.¡± Kylee walked to the bed and lay back on it, kicking her feet. She glanced at the computer screen, little images frozen in mid-action. ¡°Playing a game?¡± ¡°I¡¯m bored.¡± Price picked his phone up and flipped it between his fingers. ¡°I beat the levels on this game two years ago.¡± ¡°Why do you still play it, then?¡± He shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s a good distraction.¡± From what? But she didn¡¯t have to ask. He was in this with her. Dealing with it the best he could. ¡°What¡¯s your plan?¡± Price asked. ¡°What are we doing while everyone¡¯s at church?¡± ¡°I was thinking it would be helpful if we found the murder weapon,¡± she said. ¡°But even more, we need to find my body.¡± He closed his eyes and braced one hand against the desk. For a moment she wondered if he really was sick, then she realized it was the thought of finding her body that bothered him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to help me,¡± she reminded him. ¡°No.¡± He met her gaze. ¡°You¡¯re not doing this by yourself. You shouldn¡¯t have to.¡± The whole house trembled as the garage door lifted, and then the BMW slid out and down the drive. The house rumbled again as the heavy metal door dropped down. ¡°Dad left for church.¡± Price stared out the window and then turned around, a mischievous look on his face. ¡°We¡¯re alone.¡± Price¡¯s eyes looked her over. He reached a hand out, gesturing for her to come to him. ¡°No time to waste.¡± Kylee jumped off the bed, trying to ignore the expression of desire on his face. What was the point? Ghosts couldn¡¯t make out. At least, they shouldn¡¯t be able to. She headed for the door, expecting Price to follow her. ¡°What¡¯s the rush?¡± he called from the bedroom. ¡°Your parents¡¯ car is still on the grass.¡± ¡°Still?¡± She joined him at the window and scowled at the evidence. The ugly blue vehicle hadn¡¯t budged. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re not going to church today?¡± Price suggested. That would be her luck. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll see.¡± Even as she spoke, the sound of the broken muffler vibrated through the air. She faced Price with a smug smile. ¡°There they go.¡± She pushed past him and headed down the hall. ¡°Do you feel any different?¡± he asked as they descended the stairs. ¡°Yeah,¡± she admitted. ¡°It kind of makes sense. It¡¯s like I knew something was off, something wasn¡¯t right. But I didn¡¯t want to admit it, I guess.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± He opened the front door and stepped into the muggy air. The day was overcast and cloudy, but the heat seeped from the ground like steam from the bath. ¡°Well, like food. I haven¡¯t been hungry in a long time.¡± Price scrunched up his nose. ¡°How sad.¡± ¡°I know, right?¡± Kylee had to laugh. ¡°I¡¯m beginning to think nothing is real.¡± Tears burned her eyes. She wanted to wipe at them, but they were fake, too. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Price grabbed her hand, pressed it to his face. ¡°I¡¯m real. What I feel for you is real.¡± ¡°But it can¡¯t be.¡± Kylee tried to tug her hand free, but Price held tight. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re imagining these feelings, too.¡± ¡°Oh, shut up.¡± Using his grip on her hand, he yanked her to him and kissed her. She resisted, but Price¡¯s lips forced hers open. The feel of his tongue on hers sent little shivers through her abdomen, and she found her arms going around him, pulling his body closer. Price snapped his head back so fast that his teeth nicked her lip. She touched her mouth, felt the way it throbbed while his dark eyes studied her. ¡°Fake?¡± he demanded. ¡°Was any of that fake?¡± She shook her head, unable to argue further. ¡°It felt pretty real.¡± ¡°It was real.¡± He bumped her forehead with his, his arms going around the small of her back. ¡°For whatever reason, you¡¯re still here. I don¡¯t care why. We get to be together. Nothing can separate us. Except ourselves.¡± She leaned into his chest and closed her eyes, listening to the thrum of his heartbeat beneath her ear. He made it sound like she had a choice. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do, Price,¡± she whispered. ¡°But I have to start down this path. I have to see where it can lead.¡± And if she proved Bill had murdered her . . . the burning rage in her heart confirmed her deepest desire. Leading Price through the overgrown vegetation in her yard embarrassed her, even though she knew it shouldn¡¯t. ¡°When did Bill move the pick-up truck?¡± ¡°What pick-up?¡± ¡°The one that was right here.¡± She stepped into the spot where the grass still hadn¡¯t grown back. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been here the whole time I¡¯ve lived next door.¡± She frowned. She remembered it from the days she¡¯d repeated in her head before realizing she was dead. So he must¡¯ve moved it after she died but before Price moved in. They climbed back into her room through the window she¡¯d left open. The door was closed, as always. ¡°So what were my parents doing, those weeks when I was in my own fantasy world?¡± Price shrugged. ¡°Living, I guess.¡± Kylee saw herself putting clothes on the line, talking to her mom while she pounded dough, gathering the chicken eggs. All in her head. Price¡¯s eyes wandered around her room, and he gave a soft laugh. ¡°Looks the same as the last time I was here. Only, there¡¯s no one charging through the doorway at me.¡± ¡°Yeah, sorry about that,¡± she muttered, wondering how the room must look to him. A twin bed, wrapped in a blue blanket in the middle of the threadbare, tan carpet. A teddy bear on the floor beside the bed. An old, warped desk with a stack of books on it and a white plastic chair tucked into it. Nothing else. Nothing in the room to indicate who Kylee had been. ¡°What are we doing in here, exactly?¡± Price asked. He hadn¡¯t budged from the spot next to the window. ¡°It¡¯s creepy, isn¡¯t it?¡± Kylee said. He lifted one shoulder. ¡°You know. Dead girl¡¯s room.¡± ¡°Murder site,¡± she added. ¡°Or almost.¡± She hadn¡¯t died until she got to the tree. ¡°So where did it happen?¡± Kylee¡¯s eyes landed on the carpet next to the bed. She recognized the spot even though she¡¯d been staring at the ceiling, trying to fight Bill off. ¡°Right here. Wait a minute.¡± How had she not noticed it before? ¡°That¡¯s not where my bed was.¡± ¡°Where was it?¡± ¡°About three feet more that way.¡± She pointed toward the wall. ¡°It¡¯s way too close to the door right here.¡± ¡°Well, let¡¯s find out why.¡± Price took hold of the footboard and scooted it forward. Kylee went to the head and pushed while he pulled. ¡°Stop,¡± she said, spotting what she was after. She knelt down and pressed her fingers against the exposed square of bare hardwood. Price joined her, squatting to be on her level. ¡°The carpet¡¯s been cut,¡± she said. ¡°Evidence,¡± Price said. ¡°Yeah,¡± she agreed. She squinted at the dark wood. ¡°But something could¡¯ve still seeped through, right?¡± ¡°Something? You mean, like blood?¡± The door to Kylee¡¯s room flew open, and both of them jerked their heads up. Theresa stood there, not in a dress, but in her normal house shirt and sweats. Her blue eyes widened in shock, her pupils narrowed to pinpricks. ¡°Mom,¡± Kylee said, pushing herself to her feet. She knew from her mom¡¯s eyes she wasn¡¯t feeling well. Her mother focused on Price. ¡°What are you doing in my daughter¡¯s room?¡± she breathed, her nostrils flaring. ¡°Um, well, it¡¯s not as bad as it looks,¡± Price floundered. Theresa¡¯s eyes focused on the patch of missing carpet and then back on Price. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you at church?¡± Kylee blurted. ¡°Is Bill home too?¡± She felt the blood drain from her face at the thought. Metaphorically, anyway. ¡°Price, you better go.¡± ¡°Hang on,¡± he murmured. ¡°Is your husband home?¡± Theresa scrunched up her brows. ¡°What?¡± Then they lifted in understanding. ¡°You¡¯re that boy that¡¯s been coming around. Asking questions about Kylee.¡± She stepped nearer. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Uh . . .¡± Price said. Kylee felt her shoulders relax. Bill must not be home, or he would¡¯ve come to investigate. ¡°Tell her,¡± she said on impulse. ¡°What?¡± he murmured out of the corner of his mouth. ¡°Why are you coming around?¡± her mother repeated. ¡°Tell her the truth!¡± Kylee said. ¡°She won¡¯t believe me!¡± he hissed. Theresa¡¯s head shot around, searching the room. ¡°Who are you talking to?¡± ¡°Me, Mom, it¡¯s me!¡± Kylee yelled. ¡°It¡¯s Kylee,¡± Price said, then he winced. ¡°I mean . . . I¡¯m talking to your daughter.¡± Remember Me this Way ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Of courseWho checks out a strange noise in their dead daughter¡¯s room without the phone? ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° I Love You, Price Hudson Price hung up. Kylee paced the room. ¡°You should have given an anonymous tip.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t mind talking to them.¡± ¡°Bill will know,¡± she whispered. He didn¡¯t answer. The cops came to the house almost half an hour later. It was a rather uneventful visit. They asked Price the same questions they¡¯d asked on the phone. One of them gave him a business card. ¡°We¡¯ll be in touch.¡± ¡°Did you find the body?¡± Price asked. ¡°We did find a body,¡± the second officer said. ¡°Thank you for the tip.¡± They left, and Price closed the door, exhaling as he leaned against it. ¡°Well.¡± That pretty much summed things up. ¡°I guess now we wait,¡± Kylee said. It was all over the news that evening. Kylee relaxed unnoticed at Price¡¯s feet, watching the news with his family. ¡°Thanks to an unexpected tip, the body of missing teenager Kylee Mansfield was found this afternoon,¡± the newscaster said, shuffling her papers before looking into the camera. A picture of Kylee flashed on the television. ¡°The teenage girl had been missing for three months. Her cause of death remains unknown.¡± ¡°Unknown!¡± Kylee burst out. ¡°Haven¡¯t they figured out yet that I was murdered?¡± Price tapped her thigh with his foot. ¡°They¡¯ll do an autopsy, right, Dad? Figure it out?¡± Mr. Hudson shook his head. ¡°I assume so. And to think, those are our neighbors. Don¡¯t you go near that house again, Price.¡± ¡°Sure, Dad.¡± ¡°Good thing he doesn¡¯t know you found the body,¡± Kylee teased. Mr. Hudson turned the television off. ¡°Time for bed, kids. School tomorrow.¡± There was no question in Kylee¡¯s mind about going home or not. She didn¡¯t plan to step foot in that house again, either. ¡°I¡¯ll take the floor,¡± she said when Price closed the bedroom door. ¡°Why?¡± He took her arm and pulled her closer. ¡°There¡¯s room for both of us on my bed.¡± ¡°Not tonight.¡± Her throat ached from unshed tears, and her face felt swollen. All she could think about was they still hadn¡¯t proved her murder. ¡°Sorry.¡± He kissed her forehead. ¡°You take the bed.¡± ¡°If your dad comes in and finds you on the floor, he¡¯ll think it¡¯s weird. I don¡¯t mind.¡± They didn¡¯t talk anymore as they settled into their spaces. Price¡¯s breathing deepened from the twin bed, but Kylee didn¡¯t sleep. She stared at the ceiling, then closed her eyes and willed time to pass. Bright light filtered through her eyelids, and she opened them, surprised to find it was morning. She¡¯d slept, or something. And she was still here. The door opened and Price came in. ¡°Oh, good, you¡¯re awake.¡± He grabbed his backpack. ¡°I have to leave for school.¡± He shifted his weight from foot to foot. ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll still be here when I get back.¡± She had no way of guaranteeing that. But she suspected if she didn¡¯t say it, he wouldn¡¯t go. ¡°Of course I¡¯ll be here.¡± ¡°Okay. You can just¡ªhang out or something.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He left, and she settled back for the longest day ever. She sat down at Price¡¯s desk and fingered the notepad he kept there. On impulse, she flipped it to the very last page. Picking up one of his pens, she wrote in very careful lettering, ¡°I love you, Price Hudson.¡± The words made her smile. She shoved the notepad back and turned on the computer, glancing out the window as it powered up. When she looked at the screen again, it was still dark. How long did it take to power on? She wiggled the mouse, and the welcome screen appeared. She moved the cursor toward the internet browser when she spotted the clock in the corner. ¡°Three oh-six?¡± she exclaimed. Where had the past eight hours gone? Outside, she heard the familiar air brakes of the bus, followed by the voices of kids coming down the street. She leaned back in the computer desk chair. She didn¡¯t want Price to know she¡¯d been time jumping again. He came in a few minutes later, his eyes darting around the room before landing on her. His expression relaxed. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± She faked a smile. ¡°I promised, right?¡± He gestured at the computer. ¡°How was your day? Find anything new?¡± ¡°Um. No. Nothing.¡± That wasn¡¯t even a lie. He glanced behind him and turned back to her. ¡°I¡¯ll be back, okay?¡± Where was he going? He didn¡¯t give her a chance to respond, just turned around and left. She tapped her fingers on the desk, impatient to continue their conversation. Price blew back in, closing the door behind him. ¡°Sorry that took so long. Chores, dinner, you know. So.¡± He shrugged. ¡°We tried, right? Maybe you¡¯re not meant to move on.¡± ¡°I think we need a new approach,¡± Kylee said, not acknowledging his statement. ¡°We need information.¡± ¡°Uh . . .¡± Price scratched his brow. ¡°We tried that. And she gave us a bunch of steps and clues that aren¡¯t helping. Or were you thinking of going to someone else?¡± Alarm flashed across his features. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mean Bill.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°No.¡± She laughed. ¡°While Bill is definitely the person who knows everything about my death, there¡¯s no way I¡¯d send you to talk to him.¡± ¡°Yeah, I won¡¯t mention how relieved that makes me,¡± Price murmured. ¡°Who, then?¡± ¡°The cops,¡± Kylee said. She couldn¡¯t pass another day staring at the computer, waiting for something to happen. ¡°You think they know something they¡¯re not telling us?¡± She shrugged. ¡°I know they have details we might not know.¡± ¡°There¡¯s not any way to check police records¡ª¡± Price broke off, and a slow smile slid across his face. ¡°Listen. Of course there is. You can do it.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°If you can get me passwords, I can do the rest.¡± ¡°You can do that?¡± Price cracked his fingers and put a lazy expression on his face. ¡°I¡¯ve been hacking websites since I was ten.¡± She looked at him. ¡°It¡¯s illegal to hack into police records.¡± ¡°It¡¯s also illegal to murder someone.¡± He had her there. ¡°How will I get passwords?¡± ¡°If I can get you into the police station¡ªthey can¡¯t see you, right? All you¡¯d have to do is spy on someone for ten minutes, just long enough for them to log in somewhere.¡± ¡°But you could get in trouble.¡± ¡°Only if I¡¯m caught. Hey.¡± He put his hands on her shoulders and peered into her eyes. ¡°If Madame Humphrey¡¯s telling the truth, then time¡¯s running out. We have to figure out what we need to do before¡ªbefore¡ª¡± ¡°Before I go to hell for a suicide I didn¡¯t commit?¡± Kylee said it flippantly to brush off her own fear. ¡°Okay. So how do we get me into the police station?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll work that out.¡± She looked around his cluttered computer desk and spotted the notepad. She grabbed a pencil and reached for the paper. It wasn¡¯t until she started to write that she noticed her hand was empty. She lifted her gaze and saw the notepad hadn¡¯t moved. ¡°Didn¡¯t I pick up that paper?¡± ¡°No,¡± Price said, shaking his head. ¡°You just reached for it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s strange . . .¡± Kylee extended her hand again. She felt the pokey corners of the notepad, the smoothness of the paper. But nothing happened when she grasped it. She withdrew her hand and stared at it. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± In an instant, Price was standing beside her. ¡°I can¡¯t pick it up,¡± she whispered. ¡°I¡¯m trying to grab it and nothing happens.¡± ¡°Try it again,¡± he said, his voice tight. She did. Her fingers went right through the paper. She gasped. ¡°Price.¡± Coldness washed over her. Was this it? Was she going to pass over now, even though they hadn¡¯t cleared her name? Icy tendrils crept over her fingers and toes. She didn¡¯t dare look at the ring, certain all color would be gone. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± His fingers grazed her arm, and she closed her eyes in relief at the pressure of his hand. She¡¯d had a terrible fear that he would go right through her. Warmth replaced the chill, and she leaned into his ribcage, terrified. ¡°Don¡¯t let me go,¡± she whispered. ¡°I¡¯ve got you.¡± He wrapped his arms around her, one hand rubbing her shoulder blades. His embrace tightened and he kissed the top of her head. ¡°Je t¡¯aime.¡± She didn¡¯t need to know French to know what that meant. She closed her eyes, an ache forming in her chest so sharp and poignant that it seemed alive. She pulled away from the embrace. ¡°I guess you¡¯ll have to take notes.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He gave a short laugh. ¡°Take my seat.¡± Kylee removed herself from the chair and sat two feet away from him on the plush carpet. ¡°What time is it?¡± she asked, her eyes caught by the array of colors following the descending globe of sunlight. Price turned his alarm clock toward him. ¡°Almost seven. Is that important?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡ªI¡¯ve been here for hours. All day.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not keeping you here. You¡¯re free to go.¡± His reply annoyed her. ¡°I will when I want,¡± she snapped. ¡°Right now we¡¯re planning.¡± ¡°So let¡¯s plan.¡± ¡°We need to go to the cops.¡± ¡°Right.¡± His pencil tapped the paper. ¡°I already have that. Visit the police station. Then what?¡± Kylee shrugged. Things got a little iffy for her there, too. Price drew a giant question mark. ¡°This is a great plan. Foolproof.¡± Before Kylee thought up a witty reply, the cell phone on his desk rang. He grabbed at it before it danced its way off the desk. ¡°Hey,¡± he said into the speaker. He glanced at her and mouthed, ¡°Sorry.¡± Kylee sat in rapt attention. Though Price got plenty of text messages, she couldn¡¯t recall the last time someone had called him. She tuned her ears into the phone and thought she made out the high-pitched intonation of a female voice. ¡°Yeah, I wasn¡¯t feeling that well.¡± He paused. ¡°Crap, is that due this week? Sure. Okay, see ya.¡± He hung up and scratched his eyebrow. ¡°Sorry about that.¡± Kylee waited for elucidation, but Price didn¡¯t offer any. He picked his pencil up and turned back to the paper. ¡°Who was it?¡± she prompted, hoping she appeared curious and not nosy. ¡°Oh, Amy,¡± he said, as if it were no big deal. ¡°Anyway. Police station.¡± He was trying too hard to change the subject, and it made Kylee more suspicious. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you guys talked on the phone.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t. We¡¯re working on a French project together, and it¡¯s due Thursday. She¡¯s coming over so we can finish it.¡± He said it so casually, without looking at her, that Kylee immediately thought it was not as simple as he acted. ¡°She¡¯s coming over now?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s supposed to be with Michael. But he¡¯s never available. Amy called him just now, too, and he can¡¯t come.¡± Why did the thought of him working with her make her jealous? His words made perfect sense. ¡°How does that work? Does he still get credit for the project?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. We¡¯ll give Michael the hard part when it¡¯s time to present.¡± ¡°Should I leave before Amy gets here?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s okay.¡± But the way Price shifted in his chair and pulled on his earlobe said otherwise. She cleared her throat and nodded at the paper. ¡°Let¡¯s finish this up.¡± ¡°Right. Police station tomorrow?¡± She bobbed her head. Amy would be here soon. It wasn¡¯t a long walk. Focus. ¡°How will I get there?¡± Price tapped his pencil on the desk, a sly grin spreading across his face. ¡°I know. How would you like to go to school with me?¡± ¡°What? Go to school with you?¡± Kylee¡¯s mouth dropped, all concerns about the French project and Amy fleeing her thoughts. ¡°Really?¡± She tried to conceal her excitement at the idea. ¡°The police station is around the corner from the school.¡± ¡°How convenient. So we can walk over.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± She wrapped her arms around his neck. ¡°Aren¡¯t you smart?¡± The doorbell rang and Kylee jumped away, her face warming as if she¡¯d been caught in the middle of something naughty. His dad knocked on the door before opening it. ¡°Price? Amy¡¯s here.¡± Price waved. ¡°Just let her in.¡± Mr. Hudson disappeared, and Kylee hissed, ¡°He knows who she is? How often does she come over?¡± ¡°Come on, Kylee,¡± Price breathed, rolling his eyes at her. ¡°You¡¯re the one who stalks my house. Shouldn¡¯t you know?¡± Was he making a jab at her? For that matter, shouldn¡¯t she know? How had this slipped past her? She folded her arms across her chest and huffed. ¡°Hi,¡± Amy said, appearing in the open doorway with her backpack slung on one shoulder. ¡°Your dad said to come on in.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± Price cleared some of his papers off the desk and coughed, shooting a look at Kylee. She frowned, trying to decipher his meaning. Was that her cue to leave? Amy pulled a rolled up posterboard from her pack. ¡°I have the pictures we chose, but I didn¡¯t glue them on yet. We can see this better if I roll it out on the floor, right?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah, right.¡± Kylee moved out of the way so Amy could lay it out. She glanced at Price, pleased to see him scratching his eyebrow in a nervous gesture. Suddenly she had no desire to go anywhere. Amy glanced at him, her wavy brown hair spilling over one shoulder as she leaned over. ¡°Did you get your stuff typed up?¡± ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± Price grabbed a bunch of papers and plopped down next to her. ¡°Great.¡± She smiled at him. ¡°Can you get the pictures from my backpack? I¡¯m trying to smooth this out.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Price cleared his throat again and opened her bag. He found an envelope and handed it to her. She sat up, though the ends of the poster board still curled inward a little. ¡°You okay? Still feeling sick?¡± ¡°Um, no, I¡¯m good.¡± He sat beside her, his back straight and shoulders high. ¡°Hey.¡± Amy nudged him with her left hip. ¡°Relax. It¡¯s me.¡± Kylee stood up. Her finger grew hot, and she glanced at the ring, a little surprised the color was red and not green with envy. ¡°Obviously you two have a much friendlier relationship when I¡¯m not here. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Price said, and then put a hand over his mouth. The Creeping Cold Amy¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Are you going to be sick? Should I help you to the bathroom?¡± Kylee bit on her lower lip, not immune to the humor of the moment. ¡°No, no, I¡¯m fine,¡± he said, a deep red hue creeping up to his ears. ¡°I should go to bed, I guess. Let¡¯s finish this up.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Amy said, rubbing his back. ¡°Do you need another massage?¡± ¡°Another one?¡± Kylee said. ¡°Do you have a frequent punch card? Can I get one too?¡± Price stood up, moving his shoulders up and down. ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well, Amy. You shouldn¡¯t get too close to me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Amy,¡± Kylee said. ¡°I won¡¯t be here much longer. There¡¯s always next week.¡± She moved to the open window and hooked a leg over the windowsill. ¡°Kylee!¡± Price said. That got her attention. And Amy¡¯s. Both girls turned to stare at him. ¡°I mean¡ª¡± Price pressed both hands to his forehead. Amy blinked, long and slow. ¡°Why did you say her name? You didn¡¯t even know her.¡± Price didn¡¯t answer. She continued. ¡°Does it creep you out? Living here next to her house? Especially since they found her body?¡± Price took two deep breaths. ¡°Amy, can I finish this up later? I¡¯m not with it right now.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± She touched his shoulder, gave it a squeeze. ¡°Feel better.¡± She shouldered her backpack, leaving the photos and map on the floor. ¡°I¡¯ll call you later. Bring it to school tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He stood and walked out of his room with her. Kylee waited. Did he want her here when he got back? Was he coming back? Was he mad at her? Price returned, the rims of his eyes a bit red as if he had a cold. His gaze went to the window, landing on her where she hovered. ¡°Why did you say that?¡± he whispered. ¡°Like I need a constant reminder that you won¡¯t always be here? That you don¡¯t want to be here?¡± He looked so wretched that Kylee felt a twinge of guilt. She¡¯d spoken recklessly, not worrying about Price¡¯s feelings. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± He beckoned her to him, enfolding her in his arms and burying his face in her hair. ¡°Don¡¯t go home. Let me have you while I can.¡± He tugged her to the bed, and Kylee let him pull her down with him. Price fell asleep, his arms trapping Kylee against him. She kept her eyes open all night long, afraid she would slip into one of her crazy time warps. What if Price couldn¡¯t wake her? What if she missed school completely? She wished she had a couple of books to read and occupy her mind. Instead she stared at the ring on her finger. It gave off a bluish-white glow, delicious tendrils of warmth flowing from her finger to her body, like the soft heat from a campfire. Light barely colored the horizon before she squirmed out of Price¡¯s arms. She nudged his shoulder. ¡°Price.¡± He squinted one eye open. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going home to change my clothes. I¡¯ll see you at the bus stop.¡± ¡°Kylee¡ª¡± he hesitated, then lifted a shoulder in a sleepy shrug. ¡°Okay.¡± She climbed out of his window, focusing her hands on the vine along the wall. When she lifted her head again, she was at her house. ¡°That was fast,¡± she muttered. Her bedroom window was closed. She¡¯d been away too long. She pushed it up and climbed inside. A nippy wind followed her, and she slid the window shut with a shiver. How quickly the warmth of Price¡¯s embrace faded. She stood in front of her closet and imagined which clothes she wanted to wear, then looked down at herself, still in the ones she¡¯d put on yesterday. Kylee fingered a short-sleeved button-up blouse and closed her eyes, envisioning herself in the shirt. She willed the shirt to appear on her body. She opened her eyes. The shirt hadn¡¯t budged from the hanger. Kylee yanked it off, sending the hanger into a free spin, and put it on. Her fingers paused on the last button. Had she taken the shirt out of her closet? Or was it still hanging there? ¡°Don¡¯t look,¡± she warned herself. ¡°Don¡¯t spoil the illusion.¡± A soft, breathy laugh escaped her lips. ¡°My super powers are pretty weak.¡± The room felt colder than before. She resisted the urge to grab a sweater. The cold penetrated beneath her skin, and her teeth began to chatter. She exhaled. ¡°I need to get out of this place,¡± she murmured. Hurrying to the window, Kylee put her hands on it and pushed. It didn¡¯t budge. She frowned and tried again. Her fingers went right through the glass, sliding upward while leaving the window in place. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Kylee gasped and jerked her hands back. Her left hand ached like she¡¯d left it in a bucket of ice. She lifted the offending appendage and saw the ring was almost black, only a sliver of electric blue shining out of it. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she whispered. She touched the window and gave it one more chance to lift upward. Still nothing. She bit her lip and blinked back tears. She was stuck here. She wouldn¡¯t be able to go with him. Even worse, she wasn¡¯t sure she¡¯d still be here when he got back. She stood at the window and watched Price and Lisa scurry out the front door and run across the yard. Price¡¯s head turned toward her house, and she knew he was looking for her. Kylee shoved at the window in a last-ditch effort to force it open. Her hands went right through it. She let out a squeal as her body followed. She landed face-down on the grass and lay there in a state of shock. Then her mind caught up. The bus would be here soon. She pushed off the grass and hurried to join Price and Lisa, trying not to worry about what this meant. First at Price¡¯s house last night, and now at her house. She¡¯d never had this problem before. They were already at the bus stop. Kylee¡¯s feet barely touched the ground as she hurried after them. Price saw her and flashed a big grin. He reached one hand behind him and flexed his fingers at her. Kylee hesitated a moment. She wasn¡¯t sure she could bear it if her hand went right through his. Uncertain, she extended her fingers to his. Solid flesh met her skin, accompanied by a searing heat that made her suck in her breath. The ring instantly changed, a vibrant azure light shooting from it. She grasped his hand, relief displacing the chilling fear. Amy and Michael joined them, laughing and jostling Price as they ambled up the bus steps. Lisa sat by her own friends, and Amy climbed into Michael¡¯s lap. He wrapped his arms around her, and their mouths met in a lustful kiss. Kylee felt her jaw gaping and closed her mouth. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me they were dating?¡± She might have avoided the whole ¡°jealous of Amy¡± feeling if she¡¯d known. Price dragged her to the back of the bus and pulled her down on him so she sat like Amy. Kylee squealed and started to shift over, but he held her there. He leaned his head against her back. ¡°You didn¡¯t ask.¡± He sounded pleased with himself, as if he¡¯d kept an important secret. ¡°You could¡¯ve mentioned it. It¡¯s not like I¡¯d tell anyone.¡± ¡°I want you to trust me. Even if she wasn¡¯t dating Michael, it wouldn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Kind of made sense. ¡°It didn¡¯t stop her from flirting with you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯s flirting. It¡¯s just who she is.¡± Kylee withheld her own opinion on the matter. ¡°Wow.¡± She watched them kissing with interest. ¡°I had no idea.¡± She felt silly now for her insecurity. Price¡¯s hands moved to her waist, and he turned her around so she faced him. ¡°We could try it.¡± She feigned ignorance. ¡°Try what?¡± Embarrassment warmed her neck at the very idea of kissing Price like that, right here on the bus. A smaller part of her tingled with excitement. He pressed his lips to her ear, his whisper a caress of its own. ¡°Kissing on the bus.¡± Kylee laughed and slid out of his lap, securing the spot next to him. ¡°That wouldn¡¯t look weird or anything. You making out with the air.¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Kind of a fun idea.¡± The bus stopped again, and she watched two girls saunter on. She recognized them, even though she hadn¡¯t been to school in over a year. They wore their hair long and straight, and their jeans skin-tight. They sat down in an empty row two seats over and in front of her and Price. Kylee ran a hand over her own ponytail, the wavy hair that was neither straight nor curly. Her jeans had been handed down from her mother, so faded they were more white than blue. She pulled at the extra fabric around her thigh. And their make-up. . . . One turned around to talk to someone in the seat behind her, displaying the dark eyeliner that overshadowed her eyes, the brown gloss, the glittery color sweeping above her lashes. Kylee¡¯s fingers touched the dry ridges of her lips. She felt so plain all of the sudden. How quickly would Price get over her? Soon they would finish their investigation. They¡¯d prove Bill guilty, Kylee would ¡°move on¡± to the world of the dead, and Price would move on too. On to a new, beautiful girl, someone alive, someone with whom he could have a future. She nudged him. ¡°What do you think of those girls?¡± He followed her gaze and focused on the backs of the heads of the two shiny-haired goddesses. ¡°Them?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± His cheeks reddened. ¡°Um.¡± She decided to make it easy on him. ¡°They¡¯re pretty, huh?¡± He stared at them a little longer than necessary. ¡°Sure.¡± He turned to face her. ¡°So are you.¡± A head popped over the top of the seat in front of them, a boy with short brown hair and round glasses. ¡°Who you talking to, Price?¡± ¡°Myself.¡± Price grinned. ¡°You should try it sometime.¡± ¡°Yeah. Okay.¡± The kid ducked down again, and Kylee laughed. ¡°What have you done? Now he¡¯s going to think it¡¯s cool to talk to himself.¡± ¡°It is cool. I like it.¡± He smiled at her. ¡°So what classes are we going to?¡± ¡°We have block scheduling. Today is public speaking, world history, oceanography, and computer programming.¡± He made a face. ¡°It¡¯s so boring. I could program in my sleep. But they don¡¯t have anything more advanced, so Dad makes me stay in it.¡± ¡°And tomorrow? What are the classes you have tomorrow?¡± ¡°What, you coming along again tomorrow?¡± ¡°Maybe . . .¡± ¡°Health, geometry, French, and art appreciation.¡± The subject matter sounded so much more appealing and engaging than what she studied at home. ¡°I¡¯ve been reading the same dumb history book for a year. I would much rather learn what you are.¡± ¡°Why did you drop out of school, then?¡± She gaped at him. ¡°Is that what you thought? I didn¡¯t drop out of school. I am¡ªwas¡ªhomeschooled.¡± ¡°Oh, okay. But why?¡± How many other people thought she was a dropout? ¡°It had something to do with Bill. But I don¡¯t really know.¡± ¡°What about your friend? Jessica?¡± ¡°Yeah. Jessica White. What about her?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s make sure we talk to her today.¡± Kylee had never been to the high school. She hopped out of her seat as soon as the bus pulled in, making it into the aisle ahead of Price. She stepped off and came to a stop beside the bus. She couldn¡¯t believe the number of kids milling about, the brightly colored clothing. The manicured school lawn and the white brick exterior added to the rainbow vision. Price made his way through the line of students and joined her outside. His arm slipped through his backpack strap. ¡°Come on.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so huge.¡± Kylee had expected a school. But Kellam High School looked like a college or university. The same dense forest that could be found all over the Virginia Beach area encroached on the edges of campus, but was held back by lengthy parking lots and grassy fields. Kylee couldn¡¯t see the whole school from the bus lot, but she could see it was a circular building with off-shooting wings. ¡°It¡¯s brand new. I guess it was built a few years ago.¡± They walked up the sidewalk with the rest of the students. Price kept looking at her, and she asked, ¡°What?¡± ¡°Everyone¡¯s walking right through you.¡± ¡°What?¡± She came to an abrupt stop. She reached a hand out and tried to grab a strap dangling from Price¡¯s backpack. Nothing happened. ¡°This happened this morning, too.¡± She tried not to sound panicky. She glanced at her ring. Sure enough, the blue light was fading, being replaced by darkness. And cold. The cold was creeping over her again. Kissing Is Nice ¡°What does it mean?¡± Kylee asked. ¡°How should I know, Kylee?¡± Price responded, his tone taking on a perturbed edge. She grabbed his hand, trying to hide her fear. Relief flooded her as warmth overtook the chill. She turned her hand up as the ring began to glow more. She grabbed at the strap on Price¡¯s backpack again. This time, she grasped the rough fabric between two fingers. ¡°Price,¡± she whispered, staring at it, ¡°it¡¯s you.¡± Someone bumped into her shoulder, and she shuffled closer to him. ¡°What¡¯s me?¡± ¡°Madame Humphrey said you give me life. She meant it. Like, really. I¡¯m clinging to life through you.¡± ¡°Right.¡± He looked at her warily. ¡°That¡¯s what she said.¡± ¡°So without you,¡± Kylee said, her voice so low he had to lean toward her, ¡°I¡¯m becoming nothing. Nothing but a ghost.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s all the more reason to stick together.¡± He slipped her hand into his pocket and held it there. Price¡¯s first class, public speaking, was in a classroom in the back of the building. Lots of people stopped to say hi to Price as he led her through the halls. What if she were a real girlfriend? She pictured herself visible, standing next to Price, his arm around her waist. She saw herself laughing at a joke his friend told, her eyelids glittery, a dimple showing in her cheek (did she have a dimple? She wasn¡¯t sure she¡¯d ever smiled at her reflection). Her blond hair hung straight and slick down her back, her clothes every bit as form-fitting and stylish as the ones she¡¯d seen on the bus. Price evaded his friends with a quick wave and continued down the hall, forcing Kylee out of her imaginings. He tugged at her every time she stopped to gawk at the fliers hanging around the walls, announcing school events and public interest. ¡°What fun!¡± she said, seeing one about a chess team, another about a football game, and another about an upcoming dance. ¡°A dance. Are you going? Do you go to the football games?¡± ¡°No and no. I don¡¯t do sports games. At all. And as far as the dance, well, I¡¯ll go if you come.¡± She pictured it, her dressed up and Price dancing with an imaginary partner. ¡°Let¡¯s stay home and say we went.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He laughed and nudged her shoulder with his. ¡°My thoughts too.¡± She spotted another one. ¡°There¡¯s a French club. Are you in it?¡± He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve only been here a few weeks, remember? I¡¯m still deciding what clubs to join.¡± ¡°I can see why that would be hard.¡± She scanned a few other fliers as they turned a corner. She wanted to join all of them. A pang twisted in her chest at the knowledge that she never would. Price turned left into a classroom. Several tables were set up facing a whiteboard, not so different from the middle school Kylee had gone to. Price seated himself at a table in the back and gestured for her to take the spot next to the window. He finally relinquished her hand. She sat down and studied the other students as they came in. Some of the girls looked like the ones she¡¯d seen on the bus, but others looked more like herself, or at least like the girls she¡¯d known in middle school: ponytails, no make-up, t-shirt and jeans. She felt a bit relieved that she wasn¡¯t completely outdated. Price leaned over and whispered, ¡°Is he cute?¡± ¡°What?¡± She blinked at him, caught off-guard. ¡°Who?¡± He smirked. ¡°The guy you¡¯re staring at.¡± Kylee¡¯s face burned. ¡°I wasn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°Really!¡± she protested. ¡°I was looking at the girls.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Price laughed out loud. ¡°That¡¯s a new one.¡± ¡°No, not like that. Argh.¡± Kylee pressed her lips together, deciding it was better not to pursue the conversation. But Price brought up an interesting question. She turned her attention to the boys. Many wore the same hair and clothing style as Price: collared shirts, jeans, short, spiky bangs. Some seemed a bit awkward and more old-fashioned in their button-up flannel. Others seemed like they¡¯d jumped on the bus after milking the cow, with wet grass and mud still clinging to their boots. The students set their books down and began to congregate. One boy settled on top of his table. He wore a green jacket with leather sleeves, and he leaned over and shoved the boy next to him, laughing the whole time. Kylee felt the girls in the room gravitate toward him, pulled into orbit by an invisible line. ¡°Chris Hampton,¡± Price said. ¡°Senior. Football player. Popular, dumb as a rock.¡± Kylee smiled. ¡°Not my type.¡± ¡°I used to be him.¡± She turned to stare at him. ¡°You?¡± Price hardly seemed like the idiot, self-absorbed, sporty type. ¡°Things change.¡± He squinted at her. ¡°So you wouldn¡¯t have liked me if we¡¯d met last year, huh?¡± Her face burned. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. I wouldn¡¯t have deserved you. And I wouldn¡¯t have cared.¡± He lowered his eyes, but not before Kylee saw the emotions simmering there. When he looked up, he was under control, humor sparkling in his eyes. ¡°So what is your type?¡± She shrugged. ¡°You, I guess.¡± ¡°You guess?¡± ¡°Well, I never liked a boy before you.¡± She turned her attention to the table in front of her and ran her fingers over the shiny surface. ¡°But I like you. You¡¯re perfect for me.¡± Her own words mocked her. They were meant for each other. Why was she dead, then? Why did fate make it so they could never be together? ¡°He¡¯s cute, though, right?¡± Price said, his tone light. Kylee focused on the boy who sat on the table with a self-satisfied, arrogant expression on his face. There was something handsome about the arrangement of his features, the smooth cheekbones and clear blue eyes beneath shapely eyebrows. But his attitude reminded her of Bill, and she felt an instant dislike. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Really?¡± She looked at Price. ¡°There¡¯s nothing cute about him.¡± He took her hand and squeezed it. ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± The teacher came in as the bell rang, her smile melting off into a determined, purposeful expression. ¡°All right, guys, quiet down. In your seats. Scarlett, Anna, now.¡± Two girls slinked away from Chris¡¯s table. ¡°Chris,¡± the teacher said. He slid down and into his chair, sending a wink and a smile toward the teacher. Kylee looked to see if it affected her, but her sternness didn¡¯t waver. ¡°All right, gang, Thursday we are debating. Today I¡¯ll give each table a topic. I¡¯ll assign whether you¡¯re for or against the issue. Be prepared to defend your side factually, even if it¡¯s not what you feel.¡± She went down the aisle, placing a small white card on each table. She stopped at theirs. ¡°Price, you don¡¯t have a partner. Why don¡¯t you hop up a row and work with Claire?¡± Claire swiveled around. Her light brown hair was pulled back into a single braid, and Kylee could tell from her earthy aroma that she lived on one of the farms outside of town. Even so, she had an open, friendly appearance, and when she smiled, she was pretty. ¡°Oh, sure,¡± Price said, meeting Claire¡¯s eyes. A blush reddened his cheeks, and he bent to grab his bag. ¡°You think she¡¯s cute,¡± Kylee said. Price cleared his throat and shot her a look. She knew he wouldn¡¯t say anything, though, which meant she had the last word. She stayed in her chair as Price moved to the table in front. ¡°She might be cute, but just remember, I¡¯m better at sneaking through windows.¡± Kylee kept her tone light, teasing, but her real feelings betrayed her. She shut up and swallowed before he heard the quiver in her voice. Every girl here offered more than she did. They were alive. She watched him work with Claire for the rest of the class and felt as though she were peering into the future. This was the natural progression of life. Of course he would find someone else. He needed to. He deserved to. But the whole idea hurt. He leaned his head close to Claire¡¯s and pointed his pencil at something she¡¯d written. Kylee imagined him dipping his face closer and kissing her, pressing his lips against Claire¡¯s pink mouth. She shuddered and rubbed her arms. The sight of them chilled her. She couldn¡¯t watch anymore. Kylee stood up and walked to the classroom door. Her hand reached out, grabbing the knob and yanking the door. It didn¡¯t budge. Never mind the door. She propelled herself forward, wincing at how easily she passed through. She barely stepped into the hallway before the door opened, and Price came out. His eyes darted up and down the hall before moving to her and taking her hands in both of his. ¡°Kylee, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± she replied, keeping her eyes on the linoleum floor. ¡°Sure, there is.¡± He tipped her chin up so she had to look at him. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± His eyes flicked back and forth as if trying to read her mind. ¡°Then why did you leave?¡± Kylee sighed. It felt ridiculous to say it out loud, but she did anyway. ¡°I couldn¡¯t watch you and Claire.¡± ¡°Claire?¡± His features lightened. He laughed and tapped the tip of her nose. ¡°You¡¯re so silly.¡± She didn¡¯t see the humor. ¡°I¡¯m dead, Price. I have a reason to be jealous of every living girl you talk to.¡± His smile faded. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this. Come on, my water break¡¯s over. Come back inside.¡± ¡°As long as you don¡¯t start making out with Claire.¡± He grabbed her face and kissed her. ¡°Shut up.¡± The ring on Kylee¡¯s finger grew hot, warming her hand, glowing brighter. ¡°Kiss me again.¡± Invisible Price obliged Kylee without question, his lips pressing against her mouth, pushing hers open. One hand went around her head and the other crept around her waist, finding a spot at the small of her back. Kylee¡¯s whole body radiated heat now. She pulled away and put her hand on the doorknob. It vibrated beneath her hand, and she barely touched it before the door opened. She felt Price¡¯s eyes on her, trying to understand what she was doing. ¡°Thanks,¡± she said, stepping into the doorway. He followed, pulling the door closed behind her.
¡°Are you hungry?¡± Price asked. They stood in the sandwich line in the cafeteria. He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°No.¡± She shook her head and tested the wall for tangibility before leaning against it. ¡°I haven¡¯t been hungry since I found out I¡¯m¡ªwell, you know.¡± Price groaned and rubbed his stomach. ¡°But food, man. It¡¯s the best part about life.¡± He paused and gave her a long look. ¡°Well, second best.¡± Her navel tightened at his suggestive expression. ¡°I know, right? Best part about life. Not so important when you¡¯re dead.¡± ¡°What about the other thing, then?¡± ¡°What other thing?¡± He leaned closer and whispered in her ear, ¡°Kissing.¡± Her face burned all the way to her hairline. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s still nice.¡± ¡°Hmm. Good to know.¡± She changed the subject. ¡°Where does Jessica sit?¡± She peered across the room, trying to make out individual faces in the masses. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never noticed her. You go look, I¡¯ll find you.¡± ¡°Great idea.¡± Kylee stepped out of line just as a kid came up behind Price. He walked right into her space, his skin brushing against hers. He moved backward a tad and looked around. She tried to keep her arms close to her body and pulled her shoulders forward to create a narrower frame. She pictured Jessica in her mind, with hair so dark it was almost black, her brown eyes and pale skin. Kylee surveyed the cliques of girls sitting around various tables. She didn¡¯t recognize anyone at the first group. She spun in a slow circle twice before deciding Jessica wasn¡¯t in the cafeteria. Several kids ate out on the lawn. Kylee headed outside and walked amongst them. And then she saw her. Jessica sat by herself, leaning up against the bricks of another wing. Some time ago she had dyed her hair. The orange-ish colored ends brushed her shoulders while the roots were her normal dark brown. She picked at a sandwich, pulling the crust off and stuffing it into the grass. ¡°Jessica?¡± Kylee said, hoping for one brief second that her old friend would hear her. Jessica didn¡¯t lift her head. She tore off a bite-sized piece of peanut-butter and jelly and stuck it in her mouth. Kylee sat down next to her and rested her arms on her knees, wishing she could talk to her. Instead, she watched the front door for Price to come out. It took awhile, but finally he appeared, a hero sandwich in one hand and a can of soda in the other. His eyes narrowed as he searched the students. Kylee waved, and he nodded at her. Jessica looked up as he began making his way toward them. ¡°Outside, huh?¡± he said, his eyes flicking back and forth from Kylee to Jessica. ¡°Just talk to her,¡± Kylee said. ¡°Be friendly.¡± Jessica frowned at him but didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°You¡¯re Jessica?¡± He sat down cross-legged in front of her. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. She furrowed her brow. ¡°Yeah, so? What do you want?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Price.¡± He unwrapped his sandwich. ¡°I moved in about a month ago.¡± ¡°Do we have a class together?¡± she asked, her tone a little uncertain. ¡°No.¡± He hesitated, his eyes slipping toward Kylee. ¡°You¡¯ve got questions,¡± Kylee supplied. ¡°People told you she knew me.¡± ¡°Why are you talking to me, then?¡± she asked. Price gave a slight frown. ¡°What do you mean? Aren¡¯t people allowed to talk to you?¡± Jessica quirked an eyebrow and made a show of looking around her. ¡°Yeah, everyone¡¯s hankering for the chance.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have friends?¡± She shrugged. ¡°Get on with it,¡± Kylee said, impatient. ¡°Lunch will be over soon.¡± He waved his hand at her, not lifting it above the tops of the grass. ¡°You were friends with Kylee.¡± She snorted and rolled her eyes. ¡°That explains why you¡¯re here. Best friends with the dead girl. That¡¯s what I¡¯m known for.¡± Kylee studied Jessica. ¡°Is that a problem for her? Why does she sound like she¡¯s angry?¡± ¡°Do people tease you about her?¡± Price asked in a softer tone. ¡°No.¡± Her eyes flashed and she gritted her teeth. ¡°When she was missing, everyone wanted to hang out with me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not so bad, right?¡± Price gave her a smile. ¡°Maybe they felt bad for you.¡± She grunted. ¡°If only. No, it was so they could ask questions. It was juicy. Dramatic. Best friend disappears. Did I know where she went? Surely she said something to me.¡± Jessica¡¯s chest heaved, and Kylee could tell she was gathering steam. ¡°And I was wondering why, why didn¡¯t she tell me something? I mean, yeah, we didn¡¯t go to school together anymore, but she still called me, at least once a week. Then people forgot about her. I thought they¡¯d forget me, too, but for some reason¡ªfor some reason I became the bad guy. The villain. When her body was found and her death ruled a suicide¡ª¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Price interrupted as Kylee gasped. ¡°They ruled it a suicide? When was that?¡± ¡°Like two nights ago.¡± She glared at him. ¡°You should pay more attention.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be right.¡± Kylee shot to her feet. ¡°They were supposed to suspect Bill!¡± ¡°Why do they think it was a suicide?¡± Price asked. Jessica lowered her voice as well. ¡°She slit her wrist before throwing herself into the pond. They found a jagged cut all the way down one arm.¡± ¡°No,¡± Kylee whispered. ¡°No, that¡¯s not what happened.¡± She felt her breathing quickening. The point of finding her body was to vindicate her, not condemn her. ¡°How do you know all of this?¡± Price asked. She narrowed her eyes, giving him a probing look. ¡°Who are you? Why are you asking me this?¡± He shrugged and lowered his gaze. ¡°Just wondering.¡± ¡°Why? You don¡¯t know me.¡± ¡°No . . . but you were friends with Kylee.¡± ¡°Is that what this is about? Go watch the news or something.¡± The bell rang and Jessica stood up, gathering what remained of her lunch and wadding it into a ball. ¡°Jessica,¡± Price said, holding out a hand to stop her. ¡°I moved into the house next door to Kylee¡¯s. She¡ª¡± He paused, and Kylee held her breath. What would he say next? ¡°I found some things she left behind. She mentioned you.¡± Jessica¡¯s white face paled even further. ¡°What?¡± she breathed, her lips not moving. ¡°What did you find?¡± Price shot a desperate look toward Kylee. ¡°I found . . .¡± ¡°A note,¡± Kylee supplied. ¡°Jess and I wrote notes sometimes.¡± ¡°Notes,¡± Price finished. ¡°Notes you wrote each other. Notes she wrote to you but never delivered.¡± Jessica grabbed his arm, her fingers leaving white marks where they dug in. ¡°What did she say? Can I see them? Did she blame me? Why? Why did she kill herself?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t kill myself!¡± Kylee cried. ¡°And Jess was the only person who cared about me! Why would I blame her?¡± Price winced and tried to pry Jessica¡¯s fingers off his arm. ¡°She said you were the only person she could trust. The only person ever there for her.¡± ¡°What else?¡± Jessica said. She took a deep breath and blinked, her eyes red and moist. ¡°Did she leave a suicide note?¡± Price succeeded in freeing his arm, and he rubbed the spot where she¡¯d gripped it. ¡°No,¡± Kylee said. ¡°Tell her I thought I was in danger.¡± ¡°Actually,¡± he said, so quietly that Jessica leaned toward him, ¡°she said she thought she was in danger. That if something happened to her, you needed to go to the police.¡± A pained expression passed over Price¡¯s features. ¡°Too bad that note never made it to you.¡± Jessica gasped and pressed her hand to her mouth. ¡°OMG. I knew it.¡± Price¡¯s eyes narrowed to slits. ¡°You knew what?¡± he whispered. ¡°That someone was threatening her?¡± She nodded, the tears spilling over. Price glanced around. The lawn was devoid of students now, except a few who ran toward the building, anxious to get to class before the tardy bell. He licked his lips and focused on her. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go to the police?¡± ¡°I had no proof!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°And now they¡¯re saying it was a suicide.¡± ¡°But it wasn¡¯t!¡± Price said, his voice rising. ¡°You¡¯re the one with the evidence!¡± Jessica cried, pointing at him. ¡°Turn those notes in to the authorities!¡± Price pressed on. ¡°Who was it, Jessica? Who threatened her?¡± Kylee held her breath in rapt attention, watching the developments unfold before her eyes. Jessica lowered her hand to her thigh and smoothed the skin-tight, light blue jeans. ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure. But¡ª¡± she hesitated. ¡°She was afraid of her stepfather.¡± The last sentence came out so hushed that Kylee had to read her lips. The tardy bell rang out across the empty lawn, but none of them moved. He Beat Her ¡°How do you know?¡± Price whispered back, matching her tone. ¡°He was horrible. He beat her. Sometimes she¡¯d come to school with bruises. He never let her leave the house except for school. She came to my house one time, one time in four years. And my mother never let me go to hers.¡± ¡°And no one did anything?¡± Price¡¯s fists clenched together. Kylee reached down and took his hand, gave it a squeeze. Jessica shook her head. ¡°The police were over there all the time. Everyone knew he was trouble. And then one day, she didn¡¯t come back.¡± ¡°Come back?¡± ¡°To school.¡± Jessica gestured to the building behind them. Kylee¡¯s fingers closed around Price¡¯s wrist. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Do you know why?¡± Price asked. ¡°No. But I bet it had to do with her stepdad. Maybe he hurt her so bad she couldn¡¯t leave the house.¡± The memory came to life on the heels of Jessica¡¯s words, a painful visual of herself lying in bed, unable to move. ¡°That¡¯s what happened,¡± Kylee said with certainty. ¡°He threw me into the wall, and I dislocated my shoulder. My left side was a massive bruise, from my cheek to my foot. I couldn¡¯t walk without a limp.¡± She nodded, remembering. ¡°My parents had been warned if they got another complaint about my condition, CPS would take me away. No questions asked.¡± ¡°So Bill took you out of school,¡± Price said. ¡°Before any complaint could be made.¡± ¡°Not Bill.¡± Kylee shook her head. ¡°My mom. It was my mom who didn¡¯t want to lose me.¡± ¡°Your mom didn¡¯t want to lose you?¡± Price said, cocking his head. ¡°Or she didn¡¯t want Bill to get in trouble?¡± Kylee opened her mouth to defend her mother, but Jessica interrupted. ¡°What?¡± she said. ¡°Bill? My mom? Are you still talking to me?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Price shook himself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was thinking out loud.¡± He placed both hands on Jessica¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Hey, thanks for talking to me. You¡¯ve been helpful. Listen, let¡¯s keep this conversation to ourselves, okay? Something¡¯s not adding up here. I gotta figure it out.¡± He dropped his hands and started up the sidewalk. ¡°Can I help with anything else?¡± Jessica called after him. Price turned around. ¡°Yeah. Maybe. Go through your notes from her. Look for something, anything, that could be used against Bill. Let me know.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Bill?¡± ¡°Her stepdad.¡± ¡°Oh. Right.¡± She nodded. ¡°Okay. I will.¡± Kylee stood next to Jessica, wishing she could say something more. ¡°You were a good friend to me, Jessica,¡± she whispered. Jessica didn¡¯t take her eyes from Price. After a moment, she shouldered her backpack and went into the building behind them. A chill crept through Kylee¡¯s belly, and she shuddered. She needed to catch up to Price. ¡°Smart thinking,¡± she said, reaching out and taking hold of his forearm as he walked under the awning. The contact flooded her like a stimulant, and she straightened her shoulders. ¡°I didn¡¯t remember the notes we wrote until now.¡± She cringed a little, remembering her live self. ¡°I was terrified of anyone finding out how dysfunctional my life was. I wanted to be normal and carefree like everyone else.¡± ¡°When did you start cutting?¡± Price asked. Kylee sucked in a breath. ¡°About two years ago.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because of Bill.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about this.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s not a fun memory, that¡¯s why!¡± Kylee snapped. ¡°Do you think people cut themselves because they¡¯re happy?¡± ¡°Just one not-fun memory? Or lots of them?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I felt overwhelmed. I needed an escape. Maybe, that first time, I thought about killing myself, just to end my pathetic life. But I didn¡¯t have to. Because cutting gave me the outlet I needed. It sharpened my focus and dulled my pain at the same time. Suddenly, I was in charge of what I felt.¡± She pushed her lips up into a grimace. ¡°That made all the difference. I could endure.¡± ¡°I wish I¡¯d known you,¡± Price said. His steps faltered. ¡°I would¡¯ve helped you.¡± She shook her head. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have noticed me. I was as invisible then as I am now. I worked hard not to be seen, and no one wanted to see me.¡± She paused, hating to admit this out loud. ¡°You noticed me now because you had to. We were thrown together. You had to be my ¡®ghost guide,¡¯ or whatever.¡± ¡°No.¡± He spun to face her. ¡°I don¡¯t believe that. We would¡¯ve felt the same for each other that we do now. Even if I wasn¡¯t your type. You would¡¯ve changed me. I would¡¯ve saved you.¡± His sincerity moved her, and she swallowed her emotion. ¡°We¡¯ll never know, will we?¡± ¡°I know.¡± He clasped her hand in both of his. ¡°I know, Kylee.¡± ¡°We have a direction now,¡± Kylee said, much less interested in Price¡¯s classes. Her mind buzzed with anticipation for their after-school activity. ¡°We need to find out what evidence the police have for my death.¡± She sat next to him in his class, one hand on his thigh to keep constant contact. She didn¡¯t want to risk going intangible again. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± Price didn¡¯t look up from his oceanography equations. ¡°The evidence had to be planted. Because I didn¡¯t kill myself. And if it was planted, there must be a way to prove it.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Why do you keep humming?¡± the girl next to Price whispered. Kylee caught a whiff of her perfume as she leaned closer to him. ¡°Oh.¡± Price leaned back and scratched his eyebrow. ¡°Uh, nervous habit.¡± Kylee chuckled. ¡°Stop humming, Price.¡± He gave a soft laugh also. The girl looked at him oddly. Kylee tried to pay attention to the teacher, but she kept thinking about school getting out. ¡°How do you think Bill arranged the evidence the way he did?¡± Price shot her an unreadable look. The bell rang, and Kylee was certain she was the most enthusiastic kid flying out the door. ¡°Kylee!¡± Price shook his head as he pulled her over to his locker. ¡°Try to relax, okay? You¡¯re way hyped up.¡± ¡°Right, right.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°I know.¡± Price headed to the front of the building. Kylee stayed close behind, fingers grazing the bottom of his t-shirt. If she drifted too far away from him, coldness closed in around her like clouds blotting out the sun. ¡°It won¡¯t take long to get to the police station,¡± Price said, pausing at the sidewalk and squinting up at the sky. Several girls loitering around the benches spotted him. ¡°Price!¡± they squealed in varying chords of harmony. They launched themselves off their benches and onto him, throwing their arms around his neck and squeezing his arms. This was not new behavior. Kylee had watched girls fawn over him all day. It made her wonder, with these living, breathing girls around, why he wanted to be with her. ¡°Hey, hi,¡± he said, laughing and trying to escape their tentacles. ¡°No bus today?¡± A brunette with heavy eyeliner asked. ¡°Ah, no. I¡¯ve got something to do.¡± ¡°Do you need a ride somewhere?¡± her loud, confident voice said. The girls parted, giving Kylee a clear view of the girl with shoulder-length brown bob and a cropped white sweater. ¡°Not today,¡± Price said, taking a step backward. ¡°I¡¯m walking. It¡¯s close by.¡± She smiled, revealing some sort of clear plastic device on her teeth. ¡°We were about to go out for fries. Want to come?¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s nice, Mila, but I¡¯m kind of in a hurry.¡± ¡°Someday you won¡¯t turn me down,¡± she said. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll give you a ride.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need a¡ª¡± She shook her head, cutting off his protest. ¡°Where am I taking you this time?¡± Price scratched his eyebrow. ¡°The police station?¡± Mila puckered her lips, and some of the girls oohed. ¡°Is that a question?¡± she asked. ¡°No, I need to go there.¡± She jangled her keys. ¡°You are more interesting every second, Price Hudson. Come on, ladies!¡± They fell into step around Price, practically carrying him to the parking lot. Kylee stayed behind, though she wanted to wrestle her way into the middle and start throwing punches. A few bloody noses might get them off him. Mila led them to a cherry-red pick-up truck. The large tires made it look bigger than it was. She hit the black knob in her hand and the vehicle unlocked. ¡°Shotgun?¡± Price suggested. ¡°And deprive everyone of your company?¡± Mila smiled. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t be fair.¡± It took some hustling, but finally two girls sat up front with Mila and four in the back with Price. There was no way Kylee could sit with them. Frustrated, she hauled herself into the back of the pickup. The engine engaged, and the only sound Kylee heard was the wind as it whipped her hair around her face. She imagined the laughter and giggling going on in the cab as four girls squished around Price. It took all her willpower not to turn around and watch them. Two seconds later, the tires squealed as the vehicle came to a stop in front of the police station. Kylee rocked forward and gripped the sides of the car to keep from catapulting out. At least it was a short ride. She jumped out and marched to the sidewalk. Mila got out first. She walked around the front of the vehicle and opened the back door. She stuck a hand in and retrieved Price from the mess of girls. He emerged, holding Mila¡¯s hand, his face red and his hair mussed. ¡°Thanks,¡± he said, freeing his hand and wiping it on his pants. Mila shook her head, her short brown hair tossing around. ¡°Want me to wait around?¡± ¡°Oh, no, that¡¯s all right.¡± Price shook his head. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t want you to miss out on your, uh, fries.¡± ¡°Tell us how it goes tomorrow. I¡¯ll be on pins and needles.¡± She lifted up on her toes with the last word, her face close to Price¡¯s. Kylee sat down on a bench and stared straight ahead. Her nature was far more jealous and insecure than she¡¯d realized. The truck pulled away and Price sat down beside her. ¡°Sorry. That was awkward.¡± She shrugged and clasped her hands together. ¡°It was fine.¡± There wasn¡¯t much point talking about it. He couldn¡¯t help how they treated him. ¡°Listen.¡± Price pried her hand from her lap. ¡°I¡¯m only interested in you.¡± She swallowed and forced a smile. ¡°But not forever, Price. Someday you will be interested in them.¡± He pressed his forehead to hers. ¡°Forever, Kylee. I¡¯m telling you. You¡¯re the only one for me.¡± She laughed and stood up. ¡°Come on, Price. Don¡¯t be so . . . I don¡¯t know. You¡¯ll find someone else. And you¡¯ll be happy.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± She faced him. ¡°But I want you to. Live. Let me live through you.¡± Just¡ªnot yet, she thought. He avoided her eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s get inside. Ready?¡± He strode past her, and she followed. ¡°What¡¯s the plan, again? What am I supposed to be doing?¡± ¡°We need to find out about your case.¡± She waited, but that was the extent of Price¡¯s advice. ¡°Yeah, genius. But how?¡± ¡°You get a password so I can hack the computer system. Then we¡¯ll study the official reports, autopsy, find out everything you want to know. So just, you know, sneak inside.¡± He ambled forward and opened the door. Kylee slipped in behind him. While Price stood at the plastic window asking about volunteer opportunities, Kylee hurried down the hall. She followed the sound of voices and turned the corner into a room with a myriad of cubicles, desks, and officers milling about. She paused. What now? Where to start? She spotted a cubicle with two chairs but only one officer. She sat down in the chair next to him and watched him for a bit. He sipped from his steaming mug and ran a hand over his slicked-back hair, then rubbed the scruff on his chin before jotting a few words down on a clipboard. Kylee found herself mesmerized by the swirling designs on his suspenders. He went back to typing on the computer, and she lost interest. How long would she have to wait before he had to log on? Inspiration struck, and she slid out of the chair. Crawling under the desk, she spotted the glowing red light on the power strip with his devices plugged in. She pressed the button. Nothing happened. The little red light still glowed. Not again. Kylee focused her mental energy, picturing it gathering into a sparkling ball. Imagining the ball was at the tip of her finger, she pressed the button. She gasped as an icy shock rippled through her, starting in her finger and encompassing her whole body. Kylee shrank back, shaking so badly she couldn¡¯t move. ¡°Price,¡± she whispered. ¡°Price!¡± She huddled up, wrapping her arms around her knees, and closed her eyes. Dimly she became aware of voices rising, though only when the cop next to her pushed his chair out and turned around did she pay attention. ¡°What is it?¡± someone at a cubicle across from him asked. ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± He stood up, one hand on his gun belt. The door to the room pushed open and Price burst in, an angry receptionist swelling behind him, grabbing at his clothing and yelling. ¡°You can¡¯t go in there!¡± He ignored her. His eyes surveyed the room until he spotted Kylee, and he darted toward her. ¡°Stop right there, son!¡± the cop yelled, pulling a small black gun from his belt. ¡°No, Price, stop,¡± Kylee cried, reaching out to him. He couldn¡¯t get shot, not on her account. He didn¡¯t stop. He crossed the distance between them and grabbed her hand. At the same instant, the cop fired his weapon. The Password Instead of a bullet, two wiry prongs shot out and latched into Price. Kylee screamed as his body shook and jolted. ¡°No, no! What are you doing to him?¡± she cried. The shaking stopped. Two other officers appeared, catching Price before he collapsed. Kylee didn¡¯t release his hand, hot tears gathering in her eyes. ¡°He¡¯s not armed,¡± the officer behind him said, patting Price down. ¡°Sorry, kid, I didn¡¯t want to taze you,¡± the cop said. ¡°You scared me. Why did you charge like that?¡± Price¡¯s eyes rolled open, peering out through slitted lids. He didn¡¯t respond. ¡°You¡¯re alive,¡± Kylee breathed. ¡°Take him to a holding cell. Let¡¯s call some parents.¡± Kylee started to follow when she realized what Price had given her: life. She spun toward the electric cable, letting go of Price¡¯s hand a split second before she pressed the red button. This time, it worked. The computer powered off. The cop didn¡¯t notice. He was filling out paperwork now, conjecturing with his fellow officers why Price would do something like that. ¡°He seemed like such a nice young man,¡± the receptionist was saying. ¡°Asking about volunteer opportunities.¡± ¡°Well, things aren¡¯t always what they seem,¡± the cop grunted. He turned back to his desk, rubbing the back of his head. Kylee was torn between wanting to go along with Price and needing to stay here. Staying won out. This was why they¡¯d come. She needed a password. ¡°Hey.¡± He punched at his keyboard. ¡°Anyone else lose power?¡± He ducked under his desk and hit the reset button. ¡°Odd.¡± Nobody bothered responding, and the noise level returned to normal as everyone forgot about Price and his weird attack on the policeman. He folded his arms and waited for the computer to boot itself. Kylee hurried out from under the desk and hovered close by. The welcome screen appeared with a little white square. She paid close attention as he typed in, ¡°3333Hot$.¡± Whatever the heck that meant. Not that it mattered. All that mattered was that she remember it. She closed her eyes and visualized it, wishing she could write it down. Now to get back to Price. She started down the aisle toward the door the policeman had gone through. She put her hand out, but before she could pass through, a blanket of ice covered her. The cold numbness started in her fingers and moved toward her wrists. She turned her hands over and stared at her palms. The chill had spread to her elbows and she shivered, feeling it in her toes now as well. She glanced down at her feet to see they had disappeared into the carpet. Alarmed, Kylee yanked her legs up. She concentrated on placing her feet on the ground, but they wouldn¡¯t stay. The cold had spread to her chest, and she wrapped her arms around herself, shivering. Her hand felt like ice. She looked down at the ring on her finger, no longer hot or glowing. Instead, the color was a dull navy, so dark to be almost out. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. I¡¯m fading. She collapsed on the ground, the same helpless panic seizing her as it had before. Only now Price couldn¡¯t come to her rescue. He was locked away somewhere. She whispered his name, but even her lips felt numb. She withdrew into herself and closed her eyes. YYY ¡°Damn foolish thing for you to do, Price. What if they had arrested you, booked you for good this time?¡± The voices penetrated the fog in Kylee¡¯s mind. Small fingers of heat licked at her skin, creeping into her limbs. She squirmed away from the warmth, but a grip on her hand tightened, not letting her get free. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dad.¡± Price sounded sheepish. ¡°I told you, I thought I left something there. I had to check.¡± ¡°Next time you fill out a report and quit barging into police rooms where you¡¯re not invited! You¡¯re on their radar now, Price.¡± Kylee¡¯s senses woke up. She felt the humming beneath her back, the leather of a seat under her. The car thumped over a bump, and she squeezed her eyes open. Price was staring at her, his brown eyes wide and concerned. She lay curled up in the back seat next to him, her head on his leg. ¡°I know, Dad,¡± he said, not breaking his gaze. His grip on her hand relaxed a bit, and she realized her hand was in his front pocket again, secured by his own. ¡°It was dumb of me. I¡¯m sorry.¡± She tugged on her hand and he let her slide it out, but he didn¡¯t release her. ¡°I thought you were going to jail,¡± Lisa chimed in from the front seat. Mr. Hudson heaved a sigh. ¡°I¡¯m sure you weren¡¯t thinking right. Bit of a rough evening for you.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Price said. ¡°Thanks for coming for me.¡± They drove in silence for a few minutes before arriving at the house. Mr. Hudson hit a button and the garage door powered up. ¡°Go straight to bed, Price. Your body still needs to recover.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± His dad and Lisa went into the house first, and Price held Kylee¡¯s hand all the way up the stairs to his room. ¡°I¡¯m all right now,¡± she said, trying to free her hand. ¡°You can let me go.¡± He hesitated and then let her hand slip from his. He closed his bedroom door. ¡°I¡¯m never leaving you alone again.¡± She rubbed her hand, trying to piece together the events of the evening. ¡°What happened?¡± He shrugged. ¡°My dad came and got me.¡± ¡°Yes, I gathered that.¡± She pushed a hand through her hair, tangling it around her fingers. ¡°How did I get here?¡± ¡°I got nervous about you. So I ran back into that room as we were leaving, telling my dad I thought I¡¯d left something. Of course they spazzed on me.¡± He snorted. ¡°I stumbled over you right when I walked in. I grabbed your hand and dragged you out with me.¡± He bobbed his head and swallowed, his eyes on the carpet. ¡°I thought you were gone. You were cold as ice. Everyone else walked through you as if you weren¡¯t there. Doors closed and I pulled you through them.¡± The feeling of shrinking, of disappearing returned to her. Suddenly fearful, she grabbed at him, hooking a finger through his belt loop. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t come, Price . . . I¡¯m pretty sure it would have been the end.¡± He lifted his gaze, expression serious, but he tried a smile. ¡°So. I¡¯m tempted to tape your hand to mine for the rest of your¡ªmy life. No way am I leaving you alone, not for a minute.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not going to the bathroom with you.¡± He didn¡¯t smile. ¡°We have to work something out.¡± ¡°How about this: you hurry.¡± His lip quirked upward. ¡°Okay. Did you get it?¡± The subject change came too fast, and Kylee blinked at him. ¡°Get what?¡± ¡°A password.¡± ¡°Oh! Right! Yes!¡± Kylee racked her mind. This was so important. She had to remember! ¡°Three three three three hot. With a capital ¡®h¡¯.¡± Price grabbed a pen and jotted down what she said. ¡°Written out?¡± ¡°No. Numbers and signs.¡± He showed it to her. ¡°Like that?¡± Kylee studied the paper. ¡°Yeah. Looks right.¡± Price pulled his chair out and sat down at the computer. Kylee touched his shoulder. ¡°Price. Not now. This could take hours, and you need sleep.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no time, Kylee. We need to solve this.¡± She squeezed him. ¡°We have tomorrow. I promise.¡± He hesitated, then pushed away from the desk. ¡°Okay. Tomorrow.¡± She got down her own blankets, manipulating them easily enough here in Price¡¯s room. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to sleep by yourself,¡± he said, watching her. Kylee snuggled under the blankets. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine here.¡± He curled up on his side on the bed, facing her. ¡°Can you get the light?¡± She got up and flicked the switch by the door. It turned off, and satisfaction warmed her. ¡°See, Kylee? We could live like this,¡± Price whispered. Maybe he was right. Maybe they could. Ill Keep You Here Kylee¡¯s eyes flashed open. She lay on the floor, blankets all around her, but her body trembled with cold. Being here in Price¡¯s room wasn¡¯t enough. How much time had passed? She glanced at the digital clock on the computer desk. Half an hour. ¡°Price,¡± she whispered. The sound never left her lips. It swooshed past her, melting into the air around her, echoing as if the night alone had heard her. Her gaze fell upon him, his chest lifting and falling in his sleep. For the first time, she noted that she didn¡¯t breathe. No air whisked in and out of her lungs. Her heart didn¡¯t beat, not in fear or anticipation or excitement. Was it an illusion, anytime she thought she was breathing or her heart racing? Was it just habit, what she expected of herself? She felt nothing now, nothing except coldness in her entire body. ¡°Price,¡± she said again. Like last time, there was no audible sound, only the idea of a sound, a whisper in the air that almost was. And yet, Price stirred. He opened his eyes, then sat up. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She reached her hand out toward the bed. He leaned over and grabbed her fingers, and she gasped at how his touch burned her skin. Her heart thumped, the memory of blood pumping through her ghostly veins. ¡°You¡¯re freezing again.¡± He pulled her onto the bed, leaving no room for argument. ¡°Cold. Colder than last time.¡± He wrapped an arm around her, his stance protective as he held her close. She lifted her hand from the blanket and turned it over. The ring glowed a little brighter, a touch of light to the deep blue. ¡°I don¡¯t want to fade. I want to move on, not vanish.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep you here.¡± Kylee¡¯s thoughts reeled. ¡°My time is running out. You can¡¯t hold my hand forever.¡± ¡°Can too. I¡¯ll tie myself to you.¡± His fingers stroked her shoulder, sending tingles down her skin. ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered. He hugged her to him and kissed her, the softness of his lips caressing hers. Her mouth opened in response, lips tingling, anxious for his touch. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he murmured in between kisses, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of you.¡± Tears welled in her eyes. She grabbed his face with both hands and kissed him hard. ¡°I need you,¡± she whispered when she pulled back. ¡°I need you now.¡± She let her words carry the emphasis of her meaning. His breathing hitched, the protective touch melting into something less controlled. His mouth moved over her face, and he positioned himself closer, pressing his body into every space between them. She felt his hands under her shirt, stroking the soft skin of her belly and hips. He paused long enough to sit up and pull his shirt over his head. She trailed her fingers along his chest. He bent over her, his mouth meeting hers again with a hungry desperation. She ran her hands along the smooth back muscles. Don¡¯t have sex with him. Kylee tossed her head, trying to get rid of Madame Humphrey¡¯s words. She was already dead. She deserved to have this, to feel this with Price. Whatever you do, don¡¯t have sex with him. She tried to focus on the feel of Price¡¯s hands on her skin, the weight of his body on hers, but all she could hear were those words. She put her hands on his chest and turned her head, taking several deep breaths. Price¡¯s fingers stroked her earlobe, down to her jaw. She sighed. The flame of desire died down, replaced by the rationale that Madame Humphrey was right. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t do it,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± He laid his head against the hollow of her throat, his heart beating erratically through the thin cloth of her shirt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Her fingers wove themselves into his hair. He grabbed her hand and kissed her palm. ¡°No, don¡¯t be. I want you so bad. So bad. But I won¡¯t do this again. I promise.¡± Kylee blinked against the stinging in her eyes. She¡¯d died before her time, a girl who¡¯d never known what it was to be loved, not even by good parents. And now she¡¯d found someone who loved her, unconditionally, someone who she would want to spend the rest of her life with. If she were alive. ¡°I love you,¡± Price whispered. She bit her lip, too emotional to respond. He slid to the spot beside her but kept his arm around her, his head next to her shoulder. After a moment his breathing deepened, returning him to the slumber he¡¯d been in before she woke him. ¡°I love you too,¡± she whispered back.
Kylee must¡¯ve slept, because she opened her eyes and it was morning. She turned her head, but Price was gone. The blankets were swaddled around her body. Had he gone to school? Surely he wouldn¡¯t leave her. She sat up. ¡°Price?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± He swiveled from where he sat at his computer desk, a Yankees baseball cap on his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to wake you, but I¡¯ve checked on you every couple of minutes.¡± She patted the bed around her. ¡°Was I here? All night long?¡± ¡°All night.¡± His eyes were steady on her. The sun looked too high in the sky to be early morning. ¡°Did you miss the bus?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to school today.¡± He pressed his lips together. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving you again.¡± ¡°I could¡¯ve gone with you,¡± she began, but he shook his head. ¡°We have things to do. School¡¯s a waste of time right now.¡± ¡°And your dad was okay with that?¡± He shrugged. ¡°Yeah.¡± Kylee smoothed her hair and glanced at her jeans and button-up shirt. At least she didn¡¯t wake up every morning wearing the blood-covered clothes she¡¯d died in. Or did she? She looked at Price, frowning. ¡°What am I wearing?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± He looked at her in confusion. ¡°My clothes.¡± She gestured down. ¡°What do I have on?¡± He still just stared at her. ¡°Can¡¯t you see them?¡± ¡°Yes, but¡ª¡± she sighed. ¡°How do I know if what I see is what you see?¡± He nodded in understanding. ¡°You¡¯re wearing jeans and a pink shirt.¡± That was good, at least. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Everything good?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± She changed the subject. ¡°Have you hacked into the computer system yet?¡± ¡°I¡¯m having some problems with the password. Are you sure it¡¯s right?¡± ¡°Pretty sure. It¡¯s not working?¡± She felt her excitement drain. Surely she hadn¡¯t put Price through everything at the police station only to get the password wrong. ¡°Listen, it¡¯s all right,¡± Price said, as if sensing her angst. ¡°I mean, a password would be helpful.¡± ¡°Right?¡± Kylee agreed. ¡°But I can get in without one. I think.¡± Price popped his knuckles. ¡°It¡¯s a lot harder to get into the police system, but I bet your folder isn¡¯t top secret.¡± His fingers moved over the keyboard. Kylee watched him. A couple of boxes popped up with weird symbols in them. Price kept typing and they disappeared again. He sighed and stretched his arms high above his head. ¡°I need a break,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere.¡± ¡°Go where?¡± ¡°To the beach.¡± He stood and held out his hand to her. ¡°I want to talk to that crazy lady.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Kylee raised an eyebrow, amused by the turn of events. ¡°We walking there? Could take all day.¡± ¡°Nope. Normally, I¡¯d say this is a great day to take my bike. But we have to get back before Lisa gets home from school.¡± He tapped his phone. ¡°I got us an Uber. They¡¯ll be here in half an hour.¡± If the Uber driver thought anything of picking up a boy who should be in school, he didn¡¯t say a word. ¡°Where we headed, kid?¡± ¡°Anywhere on the boardwalk is fine.¡± Price took Kylee¡¯s hand and tucked it close to his bodywhen they arrived. He led her toward Madame Humphrey¡¯s shop at a death-march pace. ¡°What if she¡¯s not open today?¡± Kylee asked, trying to hide her reluctance. Seemed like every time she saw Madame Humphrey, things got worse. ¡°She will be. She has to be.¡± Price quickened his pace. Kylee didn¡¯t bring it up again. She was grateful for the ability to walk amongst the living, but the anxious feeling of not belonging was getting stronger. She found herself cowering away from other pedestrians and fighting the urge to run and hide in the shadows. A touch on her shoulder made her jump and shrink back. ¡°Kylee. It¡¯s me. Are you okay?¡± Price had his head cocked, concern on his face. She grasped at his hand, taking a moment to orient herself. She¡¯d been swept away in her fearful imaginings. A quick glance around revealed they¡¯d arrived at the shop. Not a moment too soon. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m fine.¡± She hurried inside, relieved to get off the street. ¡°Hello?¡± she called. Price came in at her heels, the door giving its little jingle. ¡°Hello, and welcome!¡± Madame Humphrey appeared in the beaded doorway, a smile on her plump face. Her brows furrowed when she saw Kylee. ¡°Is everything all right?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± Price said. He fingered a necklace tree on her glass checkout counter, dislodging several. He knelt to pick them up. ¡°We¡¯ve got some questions about Kylee.¡± Disappearing Madame Humphrey directed her attention at Kylee. ¡°What¡¯s the problem, dear?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to explain,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m losing my ability to move things. Even around Price. If I¡¯m not touching him, I feel like I¡¯m disappearing.¡± She felt Price lingering behind her, holding onto the hem of her shirt, maintaining their connection. Madame Humphrey nodded. ¡°How do you feel when you¡¯re ¡®disappearing¡¯?¡± ¡°Cold. Alone. Confused. I can¡¯t focus on anything important. It¡¯s like my mind turns to jelly.¡± ¡°Remember I warned you.¡± Madame Humphrey included Price in her gaze now. ¡°You don¡¯t have a lot of time.¡± ¡°You keep saying that,¡± Price interrupted, abrasive as always. ¡°Be more specific. How much time do we have?¡± She leveled her gray eyes at him. ¡°I don¡¯t know. But the shorter someone¡¯s lifespan on earth, the less time they have. When time runs out, Kylee, if you haven¡¯t made your journey to the next realm, you will cease. You won¡¯t be a ghost, or a spirit. You will be no more.¡± Price¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°But our instructions are pretty vague! How are we supposed to accomplish it so quickly?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why she has you.¡± Madame Humphrey turned to Kylee. ¡°Can you move things on your own?¡± She shook her head. ¡°I stop fading as long as I¡¯m close to Price, but without him . . . I don¡¯t last long.¡± ¡°As your guide, Price can lend you more time than you would have otherwise. He can help you resist the emptiness. But let me tell you this.¡± Madame Humphrey held up one finger, her eyes flicking back and forth between the two of them. ¡°Kylee¡¯s spirit can fade even if her tangible form doesn¡¯t. All that will remain is an empty, confused shell.¡± She focused on Price now. ¡°You can¡¯t keep her here forever. You must complete the task.¡± ¡°I know that,¡± Price said, not hiding his irritation. ¡°We¡¯re working on it. That¡¯s why I¡¯m not in school right now.¡± ¡°Good.¡± She nodded. ¡°Good luck, then. Kylee, stay close to him. You¡¯ll need his contact as you fight the pull on your spirit. Eventually, Price, she won¡¯t be able to resist.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Price tugged his baseball cap farther down, hiding his eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Kylee.¡± ¡°Kylee,¡± Madame Humphrey called. ¡°Don¡¯t forget what I told you.¡± Her eyes flicked to Price and back to her, one eyebrow arching upward in meaning. Kylee felt her face warm and nodded. Oh, lordy, like she needed a reminder. ¡°I haven¡¯t.¡± She crossed her fingers and toes that Madame Humphrey couldn¡¯t tell how close they¡¯d come.
Price hauled Kylee back to the boardwalk and then plopped down on the walkway with an angry grunt. He released her hand and removed his cap, wiping the sweat from his brow. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Kylee settled down next to him. ¡°You seem agitated.¡± ¡°We¡¯re getting nowhere, Kylee. I¡¯m fed up with her and her riddles, her non-helpful hints. We need something real!¡± He turned his gaze on her, fire burning in his brown eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do now! And somehow I¡¯m supposed to keep you from vanishing away from me, knowing no matter how I hold on, I can¡¯t keep you here!¡± She knew she ought to feel worse about the situation than he did, but the only thing she felt was sorry for Price. She was already dead. Price was the one who had to watch her die again. Every day, a little bit more. She lifted her eyes to the storefronts across the street. A juice cafe, a jewelry store, and a shop with a green awning and no name, nothing but a big handwritten sign reading, ¡°SEND CA$H NOW.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry you have to deal with this,¡± she said. He rolled his eyes. ¡°Last thing I need is your pity. I just want to know what to do. I need some help here!¡± She stared at the sign. CA$H. ¡°Like maybe,¡± she said, a puzzle piece clicking into place, ¡°the password to the police database?¡± ¡°We tried that,¡± Price said, crinkling his nose. ¡°It didn¡¯t work.¡± ¡°Yeah, but that¡¯s because I got it wrong,¡± she said with a triumphant smile. ¡°Take me home. Let¡¯s try again.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s home?¡± She paused. ¡°Your home, goof. Or isn¡¯t it mine now, too?¡± ¡°Yeah? Is it?¡± His shoulders relaxed. ¡°Well, then things can¡¯t be too bad.¡± He bumped her knee with his and stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll find us a ride back.¡±
¡°There,¡± Kylee said, correcting the password on Price¡¯s notepad. ¡°I left off the dollar sign. I¡¯m sure this is right now.¡± ¡°What jogged your memory?¡± Price asked, typing in the new password. The hourglass symbol spun, and then a green screen appeared with a blinker. ¡°Hey hey! We¡¯re in!¡± ¡°Great!¡± Kylee smiled and leaned over his shoulder. ¡°What now?¡± He glanced up at her. ¡°Um, well, I didn¡¯t hang around long after I saw the password.¡± Stupid of her. She should have lingered, watched what the cop did once he was in. ¡°No problem. I can do this.¡± Price typed something, and a menu appeared with several different options. ¡°What did you do?¡± ¡°Typed in a command prompt. They¡¯re pretty standard across computer systems.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Sure.¡± Must be what he meant when he said he was good at computer programing. Price opened a program labeled ¡°files¡± and clicked around for a bit. ¡°Find anything?¡± Kylee murmured, scanning over his shoulder. ¡°Nothing useful.¡± Price exited the folder and opened one called ¡°reports.¡± This had long pages of numbers that probably meant something to Price, but she couldn¡¯t make sense of them. ¡°Now we¡¯re getting somewhere.¡± Price ran his finger down the column. ¡°Autopsies. I bet you¡¯re in here, Kylee.¡± He clicked a box. A green screen opened up with a small, white rectangular box in the middle and a magnifying glass next to it. After that was the word, ¡°search.¡± ¡°You ready, Kylee?¡± Price whispered, his fingers hovering over the keyboard. ¡°Do it,¡± she said. He typed, ¡°Kylee Mansfield¡± and hit enter. The spinning hourglass appeared again, and then the screen changed to reveal a photo of herself. Only it wasn¡¯t her as she knew herself now. She gasped and pressed her hands to her mouth. The picture must¡¯ve been taken right after the cops hauled her body from the reeds. She recognized the location, the tall grasses, the murky water. But her body had been flipped over. Her clothes were covered in blood, the skin sagging around her face, hair bleached out from the camera flash. She lay on her side, legs curled inward, one arm extended limply. A jagged, open crevice ran from her elbow to her wrist. Her features didn¡¯t look right, either. Her lips were pulled back, exposing her teeth in a grimace, her eyes open. No; her eyes were gone. As were her lips. She was in a state of decomposition. Kylee pressed her fingers to her mouth, making sure she still had lips. Price closed the computer. He pushed away from the desk and ran from the room. Reality Hits Before Kylee could follow Price or even call out, she heard him vomiting in the bathroom. He didn¡¯t come back right away. The toilet flushed and the water ran in the sink. She waited, checking the digital clock. It had only been a few minutes, but it was too long. Already she felt the cold trying to claim her as its own. She held out her right arm and examined the giant, nasty scar. Price returned, his face pale, eyes bloodshot. ¡°Are you okay?¡± she asked. He shook his head, not quite meeting her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can do this.¡± He sat on the bed with his elbows on his knees, supporting his head with his hands. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± She tried to open the computer, but her numb fingers couldn¡¯t connect with it. ¡°Um, I need your help.¡± Price swore and shoved off the bed, his body language agitated as he pushed open the computer. His hand brushed her arm. Then he returned to the bed and dropped his head again. She¡¯d never heard him swear. Kylee tried not to make a big deal out of it. The picture popped back up on the screen, and she cringed. ¡°How do I get past this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Try scrolling.¡± She gave him a blank look. ¡°Scrolling?¡± He gave a loud sigh, then returned to her. ¡°This.¡± He ran his finger over a blank square on the keyboard. She reached the bottom of the autopsy file. Underneath it was the phrase ¡°case history¡± in blue lettering. Kylee clicked on it, and a new screen popped up. ¡°There, it¡¯s gone,¡± she said, pressing her hand over his fingers. She gave him a squeeze. ¡°Just words now. Do you want to see?¡± His shoulders relaxed, some of the tension going out of him. He shook his head. ¡°No. But show me anyway.¡± She moved closer to him, turning the screen with her. ¡°Looks like a summary of the case.¡± It was also several pages long. ¡°¡®Dispatch receives call on July 9, 06:30 hours. Missing child. Stepfather William McCormick called when Kylee Mansfield, age fifteen, wasn¡¯t in her bed,¡¯¡± she read aloud. ¡°It details what they did; they interviewed my mom and Bill.¡± She scowled. ¡°Bill told them I had a habit of skipping school and cutting myself. He said he thought it was a bid for attention but wanted to report it just to make sure.¡± ¡°Did you skip school a lot?¡± Price asked. ¡°Never! He made that up.¡± She kept reading. ¡°Lieutenant Dan Stead took down the information and put out an APB. When I didn¡¯t show up for another two days, the case became more serious. Because of the history between Child Protection Services and Bill, they got a search warrant and searched my house and the land around it.¡± Kylee shook her head. She already knew the answer, but it was heartbreaking to see it in writing. ¡°All they found was a bloody piece of fabric and a knife. Forensics showed blood on the knife matched that on the shirt but . . . it was several weeks old. The only prints on the knife¡ª¡± she broke off, not wanting to read that aloud to Price. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Hers. The only prints they found were hers. ¡°How could they not find anything?¡± Price exploded. ¡°They should have taken in cadaver dogs and searched around the lake!¡± ¡°They still thought I was missing, Price. And they¡¯d need another warrant to search the Littles¡¯ property. If they¡¯d known I was dead, everything would have changed.¡± ¡°Missing.¡± Price kicked the computer desk. ¡°Everyone knew you were dead. Everyone who knew you knew you¡¯d never go anywhere.¡± She bit her lip, resenting that assessment. She¡¯d always dreamed of leaving. But she had never ventured out to anything new, not even an exciting or new elective in school. Her shoulders slumped forward. If she were alive, Bill would still be ruling her life. She would never leave. She turned back to the report, trying to keep the emotion from her voice. ¡°Okay, it skips here. No updates, I guess, until a few days ago.¡± She didn¡¯t bother reading that part. She and Price knew what happened. ¡°¡®Lieutenant Stead searched the suggested area, search reveals body with a knife beside it . . . jagged cut on right arm from wrist to elbow. . . . Legal guardians suggest a suicide, that she often left for hours at a time . . . knife found next to victim matches cut, covered in her prints only.¡¯¡± She got to the end of the report and read the last few lines. ¡°¡®Multiple knives with Kylee¡¯s blood and fingerprints found in house. Case under continued investigation.¡¯¡± That was the end, but it didn¡¯t feel finished. ¡°Knives with your blood?¡± Price asked. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that prove something? Point the finger at your stepfather?¡± Kylee lifted her head but couldn¡¯t quite meet his eyes. ¡°It proves his point. That I was a cutter. It makes me look suicidal.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± he said quietly. ¡°Those were your knives.¡± She didn¡¯t bother giving the affirmative. ¡°Well,¡± he said, rousing himself with a heavy sigh, ¡°at least the case is still under investigation. That means the police aren¡¯t ready to say it¡¯s a suicide.¡± ¡°Still under investigation,¡± Kylee whispered, weighing those words. ¡°Go back to the autopsy report.¡± Kylee paused in mid-motion at the sound of the bus at the top of the road. ¡°The bus is here.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°I can hear it.¡± ¡°You can hear that?¡± He got up and looked out the window. She grinned at him. ¡°I listened for it every day. I always knew when you got home.¡± He smiled back at her, the daylight behind him casting him in shadow, rays of light flowing around him like a halo. ¡°Well, Lisa¡¯s home.¡± He rested his arm against the windowsill. ¡°We¡¯ll have to finish this up later. I don¡¯t want her to see it.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± She reached to close the computer when Price¡¯s door flew open. ¡°Price Hudson!¡± Amy burst in, her blue eyes flashing with fury. Kylee froze, her hand on the lid of the laptop. ¡°Uh, Amy,¡± Price said, his gaze sweeping toward Kylee. ¡°What? Hi?¡± He made a leap in Kylee¡¯s direction, hand outstretched to the computer. Amy followed his movements. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked, distracted. She stepped forward. Kylee jumped up and dashed away from the desk seconds before Amy sat where she¡¯d been. ¡°Um, nothing,¡± Price said, but it was a pointless denial. Amy was already clicking through pages. Morbidity ¡°Holy crap,¡± Amy said, eyes wide. ¡°What is this? Where did you get it?¡± ¡°Uh, I was curious. You know, ¡¯cause she would¡¯ve been my neighbor and all.¡± ¡°This autopsy report is morbid!¡± Amy gasped out. She never took her eyes from the screen. ¡°Price! What are you doing?¡± She swung on him, her eyebrows raised. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you were just curious! These are like, official files!¡± ¡°Well,¡± Kylee said from her corner, ¡°I admit she¡¯s smarter than I thought.¡± Price shot a glance at Kylee and turned his attention back to Amy. ¡°Listen, it¡¯s like this, Amy. I¡¯ve been thinking about this since the cops found her body. They think it¡¯s a suicide, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. . . .¡± Amy said, her expression guarded. ¡°But who thinks that? The police? Or is it her stepdad who keeps pushing that idea?¡± ¡°Well, it was kind of an idea even before they found her body,¡± Amy began. Price interrupted her. ¡°Who¡¯s idea, though? Who started that rumor? You? Jessica? Her other friends?¡± Amy¡¯s face paled under the accusation. ¡°No! I would never say anything like that! I didn¡¯t know she was a cutter . . . I read it in the paper.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Price whispered, pointing a finger at her. ¡°But who told the press?¡± She shrugged. ¡°Her parents, I guess?¡± ¡°But why would they want the police to think it was a suicide?¡± Kylee watched as understanding lit Amy¡¯s features. ¡°You think they tried to cast the blame on her?¡± He gave a tight-lipped grin. ¡°Yes. But why?¡± The question hung in the air. Amy¡¯s gaze dropped to her sleeve, and she plucked at it. Kylee crossed her arms over her chest and looked at Price. ¡°Why say that to her? Are you just distracting her or do you think she knows something?¡± Of course Price couldn¡¯t answer. He didn¡¯t look at Kylee, just kept his eyes trained on Amy. ¡°To hide something,¡± Amy said, lifting her chin and meeting Price¡¯s gaze. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong with her stepfather. I mean, we all know it. But my mom, she overheard them fighting sometimes when she was out jogging. She¡¯d tell us every time she saw the police there. And one time, she caught him with drugs.¡± ¡°Drugs?¡± Kylee shook her head. ¡°I never saw Bill with drugs.¡± ¡°No one¡¯s mentioned drugs,¡± Price said, furrowing his brow. ¡°Is she sure?¡± Amy shrugged. ¡°I only know what she said. She said Kylee¡¯s parents were on the side of the house, yelling loud enough to hear from the street. Fighting over something, but she couldn¡¯t tell what it was. Then he hit her and she went into the house. He tossed something on the ground and went in after her.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with drugs?¡± Kylee said, flexing her fingers. ¡°He was just a crazy man.¡± ¡°Yeah, but that doesn¡¯t prove anything.¡± Price shook his head. ¡°But wait,¡± Amy said, her eyes widening. ¡°After they went in, my mom went over to the house and looked in the grass.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Kylee exclaimed. ¡°Is her mom such a nosy busy-body?¡± Price silenced her with a wave. ¡°Did she find something?¡± ¡°Yeah. An empty syringe.¡± ¡°Where is it now?¡± Price leaned closer, his face animated. ¡°Did she take it home?¡± Amy shook her head. ¡°She was afraid to touch it. She told us when she got home, and my dad went out in the morning to get it so he could report them. But it was gone.¡± ¡°Maybe she imagined it,¡± Price said. ¡°Maybe it was too dark to see.¡± Amy shot him a glare. ¡°Unlike some people who don¡¯t show up when it¡¯s their turn to present a project, I can rely on my mom.¡± ¡°When it¡¯s their turn to¡ªOh!¡± Price slapped his palm to his head. ¡°The presentation! Was that today?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Amy gave an exaggerated nod. ¡°And guess who had the maps and photos?¡± Price groaned. ¡°Oh, Amy, I am so sorry. What did she say? Will she let us make it up?¡± ¡°You¡¯re sick, right? What can she do?¡± Amy¡¯s glare didn¡¯t relent. ¡°Sure left me in a crappy spot, trying to cover for you when I didn¡¯t know where you were. I texted you a million times. You could¡¯ve given me a heads up!¡± This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Price reached into his backpack and pulled out his phone. ¡°I never took it off silent from yesterday. I didn¡¯t notice.¡± Amy rolled her eyes and stood up. ¡°You¡¯re so lame. Who doesn¡¯t notice their phone?¡± She gestured at the computer. ¡°What are you gonna do about all this, anyway? Why are you researching her?¡± He shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I feel like it.¡± Kylee shivered as a chill ran over her shoulders. How many minutes that time? Four? Three? She slid to Price¡¯s side, slipping one hand around his arm. He glanced at her, shifting to accommodate her next to him. Then he looked back at Amy. His movement had been subtle, but Amy¡¯s eyes narrowed. She surveyed the empty space next to Price. He stiffened as she stepped closer. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Price? Is something there?¡± She held a hand out and swiped the air an inch in front of Kylee. Kylee stepped backward. ¡°What are you talking about, Amy?¡± Price relaxed when Amy didn¡¯t detect Kylee. He gave a forced laugh. ¡°Something here? Obviously not.¡± ¡°Listen, buster,¡± she said, her nostrils flaring. ¡°I¡¯m not in your advanced French class for nothing. I¡¯m also taking three concurrent college classes, which is why you haven¡¯t seen me in any of your other high school classes. So don¡¯t act like I¡¯m silly for asking. You¡¯re hiding something. Everything about your tone to your face to your body odor says that. So.¡± She poked his chest with a finger. ¡°You were saying?¡± Silence followed. And then Price said, ¡°I bet I can hack a computer faster than you.¡± Amy stared at him, and then she burst out laughing. ¡°All right, you win, Price Hudson. But when you decide I¡¯m worthy of your trust, you can tell me your secrets.¡± She lowered her voice. ¡°I knew Kylee, after all. I might be able to provide insight your police report can¡¯t.¡± She touched his hand, running her fingers up his wrist. She paused at his forearm and gripped it with her hand. Only inches beneath Kylee¡¯s own hand. Price fidgeted, straightening his arm and flexing his fingers. ¡°There¡¯s a cold spot right here,¡± Amy said, her hand creeping closer to Kylee. Kylee shifted upward. ¡°Weird. Don¡¯t you think?¡± There was a glimmer in her eye, a sparkle of suspicion. ¡°Yeah,¡± Price said. ¡°Drafty house. Can be cold sometimes. That¡¯s why I¡¯m sick. You know.¡± He gestured at his face. ¡°Ah huh huh.¡± Amy dropped her arm. ¡°Was that supposed to be a cough? Anyway. I gotta go. Keep me informed.¡± She grabbed the light jacket she¡¯d dumped in the doorway when she came in. ¡°The rest of your house isn¡¯t cold.¡± She left the room. Price shifted away from Kylee and went to the window. She followed him, and together they watched Amy walk down the street alone. He faced Kylee and scratched his eyebrow. ¡°That was close?¡± She shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know what that was. It¡¯s almost like Amy wanted to believe I was here.¡± ¡°She did,¡± Price agreed. ¡°But listen, we got something now, right?¡± He poked his head out the door, then closed it. ¡°Lisa¡¯s watching TV. Let¡¯s keep searching.¡± He rubbed his hands together and headed for the computer. ¡°Drugs?¡± Kylee wanted to deny it. She¡¯d never seen Bill using. He smoked and drank, and didn¡¯t bother to hide those things. But after what Amy had said, Kylee figured she better withhold her judgment until she knew more. ¡°Autopsy,¡± Price said. ¡°Let¡¯s see what clues this holds for us.¡± He hesitated. ¡°This is going to bring up that picture again. Can you¡ªdo you think you can scroll past it?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Kylee said. She positioned her hand over his on the mouse. The autopsy report came up. Kylee scrolled down, a knot of dread tightening in her chest. I don¡¯t want to read this. ¡°Okay. It¡¯s past.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± She read over Price¡¯s shoulder, glad he didn¡¯t read aloud. These details were too gruesome. The report detailed the jagged cut on her arm but added that she¡¯d been in a state of decomposition and the exact date of death was difficult to determine. It mentioned a multitude of scars on her body from previous knife wounds, suggesting the capacity for self-mutilation. She bit her lip. Stupid, stupid girl! ¡°Did you read that part about postmortem?¡± Price asked. ¡°No,¡± she said, swallowing back tears of frustration. ¡°What¡¯s that mean?¡± ¡°It means after death.¡± He pointed to a paragraph near the end and read, ¡°¡®Blood coagulation with knife wound on arm consistent with that inflicted postmortem.¡¯¡± Kylee tried to translate that, but it didn¡¯t make sense. ¡°How is that significant?¡± ¡°It means, Kylee,¡± Price said, looking up at her, ¡°that they think someone cut you after you were dead. There¡¯s no way the police think you killed yourself.¡± ¡°So what now?¡± Kylee whispered. Her hands trembled with anticipation. The police didn¡¯t think it was her. Who, then? ¡°Let¡¯s read.¡± Price continued down the autopsy report. ¡°Interesting.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°They had to get a court order to do the autopsy. Your parents both refused to consent.¡± She frowned at him. That was definitely weird. ¡°Whoa,¡± Price said, drawing her attention back to him. ¡°What?¡± She leaned closer. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°They found traces of an unknown substance in your bloodstream. They sent it to forensics to get tested but don¡¯t have the results back yet.¡± ¡°What does that mean? What could it possibly be?¡± ¡°That you weren¡¯t killed by a knife wound. And maybe the police know it.¡± He locked eyes with her. ¡°Maybe your parents know it, too.¡± She heard his words, felt them wash over her, and shook her head. ¡°Obviously Bill knows. Duh. But my mom doesn¡¯t know anything.¡± Price gripped her hands and leaned closer to her. ¡°Then why is she helping him hide from the police?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not,¡± Kylee breathed. Her hands trembled in Price¡¯s grip. ¡°You¡¯ve met my mom. How could you say that?¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t a knife that killed you, what was it?¡± She forced herself to think again about the words from the autopsy report. Her fingers trailed over the jagged scar on her arm. No wonder she didn¡¯t remember it; someone had inflicted it on her after her death. Her eyes darted to the screen. ¡°An unknown substance. Wait. You don¡¯t think they mean drugs, do you?¡± Price¡¯s door flew open, startling both of them. Once again, Amy stood in the doorway, her cheeks flushed, her eyes wild. ¡°Uh¡ªAmy?¡± Price said, the total confusion written all over his face. ¡°I heard you,¡± she breathed. ¡°I¡¯ve been standing here outside your door listening to you. I waited till you weren¡¯t watching me, and then I turned around and snuck back into your house.¡± ¡°More psycho than I gave her credit for,¡± Kylee said. ¡°Okay,¡± Price said. ¡°You¡¯re talking to someone.¡± Her eyes flicked around the room. ¡°You¡¯re talking to her, aren¡¯t you!¡± ¡°Sometimes I talk to myself,¡± he said, his tone confessional. ¡°It helps me think through ideas.¡± Amy was already shaking her head. ¡°No way. I heard you talking about a knife, talking about killing. You¡¯re talking to Kylee.¡± ¡°Did I actually say her name?¡± ¡°No, but¡ª¡± For a second, Amy looked uncertain. And then her features hardened. ¡°Stop acting like I¡¯m stupid! She asked you to help her solve her murder, didn¡¯t she? She¡¯s here! Kylee! It¡¯s me, Amy!¡± ¡°Shh!¡± Price waved a hand at her. Kylee pushed away from the computer desk and grabbed Amy¡¯s wrist. Full Speed Ahead Amy let out a gasp and jerked her hand away so hard she hit the wall behind her. ¡°What-what-what was that?¡± she whispered, her confidence replaced by trembling, and maybe even some fear. Kylee sighed. ¡°And for a second, I thought she wanted to talk to me.¡± Price narrowed his eyes. ¡°That was Kylee, Amy. You called her. So she came.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Amy whispered, her hand clutching her wrist where Kylee had touched her. ¡°She¡¯s really here?¡± ¡°She¡¯s really here.¡± Amy blinked several times, her breathing returning to normal. ¡°Then you really are helping her solve her murder.¡± Price nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Amy sank down to the floor. Tears pooled in her eyes. ¡°Did she tell you I was her friend?¡± ¡°She did,¡± he answered. Kylee stayed quiet. She felt like the intruder here. ¡°Why didn¡¯t she ask me for help? I would¡¯ve helped.¡± Amy¡¯s voice quavered. ¡°She didn¡¯t get to choose.¡± Amy fell silent. Kylee moved to Price¡¯s side, and he took her hand. Amy¡¯s eyes darted toward them, taking in Price¡¯s movement, the way his hand rested on his thigh. ¡°Are you touching her?¡± she whispered, her tone awed. Price hesitated, and then answered, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But she¡¯s . . .¡± ¡°A ghost? Dead? Yes. That doesn¡¯t make her any less real.¡± His tone was curt, short, but also challenging. Like he dared her to contradict him. Amy let out a gasp, her hand flying to her mouth. ¡°You have feelings for her.¡± Price met Kylee¡¯s eyes, and she caught her breath, mesmerized by the depth of emotion she saw swirling there. ¡°I¡¯m in love with her,¡± he said. ¡°Oh, Price!¡± Amy burst into tears. ¡°That¡¯s the saddest¡ªmost beautiful¡ªmost tragic thing I¡¯ve ever heard!¡± He chuckled, breaking eye contact with Kylee. ¡°Get a hold of yourself, Amy.¡± She forced in a choking breath. ¡°What happens when you prove she was murdered?¡± ¡°She moves on. Where she¡¯s supposed to be.¡± If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°And you¡¯re going to let her?¡± ¡°It¡¯s where she needs to be.¡± Amy took several deep breaths, her long fingers wiping at her eyes. ¡°How can I help?¡± ¡°What?¡± Price glanced at Kylee, his expression startled. ¡°No, Amy. You can¡¯t get involved.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Amy lifted her chin. ¡°Because it¡¯s dangerous? I want to help.¡± ¡°She can,¡± Kylee said, an idea occurring to her. ¡°We need to go back to my house. She can keep watch for Bill. Let us know if he shows up.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Price said. ¡°Here¡¯s what you can do. I have to go back to Kylee¡¯s house, look for more evidence. You keep an eye on the place. Call me if you see her stepdad come home.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Amy pulled her phone out and moved to the window. ¡°I¡¯ll watch from here.¡± ¡°Perfect.¡± He stood up. ¡°We¡¯ve got work to do.¡± Kylee followed him out the door and across the yard. ¡°We have to wait for my mom to go outside. I don¡¯t want her to call the police on you. Let¡¯s sneak into my room and I¡¯ll do a quick check.¡± The window was still closed from when Kylee fell out of it the day before. It reminded her how useless she was without Price. A quick glance at the ring on her finger showed it glowed a light blue. She gripped his hand tighter and pushed up on the glass. No problems. The window slid up noiselessly. She pressed a finger to her lips and climbed inside. Price joined her. If she was going to glide unnoticed through the house, she needed to become ghost-like. She let go of Price¡¯s hand and sat on the bed. He stood next to her, twiddling his thumbs and glancing around the austere corners of the room. The house was silent. No humming, no singing. Not even the TV buzzed in the background. Every once in a while a floorboard creaked, the only evidence her mother was in the house. The screen door squealed a moment before the front door banged shut. Kylee hopped off the bed. ¡°Give me a second to look around.¡± ¡°Kylee,¡± Price warned. ¡°You can¡¯t go too far from me.¡± ¡°Thirty seconds,¡± she amended. Without waiting for his response, she went to the door. She pressed her hand to it. Though she¡¯d been expecting it, it still startled her when she passed through. Exhaling, she moved her whole body through. It took no more effort than walking. The house was empty. The darkness sprouted in her chest, icy fingers creeping toward her shoulders. She returned to the room, reaching for Price as if she were drowning and he were oxygen. ¡°She¡¯s hanging up the laundry. She¡¯ll be out twenty minutes, maybe thirty.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Price nodded. ¡°Where do we start?¡± She tried to think where Bill might hide drugs. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Their room, I guess.¡± Price gestured. ¡°Lead the way.¡± Kylee pushed open the door to her mom and Bill¡¯s room. ¡°You check under the bed. I¡¯ll look in the closet.¡± Price poked his head under the full-size bed frame. ¡°What about the bathroom?¡± She opened the folding doors that blocked the closet space. She shoved aside clothing, pressing her hands into the walls around the hanger racks. Everything felt solid. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a good idea. There¡¯s only one in the whole house, and it¡¯s in the hall. Check the window, would you? My mom still out there?¡± The floor thumped as Price got up. ¡°Still there. Hanging up clothes. Why didn¡¯t you guys get a dryer like everyone else in America?¡± Kylee grunted. She climbed up into the closet and pushed on the bumpy asbestos ceiling. Nothing budged. ¡°We¡¯re too cheap.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see anything odd under the bed. Mattress seems stitched together still. Heading for the bathroom.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Kylee responded. Price¡¯s footsteps padded from the room. She knelt on the closet floor and tugged on the carpets, looking for spots where it might not be quite nailed down. ¡°Hey!¡± Price¡¯s voice echoed from the bathroom. ¡°I think I might have found something.¡± She jumped up, abandoning the closet, and joined him in the yellow-washed room. ¡°Here.¡± He tugged at the stained medicine cabinet. ¡°Feels loose. I saw a movie once where a guy hid something behind it.¡± ¡°Let me help.¡± Kylee went on the other side and tugged. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Price and Kylee both whirled away from the mirror at the sound of her mother¡¯s voice. Under the Hood Kylee froze, her features twisted in horror at the sight of her mom in the doorway, who looked equally horrified. The blood drained from Price¡¯s face. ¡°Oh. Just checking the mirror, that¡¯s all. Looks good, so . . . bye.¡± He made to run past her, but she blocked him. ¡°How did you get in here?¡± she demanded. Her eyes darted to the empty space around him. ¡°And why do you keep coming back?¡± Price inhaled. ¡°You didn¡¯t believe me last time, so there¡¯s not much point in explaining again¡ª¡± ¡°Is she with you?¡± her mother interrupted. ¡°Uh¡ª¡± Price stole a glance to Kylee. ¡°What?¡± Theresa¡¯s eyes followed his gaze. ¡°She is, isn¡¯t she? You were telling the truth.¡± She breathed shallowly, one hand moving to her chest. Her arm dropped from the doorframe, but Price didn¡¯t move. ¡°Yeah,¡± he whispered. ¡°I was.¡± Her cheeks flushed, and her lip trembled. ¡°Why is she haunting me?¡± ¡°Tell her Bill killed me,¡± Kylee said. ¡°Tell her that¡¯s why I¡¯m here now.¡± Price hesitated. ¡°Tell her!¡± Kylee shouted, shoving his arm. Her mom¡¯s gaze went to Price¡¯s arm as it bounced back against his body. ¡°She did that.¡± Her breathing came faster. He cleared his throat. ¡°She wants me to tell you something.¡± Theresa covered her face with her hands. ¡°No. No. Tell her I¡¯m sorry. But it¡¯s time for her to go.¡± ¡°You need to hear this. She didn¡¯t kill herself.¡± ¡°No!¡± Her hands flew away from her cheeks. ¡°No, don¡¯t talk about this!¡± ¡°You¡¯d rather believe I killed myself?¡± Kylee screeched. ¡°She wasn¡¯t suicidal,¡± Price said. ¡°You¡¯re her mom. You should know that. She was sad, lonely, angry, but not suicidal. Kylee¡ª¡± his voice choked up. Price shook his head and swallowed hard. ¡°Kylee loved life.¡± Kylee held her breath, hoping Price¡¯s emotion moved her mother as much as it did her. But her mom stared at him, her face pasty. ¡°Her life was miserable. She hated it. You should go now.¡± ¡°But you know I¡¯m telling the truth¡ª¡± Price began. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what I know!¡± Theresa shouted. ¡°Just go! Go, if you know what¡¯s best for you!¡± She reached for him. ¡°It was Bill!¡± Price shouted back. ¡°He killed her!¡± She paused in mid-motion. ¡°What?¡± The word came out in a hoarse whisper. Price lifted his chin. ¡°Bill killed your daughter.¡± ¡°Bill killed her?¡± Her hands fluttered, an expression of disbelief on her face. Price bobbed his head up and down. ¡°Yes. Yes! You have to tell the police. You have to help us prove it.¡± Theresa started laughing. Laughing. Kylee stared at her. ¡°Bill,¡± Theresa echoed. ¡°Bill killed her.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Go now. And don¡¯t come back.¡± ¡°Kylee can¡¯t go,¡± Price said. ¡°Not until we prove her killer.¡± ¡°Go!¡± Theresa shouted, louder than Kylee had ever heard her. ¡°Do not come back!¡± ¡°Come on.¡± Kylee took his hand and pulled him out of the bathroom, purposefully bumping her mom¡¯s shoulder on the way out. ¡°She¡¯s not gonna help.¡± She didn¡¯t bother going out the window, but led Price down the hall and out the front door. She slammed it hard behind them. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Was that necessary?¡± Price murmured, rushing to keep up with her as she stormed around the side of the house. Kylee couldn¡¯t begin to explain the anger she felt. That her mother would prefer to think her death was a suicide than acknowledge the real killer . . . She took a deep breath. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡± ¡°Sure. No problem.¡± Price shoved his hands into his pockets. ¡°Do you think there were drugs in that medicine cabinet?¡± Kylee had forgotten that was what they were doing. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter now. We¡¯re not going back. There¡¯s still the woods. Anything could be hidden there.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He nodded. ¡°We haven¡¯t searched there yet.¡± He stayed quiet as they trooped past her closed window, past the clothesline with wet articles blowing in the breeze, all the way until they reached the edge of the woods. Kylee¡¯s anger toward her mother had darkened, deepened, and now she felt wounded. A sense of betrayal weighed her down, and she let out a frustrated sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what we¡¯re looking for anymore, Price. A bloody piece of carpet? Drugs? A knife? Some kind of proof?¡± The mystery felt hopeless to her. Maybe she should give up. She realized she¡¯d moved to her tree trunk. She sat down on top of it, discouraged. ¡°We¡¯re going to figure this out, Kylee. We¡¯re looking for all of the above. Either. Or. Let¡¯s think like Bill.¡± Price tapped the side of his head. ¡°He¡¯s an evil creep, but he¡¯s not stupid. If he were, the police would¡¯ve found the drugs already. So assuming he¡¯s got some brains, what would be the best way to get rid of that evidence?¡± She stood up. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I think of it before? He probably dumped the proof close to where he dumped my body.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the Littles¡¯ land. They have hundreds of acres.¡± ¡°And a swamp,¡± Price added. ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll remember something that pinpoints where it might be.¡± He reached for her hand. She hesitated before slipping hers into his. It felt misleading, somehow, to be close to him right now. As if she were leading him on. But as his fingers closed around hers, she felt the strength of their connection. He tugged her arm. ¡°You can¡¯t take us there if you¡¯re not looking.¡± ¡°Right.¡± She gave him a crooked smiled. Pulling Price along behind her, she ducked under low-hanging branches and climbed over fallen trees as they headed toward the swampland. Mosquitoes buzzed around them, though they were quite oblivious of Kylee. ¡°Argh.¡± Price let go of her hand to swat at the little bugs. ¡°I hate these things.¡± ¡°I know, right? One thing I don¡¯t miss.¡± Though still early evening, the sunlight barely penetrated the leafy canopy overhead. Crickets mingled their chirping with the cicadas, unaware it wasn¡¯t nighttime. Somewhere close by, a frog croaked. ¡°This place gives me the creeps,¡± Price whispered. She didn¡¯t answer. The path had gotten easier, the thistles and bushes piled down as if driven over. She stepped over a bare patch of dirt that looked like a tire track. ¡°This must be the path the cops took,¡± Price said. ¡°Yeah,¡± she agreed. She spotted the marshy lake up ahead and made her way to it. ¡°Look for a burn pile, I guess.¡± She kicked at some of the green reeds, avoiding the spot where she¡¯d seen her body. ¡°Should be easy to see.¡± They searched in relative silence, except for Price¡¯s grunting as he slapped his exposed skin, trying to drive away the bugs. Even Kylee was put out by the swarms of gnats buzzing in her ears. She knelt down and brushed aside undergrowth, hoping to find black ashes beneath, some evidence of charred foliage. The familiar cold began creeping into her fingertips, faster this time, as if it knew time was running out. The noises from the swamp pressed in around her, as close as if the world were caving inward. Whispers brushed around her, wrapping her mind in an overbearing fog. The grass in front of her spun, and she squeezed her eyes shut. She jumped when a twig snapped, the noise echoing like a cannon in her mind. ¡°Just me,¡± Price said, kneeling next to her. ¡°You okay?¡± She reached out and clutched his hand, relieved when the vertigo faded and the noises returned to the background. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m okay.¡± She straightened up and froze. In front of her, several yards away through the trees and nearly obscured by the vegetation, was the old blue pick-up truck. ¡°Hey. That¡¯s Bill¡¯s truck.¡± ¡°The one you said was in your front yard?¡± Price said. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t the Littles tell the police it wasn¡¯t theirs?¡± ¡°Price, they¡¯re so old! They probably have no idea it¡¯s here!¡± ¡°Why would Bill move it?¡± That was the question. ¡°Let me look inside it,¡± she said. ¡°You stay back. Don¡¯t touch it, actually. I don¡¯t want your prints on it.¡± Price hesitated. ¡°Kylee, if we find something . . .¡± ¡°You should call the police,¡± she replied. ¡°In fact, do it right now.¡± He pulled out his phone. ¡°Oh, crap.¡± ¡°What?¡± She pushed her way through the underbrush, more hesitant than she wanted to admit. The answers were here in this truck. She felt it in her bones. Soon they¡¯d have them. Her name would be cleared. And then what? ¡°I never took my phone off silent. Amy¡¯s called twice.¡± ¡°Call her back.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± She was almost to the truck. She took a deep breath and let it out. All she had to do was go inside. Branches snapped behind her, and Price let out a loud grunt, followed by a thud. ¡°Price?¡± Kylee whirled around, and her heart nearly jumped out of her chest. He lay on the ground. A figure draped in a hoodie stood over him, clutching a baseball bat. Bill had found them. ¡°Price!¡± Kylee ran back to him. If she held his hand, she¡¯d be able to attack Bill, force him back. She knelt next to Price and ran her hands over his head blood seeped into his hairline, weeping from a gash above his forehead. She choked back a sob, shaking as she tried to pinch the skin together. How badly was he hurt? Keeping one hand on his, she fished around for something she could use to fend Bill off. ¡°Foolish, meddling boy.¡± Kylee stopped moving. She forgot to breathe. That wasn¡¯t Bill¡¯s voice. She lifted her head and saw not Bill¡¯s face in the hoodie, but her mother¡¯s. A Mothers Love Theresa grabbed hold of one of Price¡¯s legs and began dragging him toward the lake. ¡°Can¡¯t leave things alone. Have to go shoving your nose where it don¡¯t belong.¡± Kylee didn¡¯t move. She sat there in stunned shock. What was her mother doing? She grasped Price¡¯s hands and pulled against her mother, but being dead hadn¡¯t given her any super-human strength. Theresa gave an extra hard tug, and Price came free. ¡°You should have stopped,¡± she murmured, her voice sing-song. ¡°I warned you.¡± Price gave a low moan as his head thumped over an exposed tree root. Blood oozed from a deep gash across his temple. He¡¯s going to die, Kylee thought, wringing her hands together in desperation. She had to do something. ¡°I knew you were trouble,¡± Theresa huffed, pausing to scratch her arm. ¡°Coming around the house. Talking about Kylee.¡± She glanced up, her blue eyes sweeping the area. ¡°Kylee!¡± she sang. ¡°Time to go home, Kylee!¡± Kylee fought back a shudder. She got up and sat down on Price¡¯s chest, hoping her weight would make him too heavy for her mother. Theresa tugged on him and groaned. ¡°Too hard. Must be an easier way.¡± She knelt down and patted Price¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Such a cruel world. Sleep, sweet boy. Sleep with Kylee.¡± ¡°Mom!¡± Kylee cried, hot tears stinging her eyes. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± Her hand reached out and snagged Theresa¡¯s sleeve. Theresa let out a cry and pulled back, shaking. She took several trembling breaths. ¡°Kylee,¡± she whimpered. Her pupils, mere pinpricks, darted around the marshy area. ¡°Kylee.¡± ¡°Theresa!¡± She whipped around, and Kylee looked past her to see Bill¡¯s hulking form bearing down on them. ¡°What you mean by this, sneaking out here? Leaving a note to meet you by the truck?¡± Theresa resumed her normal cower. ¡°It¡¯s this boy, Bill. He¡¯s been poking around. He¡ªhe found the truck.¡± Bill grunted. He poked Price with his foot. ¡°Long as he didn¡¯t tell no one.¡± ¡°Is he dead?¡± Theresa said. She wiped her nose. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to kill him.¡± He grabbed her shoulders and stared into her face. ¡°You stoned again, woman?¡± He shoved her, and she fell to the ground. Kylee could only watch, torn between protecting her mother and staying with Price. Bill picked up the bat. ¡°I¡¯ll finish him.¡± Kylee panicked. Her hand closed on a rock, and she chucked it at him. Her aim was way off, and the rock flew past him. Bill went very still, holding the bat like a statue. ¡°Theresa,¡± he whispered. ¡°She¡¯s here.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Her mother was crying, her face red and splotchy. ¡°She¡¯s getting her revenge.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a ghost, woman. There is no revenge.¡± Theresa didn¡¯t answer. She wiped at her face with her dirty apron. Kylee tossed another rock, and Bill batted it away. ¡°Pretty pathetic, aren¡¯t you?¡± he said with a laugh. ¡°Even in death. What are you fussin¡¯ for? Soon you¡¯ll have comp¡¯ny.¡± This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. She didn¡¯t have time for this. Somehow, she had to catch Bill off guard and free Price. She jumped off Price¡¯s body and took a step toward Bill. ¡°Are you going to kill him?¡± Theresa asked. He swiveled his body toward her. ¡°You want the honors again? You¡¯re making a habit of this.¡± ¡°You forced my hand with Kylee.¡± Wait, what? Kylee stopped moving and stared at them both. ¡°What does that mean?¡± She willed her mother to explain. ¡°And you don¡¯t have any choice with this one,¡± Bill said. ¡°So unless you¡¯re gonna kill this kid, shut up and let me finish it.¡± The words spun around in Kylee¡¯s head like a kaleidoscope. She needed time to sort this out, but that was one thing she didn¡¯t have. She had to save Price first. She took one more step before the cold chill started in her toes, climbing into her ankles at an alarming rate. ¡°No,¡± she said. She looked down to see her feet disappearing. ¡°No!¡± she cried. She couldn¡¯t fade now. An oppressive darkness filled Kylee¡¯s chest, tugging on her eyelids, persuading her to close her eyes. Sleep. She needed a long rest. Kylee¡¯s head dropped, exhaustion weighing her to the ground like an anvil. All sound vanished. She seemed to be getting smaller, shrinking in on herself. Soon she¡¯d be nothing but a dot, and then less than that, and then nothing. Nothing but rest in peace. And Price Hudson would be no more. She wasn¡¯t sure where the thought came from, but the name meant something to her. A spark of recognition lit. And then it exploded, so fast that Kylee screamed at the burning pain. Her eyes flew open. She reached out her hands to steady herself, but nothing happened. Red glowed around her. It was all she could see. ¡°Price!¡± she shouted. Or tried to shout. No sound left her mouth, no scream echoed in her ears. She wasn¡¯t sure she still had a mouth. But it must¡¯ve been enough, because shapes began to appear in the red haze, tall mangrove and cypress trees. The sounds of swamp life chirped in her ears, and the color swirled around her, forming a vortex. The vortex whirled and then sucked into her hand. Kylee risked a glance downward and saw her ring. Glowing a bright red. She lifted her head. There was Price, passed out and unconscious. Her mother sat on the ground, her arms around her legs. Wet tears and a smudge of dirt stained her cheeks. ¡°You¡¯re nothing but trouble, Theresa. You have to stick with the plan.¡± Bill lifted the bat. Theresa didn¡¯t move. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t have done it.¡± Kylee lowered herself close to Price. His chest still rose and fell; he wasn¡¯t dead yet. ¡°Wake up, Price,¡± she said. Or tried. The words never left her lips. ¡°You jumped the gun!¡± Bill shouted, sounding more lucid than Kylee ever recalled hearing him. He abandoned Price¡¯s body and hunkered over her mom, his voice raised. ¡°We were supposed to make it look like she ODed on accident! But no, you shot her up in the back of her shoulder!¡± ¡°Mom,¡± Kylee whispered, betrayal churning inside her. ¡°I panicked.¡± Bill grunted and walked away from her. ¡°You¡¯re the reason I had to cut her! It didn¡¯t look like a suicide anymore!¡± He picked up the bat, but instead of returning to Price, he turned around and swung it into her head. Theresa fell back, hitting the damp dirt without a sound. He swore again. ¡°Done,¡± he grunted. ¡°Done with this. No more bringing me down.¡± He grabbed her by the ankles and began dragging her toward the lake. If Kylee could have sobbed, she would have. But she couldn¡¯t worry about her mom right now. She turned her attention back to Price. She had a precious few moments before Bill finished with her mom and came back for him. His chest still lifted and fell with life. It wasn¡¯t too late. She grabbed his hand. Her hand passed right through him. No. No no no no no no. She pulled her wrist to her chest. The ring had the faintest of red light. Right when Price needed her the most, she was useless to him. She pressed her mouth to his, willing his life energy to enter her. Please, please, please, she thought. She tried again to grab Price¡¯s hand. Nothing happened. Price¡¯s body moved beneath her, and she focused her gaze outward. Bill dragged Price across the foliage and to the lake. He grunted and paused a moment, hands on his knees while he tried to catch his breath. Kylee floated after him, the urge to cry choking her up. But she couldn¡¯t, she couldn¡¯t do anything. She had never felt so dead. She saw her mom¡¯s body, lifeless in the shallows. She had no mental space for her. Everything was focused on Price. Bill resumed dragging Price¡¯s body. He walked thigh-deep into the water before turning Price face down and shoving him beneath the surface. Kylee¡¯s hand turned to ice. She gasped and glanced down as the ring slipped off her, disappearing into the grass. No light or color emanated from it. A cloud dropped over her vision. Price began to disappear in a field of haze, his body drifting farther and farther away. Would he join her after he died? Somebody help him. Beyond the Veil No, it wasn¡¯t Price¡¯s body that was drifting. It was Kylee. What was left of her, anyway. She felt less substantial than a vapor, wispier than a cloud. A woman stepped into Kylee¡¯s view, her long flaming red hair whipping around her as if blown by an invisible gale. She looked at Kylee with her piercing blue eyes. A tug of familiarity pulled at her . . . spirit? Kylee had seen this woman before. How did she know her? The woman held out her hand toward Kylee, palm outward, and Kylee¡¯s upward floating jerked to a stop. Then the woman thrust her hand toward the lake, and Kylee found herself thrown downward as well. And then she was floating above Price under the water, staring at his closed eyes. Something was different. His eyes opened, and yet they didn¡¯t. ¡°Kylee,¡± he said. But his mouth didn¡¯t move. The word filled her soul, surrounding her, drifting around her. Price, she thought. And she understood. Price was dead. She wanted to scream. Her soul ached, but she felt like in a dream when no matter how hard she tried to cry out, no sound came. Never had she wanted so badly to keep someone from harm, to save someone, as she did with Price. And she¡¯d let this happen. She¡¯d let him walk into this. Her soul wept. He reached out and touched her hands. The sensation was like passing her fingers through gelatin that wasn¡¯t quite set. She looked at his hand as it drifted away, no more tangible and alive than she was. ¡°I can¡¯t feel you,¡± he said. He looked past her. ¡°Are we under water?¡± ¡°You¡¯re dead,¡± Kylee said. Kind of. She didn¡¯t speak, but she could communicate with him. ¡°Bill,¡± Price said, his head bobbing. ¡°He killed me.¡± He didn¡¯t seem too upset about this. ¡°Yeah.¡± She didn¡¯t bother to explain her mother¡¯s role. ¡°We can be together now, right?¡± He tried to touch her again, but their bodies didn¡¯t connect. ¡°Right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± None of this felt right. Soon she would fade away, and Price . . . what would happen to Price? That woman. She had sent Kylee here for a reason. There must be something she could do to help. ¡°I need to save you.¡± His face shifted into what was probably a smile. ¡°That was my job.¡± She looked down at her hands, transparent outlines in the water. She wasn¡¯t tangible, and yet, she still had some form of herself. It wasn¡¯t enough to lift Price from the water or perform CPR. But maybe she didn¡¯t need to. On impulse, she thrust herself into Price¡¯s body. ¡°Kylee?¡± She heard his voice as clearly now as when she¡¯d hovered next to him, but she didn¡¯t answer. Instead, Kylee forced her gaze inward. To his silent lungs, his still heart. Still warm heart. She poked it. Nothing happened, but she almost, almost felt it. She willed everything in her soul into one little spark, one little pulse. She touched his heart. It jumped. It jolted, and then it beat. His body convulsed. She focused on his lungs now, on trying to expand them, flush out the water. Price¡¯s body jerked around, and Kylee was expelled. His body lifted up out of the water.
Kylee was floating again. She found herself hovering above the dry ground. Her mother hadn¡¯t moved from where Bill left her at the pond¡¯s edge. Bill was nowhere to be seen. But Mr. Hudson was there, sitting in the water, holding Price¡¯s sopping wet body in his arms. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Price,¡± he sobbed, ¡°come on, Price. Open your eyes.¡± Price drifted to join her, his eyes on his hands, which he turned over and over. ¡°I don¡¯t feel any different.¡± Kylee reached for his arm. Her hand passed right through his. ¡°Price, why are you here?¡± He looked at her. ¡°I¡¯m dead. I¡¯m with you.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re not with me.¡± Kylee gestured to his arm. ¡°I can¡¯t touch you. You¡¯re still alive. Your heart is beating.¡± She could hear it. She could hear the weak thumping of his heart from here, the tenuous grasp he had on life. She moved closer to him. ¡°Go back. Live.¡± He hesitated, turning his attention to his father, who rubbed his arms vigorously, tears streaming down his face. ¡°But I¡¯ll be without you.¡± Now it was her turn to smile, and she felt the sadness as it penetrated the corners of her eyes. ¡°You already are.¡± Price closed his eyes and took a deep breath. In Mr. Hudson¡¯s arms, Price¡¯s eyes flew open, his body jerked sideways, and he vomited. Kylee didn¡¯t have to look to know she was alone.
Kylee watched from a distance as the cops wrapped Price in blankets. The paramedics arrived, and two of them carried her mother away while two others checked on Price. Kylee knew she should talk to him. Tell him the truth of who had killed her. But she couldn¡¯t bring herself to. The turn of events was still too horrible to internalize. She kept waiting for the cold chill to overcome her, but it didn¡¯t. She fished around in the grass and found the ring. No glow had returned. She slipped it on her finger, and it stayed there, hollow and lifeless. The paramedics got Price on a cot and carried him from the woods. Kylee followed behind. She could walk again. She felt more corporeal than before. Shouldn¡¯t she be fading? An ambulance waited outside her house, lights whirring. Amy was there, her face splotchy and streaked with tears. ¡°Price!¡± she called when she saw him. ¡°I tried to warn you, but you didn¡¯t answer!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right, Amy.¡± Mr. Hudson paused next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. ¡°You did the right thing, calling me and the cops.¡± ¡°Is he okay?¡± She didn¡¯t take her eyes off the stretcher as they loaded the ambulance. Mr. Hudson didn¡¯t answer her. Just gave her a squeeze and walked away. ¡°I¡¯ll drive my car along behind,¡± he told the paramedic. ¡°I need to check on my daughter, anyway.¡± He left for his house, but Kylee wasn¡¯t interested in him. She climbed into the ambulance and settled next to Price. His eyes were closed again, his chest rising and falling. She noticed her mother in another cot, a bandage that matched Price¡¯s wrapped around her head, an oxygen mask taped to her face. ¡°Mom,¡± she whispered. ¡°Kylee,¡± Price murmured. The ambulance sirens turned on, and she pressed the palm of her hand against the blood-stained white cloth on his eye bone as the vehicle moved forward. ¡°You¡¯ve got another shiner.¡± ¡°Why are you still here?¡± he whispered, focusing on her with his uncovered eye. She shrugged like it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Can¡¯t stay away from you?¡± He turned her hand over and studied her ring. ¡°It¡¯s gone out.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± She faked a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m here, though.¡± He shut his eyes and his grip on her went limp. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter.¡± His breathing deepened. ¡°Just stay with me.¡± The words sighed out of him. She squeezed his hand but stayed silent. An uneasiness swept through her, a nagging tingling that pricked every part of her body. The urge to fly, to run away, pushed at her. She felt like she could crawl out of her skin. She had to get out. Mr. Hudson was at the hospital when they arrived. Kylee listened as they rattled off a list of Price¡¯s injuries, including a concussion, a skull fracture, and a punctured lung. ¡°The good news,¡± the doctor said, ¡°is that he should make a full recovery. We¡¯ll keep him overnight and see what he looks like in the morning.¡± ¡°Do we know who did this yet?¡± Mr. Hudson asked, one hand on Price¡¯s shoulder while Price slept. ¡°The police are working on that.¡± The doctor¡¯s voice droned on, but Kylee found herself drifting elsewhere, carried by her train of thoughts. She entered another hospital room, where her mother lay hooked up to a series of machines. They beeped in the background while she spoke to a man in a suit, her voice dull and slurred. Her mother¡¯s face was a mess of tears and snot, one side swollen and blue under the bandage wrapped around her head. He scribbled on a notepad, the pen scratchy on the paper. ¡°So if I understand you correctly,¡± the man said, ¡°you shot her up with drugs.¡± Theresa nodded. ¡°He had been talking about it for awhile. Getting rid of her. I played along to placate him, but I never thought¡ªI never planned to actually kill her.¡± ¡°But you did.¡± She wrung her hands. ¡°I was high, and she and Bill were fighting. I went into her room, and he had a knife. I thought¡ªthis is it. I have to save her. So I shot her up with a triple dose. All I had left.¡± Her shoulders shook. ¡°My mind was gone. I wasn¡¯t thinking.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call the police?¡± She lowered her eyes. ¡°I passed out on the bed next to her. When I woke up, Bill told me he¡¯d taken care of it.¡± ¡°Just like you planned.¡± ¡°I never thought he would actually kill her,¡± Theresa whispered. ¡°You. You would actually kill her.¡± She nodded. ¡°So he followed the plan. Which was?¡± ¡°To make it look like a suicide. He used one of her knives to make a deep cut. But then he got scared and decided to pretend she¡¯d run away. He went back and threw the body in the pond.¡± ¡°Why did you attack the boy?¡± ¡°He was getting too close to the truth.¡± ¡°Where is Bill now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Theresa said. ¡°Maybe the docks. Maybe getting out of town.¡± The man pocketed his notepad. ¡°We¡¯ll find him.¡± Kylee had seen enough. Her bruised heart throbbed in agony, and she wished she¡¯d moved on before learning her mother plotted her death. The crime was solved. She Killed Me Kylee returned to Price¡¯s room. She was sitting on his hospital bed when he woke up a little after four in the morning. ¡°Hey,¡± she greeted. ¡°How are you?¡± He groaned and clasped his head with his hands. ¡°I feel like I was hit by a truck.¡± ¡°Just my mom,¡± she joked. His eyes darted to her, instantly more alert. ¡°What?¡± Before she could explain, a nurse stepped into the room, her curly blond hair pulled up into a ponytail. She gave him a perky smile. ¡°You¡¯re awake! Quite a close call you had.¡± She grabbed his wrist and consulted a gauge dangling down the front of her scrubs. ¡°The police want to talk to you again. Are you up to it?¡± ¡°Yeah. Yeah, sure.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She patted his shoulder through the thin hospital gown and walked out. ¡°Kylee. Kylee.¡± It took several seconds of staring at the wall before Kylee realized someone was saying her name and shaking her arm. She turned her head, starting at the blurry face before it coalesced into familiar features. ¡°Price?¡± He frowned at her, head supported by the hospital bed. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I¡¯m fine was on the tip of her tongue, but it also seemed like the biggest lie. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. You zoned out or something.¡± She¡¯d more than zoned out. She felt like she hadn¡¯t been in the room. ¡°I was thinking.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Price said. She could tell by the way he averted his eyes that he didn¡¯t believe her. ¡°So what did you think of what the police said?¡± ¡°When?¡± Was he referring to at the lake? Or in the ambulance? ¡°Just now. That it was your mom that attacked me. Did you know?¡± She had no memory of the police coming in and talking to Price. She wasn¡¯t going to tell him that. ¡°Yeah,¡± she answered, her voice quiet. ¡°I saw it happen.¡± He waited, his golden-brown eyes on her. Well, one. The other was too swollen to open. ¡°She killed me too,¡± Kylee whispered. ¡°It wasn¡¯t Bill.¡± Price sucked in his breath. ¡°Kylee. I am so, so sorry.¡± He reached a hand out toward her, but she made no move to take it. ¡°We accomplished our mission. It¡¯s over,¡± she said. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m great.¡± She put on a big smile. ¡°I¡¯m glad people will stop thinking I killed myself. Maybe Jessica will feel better about life.¡± She stood up and walked to the window, rubbing her arms against an imaginary chill. Then she faced Price. ¡°We need to go back to Madame Humphrey.¡± He hadn¡¯t taken his eyes off her. ¡°You¡¯re not all right, are you?¡± ¡°No,¡± she admitted. She held out her fingers and flexed them, then pulled her arms back to her chest. ¡°I feel like a puppet master trying to move my body with strings. I don¡¯t feel whole.¡± ¡°Come here.¡± Price held out his arms and gestured for her. She hesitated. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should.¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°Listen,¡± he said, sounding a little irritated. ¡°We¡¯re the same people as before. Being close to me now isn¡¯t going to make things worse.¡± She stepped to the bed and lay down next to him, resting her head on his chest and letting him stroke her hair. But she couldn¡¯t help thinking he was wrong. She wasn¡¯t the same.
Mr. Hudson arrived with Lisa in the morning. They brought gummy bears and chocolate and lots of tears. Kylee felt like an intruder, watching the hugging and heartfelt confessions of love and affection. The police had found Bill trying to cross the border into Maryland. Kylee wished she could have been there to see it when he was apprehended. But she felt no victory. Bill and her mother were both locked up now. The hospital staff discharged Price with orders to lay low and call the doctor if he had problems sleeping. ¡°The police said they got everything they need from you,¡± Mr. Hudson said as he drove them home, glancing at Price in the rear view mirror. Price sat in the back with Lisa, who had her arm hooked through his and refused to let go. Kylee was on the other side. Price¡¯s shoulder bumped her with every jolt in the road, but the contact didn¡¯t fill her with the warmth of connection like it used to. ¡°So they won¡¯t be talking to me again?¡± he asked. ¡°Not if you don¡¯t want them to,¡± his dad said. ¡°They might want you to testify. But it¡¯s up to you.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± Price¡¯s hand brushed Kylee¡¯s knuckles. ¡°I want to.¡± She knew he would do it for her. She returned his touch with a gentle squeeze. Price pulled on her hand, tugging her toward his bedroom door. ¡°Walk with me.¡± She took a startled step backward, surprised to find herself out of the car and in his bedroom. ¡°Why am I here? Where are we going?¡± ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± An expression of relief crossed his face, his eyebrows lifting as he exhaled. ¡°Finally.¡± He wasn¡¯t wearing his bandage anymore, and his head wound looked much better, the swelling around his eye reduced to a yellow inflammation. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± She glanced around his room in confusion. ¡°How did I get here?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been here for three days,¡± he said, his tone gentle. ¡°But it¡¯s like you¡¯re not here. You move, you respond to what I tell you to do, but you don¡¯t talk. You don¡¯t act.¡± ¡°Three days.¡± Kylee had no memory of those three days. The last thing she remembered was sitting in the back of the BMW with Price and Lisa. Her mind buzzed like a noisy courtroom. He grasped her hand again. ¡°Stay with me, okay? My dad¡¯s taking us to the boardwalk. All of us.¡± The boardwalk. Madame Humphrey. Her mind cleared, and she nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± The car ride lasted a second. Price opened the back door and grabbed his bag, taking Kylee¡¯s hand and getting her out, as well. ¡°Is it all right if I take off for a bit, Dad? Meet up with you at lunch?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Mr. Hudson stood on the sidewalk and pressed a button on the car, and it locked itself. ¡°The usual spot?¡± He lifted his eyes to the sparkling ocean several yards away, his expression wistful. ¡°Yeah.¡± Price squeezed Kylee¡¯s hand. ¡°See ya in a few hours.¡± He pulled her down the street and turned to her as soon as they were out of earshot. ¡°You still with me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she answered. ¡°Good. I thought I lost you again.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember the car ride,¡± she admitted. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re here now. Focus.¡± He moved at a quicker pace than usual, something urgent in the way he strode down the boardwalk. Kylee kept her thoughts centered on Price and their destination, hoping it would help her stay in the present. She recognized the stores they passed, yet the fa?ades seemed muted, like someone had passed a sullied paintbrush over the whole block. The bell jingling when Price pushed open the door drew her attention. ¡°Hello!¡± he called, not releasing her from his grip. He headed for the room in the back. ¡°Madame Humphrey?¡± Kylee resisted his pull on her arm. Why did he have to haul her around all the time? ¡°Hi, yes, I¡¯m here.¡± Madame Humphrey¡¯s warm, melodic voice greeted them, and she parted the beaded curtain. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you!¡± Surprise registered in her green eyes as they landed on Kylee. ¡°You¡¯re still . . .¡± The rest of her statement died on her lips. Kylee remembered why Price was dragging her around everywhere. ¡°Exactly.¡± She stepped forward. ¡°Why? We got a confession from my mother. Everyone knows she did it. My name¡¯s been cleared.¡± Madame Humphrey pressed her finger to her lips, considering Kylee. ¡°It was never about the confession, Kylee. It was about loving yourself enough to chase after the truth.¡± Loving herself. The words hit as hard as if someone shoved her. She pressed her hands over her chest, and tears pricked her eyes. She hadn¡¯t loved herself. She¡¯d squandered the gift of life, not realizing how valuable it was until it was gone. But now¡ªnow she saw herself differently. As someone worth loving. Someone who deserved to be loved. ¡°Did I not succeed?¡± she whispered. ¡°You did succeed. You loved yourself enough to want your own vindication, and you accomplished it.¡± ¡°But I haven¡¯t moved on.¡± Kylee looked around the shop, at the glass jars and smoky incense and dangly necklaces. ¡°I don¡¯t belong here anymore. I can feel it. It¡¯s like I¡¯m half here, only sometimes here.¡± ¡°May I speak to you in private, Kylee?¡± she asked. ¡°No,¡± Price said, shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯m not letting her out of my sight.¡± Madame Humphrey turned her body, regarding Price. ¡°There,¡± she said softly. ¡°That¡¯s the reason.¡± Hes the Reason ¡°What¡¯s the reason?¡± Kylee asked, though she had a suspicion. ¡°He is.¡± Madame Humphrey closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them, peering into Kylee¡¯s. ¡°Did you have sex with him?¡± Price made a strange gurgling sound in his throat, but Kylee didn¡¯t even feel fazed by the question. ¡°No.¡± Madame Humphrey blew out a breath and placed her palm beneath their joined hands. ¡°Good. Then you are not bound to him.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Price demanded. ¡°If we¡¯d¡ªuh¡ªslept together, she¡¯d be stuck with me?¡± ¡°Precisely.¡± She pierced him with her eyes. ¡°It would create a connection between you that would not let her move on, even as her soul is yearning to. The Kylee that isn¡¯t here is the one that would be with you for every moment of the rest of your life. You would never be alone. She would haunt you forever.¡± Price looked a bit shaken by that thought, and Kylee knew it didn¡¯t fit the romantic fantasies he¡¯d had of always having her nearby. ¡°But we didn¡¯t,¡± he said, his voice much more timid. ¡°Why is she stuck here?¡± ¡°Because you haven¡¯t let her go.¡± ¡°But I have!¡± he protested. ¡°I helped her. I even died for her. What more do I have to do?¡± ¡°You know,¡± Madame Humphrey said. Kylee watched Price¡¯s face as he struggled with her words. His hand slipped in hers, and then his grip tightened again. ¡°What will happen to Kylee after she moves on? Will she remember me?¡± ¡°That I don¡¯t know,¡± Madame Humphrey said. ¡°I¡¯ve never spoken to a soul that moved on. Only the ones that are stuck here, trying to. I don¡¯t know if she¡¯ll remember you, what she¡¯ll feel for you. But we like to believe those thoughts and feelings go with us.¡± She took Kylee¡¯s left hand from Price and slipped the ring off. ¡°You don¡¯t need this anymore. Your time here is over.¡± She looked at Price. ¡°Let her go.¡± They left the store together and walked in silence to the cafe to meet Price¡¯s father. Price kept his hands to himself, buried in his pockets, though he sent several glances her direction. Probably to make sure she was still there. She followed him to the same table where he¡¯d taken her the first time, under an umbrella out on the patio, and she remembered. She remembered the wonder of that moment when he touched her and the world became colored. Madame Humphrey might not know, but Kylee knew. She would not forget Price Hudson. His family hadn¡¯t arrived yet. ¡°Well,¡± she said, drumming her fingers on the table, ¡°what do you think?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. How am I supposed to let you go?¡± He looked at her hand, and she stilled her fingers. He sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve done all I can.¡± ¡°Maybe if we didn¡¯t see each other anymore,¡± Kylee whispered. ¡°If we didn¡¯t touch.¡± The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. He dropped his head. ¡°I don¡¯t want that.¡± ¡°I know. I think that¡¯s what she means. You aren¡¯t willing to let me die, Price.¡± ¡°Listen, I can¡¯t lose you like¡ªlike I lost my mom.¡± She gave a half-smile, knowing it came down to what he viewed as yet another loss. ¡°But think of the people you¡¯re not losing.¡± ¡°The thing is, Kylee, I¡¯d gladly be haunted by you. For the rest of my life. But I want it to be you, this you that¡¯s sitting here talking to me now, not some empty shell of a ghost.¡± He looked at her, pain in his brown eyes. ¡°I couldn¡¯t bear that.¡± ¡°Then let me go,¡± she whispered. Price dug into his satchel. He pulled out a black leather wallet and removed a cut-out photo. ¡°This is my mom. That was taken last year. Six months before she got sick.¡± He placed the photo face-up on the table in front of Kylee. ¡°I loved her, Kylee. And I had to let her go. I had no choice. But you¡ªmaybe it doesn¡¯t have to be this way.¡± She leaned over for a better look, and something hummed deep in her soul. ¡°I saw her.¡± ¡°You mean you saw her picture in my room?¡± ¡°No.¡± She shook her head, remembering the woman with the long red hair who helped her save Price out at the pond. The same image smiled up at her from the photograph. ¡°She was there. That night you died.¡± Price blinked, his brows pulling down in confusion. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kylee swallowed, wondering how she could explain this. ¡°You were drowning, and I couldn¡¯t help you. She appeared in front of me. She didn¡¯t say anything to me, but she looked at me, and then she sent me to you. I don¡¯t know how. But she helped me save you.¡± Price took the picture back and put it in his wallet. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I understand. You saw her ghost?¡± Kylee¡¯s eyes burned, and she nodded. ¡°But she¡¯s already moved on, Price. Don¡¯t you see? This proves it. This proves we remember. We still love. She knew you were in danger, and that I could help you. She came for you.¡± He put one hand over his eyes and didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Price?¡± Mr. Hudson joined their table with Lisa at his elbow. ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± He dropped his hands and slid back in his chair, blinking. ¡°Just a headache. A lot of memories, you know?¡± Kylee stood up and backed away from the table. Price¡¯s father put his arm around him, comforting him. These were his people. This was where he belonged. He¡¯d know it soon. She turned around and walked out of the cafe, out to the sidewalk. She felt the sunshine on her skin, smelled the briny sea salt air. How long before this world disappeared for her? Since Price¡¯s mom had come back, she assumed that she could, if necessary, visit this dimension. But she wouldn¡¯t dwell here. She wouldn¡¯t wander around the living as they went about their daily business. She didn¡¯t want to. How long before she forgot what it was like to be alive? ¡°Kylee!¡± She turned around at the sound of her name and wasn¡¯t surprised to see Price running after her. He swept her up in a hug, crushing her to him. His hot tears fell on her neck. ¡°You would go like that?¡± he whispered. ¡°Without even saying goodbye?¡± Her heart constricted. Kylee reached one hand up and buried it in his spiky hair. ¡°We¡¯ve already said our goodbyes, Price. It doesn¡¯t make it any easier.¡± He drew his head back and kissed her, firm and hard on the lips. ¡°I love you.¡± He kissed her again. ¡°You can go. You can move on. Never forget me.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± she promised. ¡°But you, Price. You can move on also.¡± He would forget her. She knew it. And though it made her ache inside, she knew it would be better for him. Light began to stream out of Price. Kylee took two steps back to make sure she was seeing correctly. No. The light wasn¡¯t coming out of Price, but from behind him, silhouetting him. The outline of a door opened behind him, showing a hallway so entrenched in brilliance that Kylee couldn¡¯t look at it. ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± she said, unable to prevent the smile that pressed against her lips. ¡°That¡¯s my ticket out of here.¡± Price turned around and then looked back at her, his brow furrowed in confusion. ¡°What is it, Kylee?¡± She didn¡¯t answer him. She hardly heard him. The light called to her, beckoned her. She stepped around him, her feet moving toward the hallway without any thought from her. She placed one foot on the golden carpet and inhaled as happiness and peace filled her. ¡°Kylee?¡± She turned around to face Price just as the door closed, blocking him from view. Epilogue Price scanned the newspaper one more time. He didn¡¯t have to read it to know what it said. Folding it up, he scowled at the ugly gray headstones in front of him, lined up like jagged teeth in the dirt. For days he waited for her to come back. Even after he quit expecting her, he thought he¡¯d hear her. He¡¯d turn a corner and almost catch a glimpse of her. He¡¯d crawl into bed and imagine her next to him. Enough was enough. He stepped to the newest headstone, the one whiter than the others. ¡°It¡¯s official.¡± He dumped the newspaper over the top. ¡°Everyone knows. They also know how dysfunctional your family was. Sorry.¡± He doubted she cared much, anymore, but she sure tried hard in life to hide that from everyone. ¡°Listen, I don¡¯t know what still matters to you. I hope you¡¯re still out there. I hope you can hear me.¡± He stopped talking. He was rambling, and even ghosts probably got bored with that. But she had to know. She had to know his heart belonged to her. And it always would. ¡°It¡¯s only you, Kylee. All my life. And someday, when I¡¯m good and ready, I¡¯ll join you. We¡¯ll be together. Like¡ª¡± His throat constricted, and he shook his head to banish the tears. ¡°Like we were meant to be.¡± He paused. Was she here? Could she hear him? He shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back and forth on his heels. ¡°A sign would be nice. You know, so I don¡¯t feel like an idiot, talking to a stone.¡± Nothing. What did he expect? She¡¯d moved on. Even Madame Humphrey had never seen a ghost that moved on. ¡°Anyway.¡± He couldn¡¯t leave it like that, with his annoyance and disappointment the most prominent feelings. ¡°I love you.¡± The words softened his heart, and he exhaled. He turned around, his eyes hot, but somehow he felt lighter. A breeze stirred up around his feet, plucking at his shirt and ruffling his hair. It whispered around his ears and caressed his neck. Price froze. For a moment, it reminded him so much of Kylee that it was almost¡ªalmost¡ª But no. It was just a breeze. Amy had gotten her license and was able to convince her sister to let her borrow the car and take Price to the cemetery. Michael had been harder to convince, since he didn¡¯t know anything about what happened. Now they both watched him from inside the car, concern on their faces. He waved to them. Just a breeze, he told himself, even as the concentrated whirlwind of air teased and nipped at him. It accompanied him back to the car, disappearing after he closed the door. Then again, maybe it wasn¡¯t just a breeze. This is the end of Kylee''s story! Not ready to say goodbye? Keep reading for a sneak peek of Price''s book, Reaching Kylee! Reaching Kylee She¡¯s beautiful. She¡¯s mysterious. And nobody knows what happened to her. After his mother¡¯s death, Price can¡¯t wait to start over somewhere new, where no one knows him and no one expects anything from him. Even if it means cows and dirt roads and crazy neighbors. When he learns about the neighbor girl¡¯s disappearance, he finds himself drawn into the mystery. What happened to her? Is she missing--or dead? But finding out the truth may cost Price more than he is willing to pay. The girl next door is definitely not what he thought she¡¯d be. Chapter One Price Hudson stood in the doorway of his bedroom and stared at the bare walls. The holes from the nails had all been filled in, but he still saw his room the way it had looked a month ago: posters of his favorite baseball players on one side, comic books piled in a corner, and a bookshelf against the far wall with more photos and memorabilia than books. In a matter of weeks, his whole life had changed. ¡°Price?¡± His dad popped around the corner and joined him. He glanced around the room, then dropped a hand on Price¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s go, son. The moving van¡¯s loaded. And your friends are here.¡± Price nodded, a sour taste in the back of his throat. He didn¡¯t have friends anymore. The people he¡¯d thought were friends were as anxious for him to go as his father was to get out. They passed the closed guest room on the way to the front door, and Price pulled up short. ¡°I¡¯ll be right out.¡± His father glanced at the room and only nodded. Price took a deep breath before pushing open the door. The room smelled clean and sterile, slightly acidic with the scent of antiseptic cleaner. Price stepped all the way in, his eyes roving around the corners of the room, inhaling deeply. His fingers touched the rough plaster on the wall. ¡°Mom,¡± he whispered. Nothing. He stood for a few heartbeats more, but there was nothing of her in this room where she¡¯d spent her last weeks. His eyes burned, and his fingers curled into fists. ¡°Mom,¡± he said again, his voice breaking. He plunged from the room, slamming the door behind him, then stood in the hall catching his breath. This was why they were moving. Every inch of this house prompted some memory, some longing of his mother. And yet it was all so hollow. When she¡¯d left, she¡¯d taken every bit of joy with her. The rest of the house was just as empty. It was odd not seeing his dad¡¯s hunting trophies, but they¡¯d been one of the first things to go. Mr. Hudson had completely skipped hunting season last year. Price pulled his baseball cap down lower over his eyes as he stepped outside. His dad was talking to the movers, signing some papers on a clipboard. His little sister Lisa pulled on Sisko, their big golden retriever, trying to get him into the back of the black BMW. Price¡¯s lips curled up in a smile; the poor dog probably thought he was going to the vet. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Price!¡± He turned his head to the street. Rebecca waved to him, as did most of his baseball teammates. The flutter of relief surprised him. He¡¯d thought he didn¡¯t care anymore. Or maybe he¡¯d been afraid to care. He walked down the driveway to join them. Most of his friends lived on his street, or around the corner. They¡¯d all grown up together. ¡°Hi,¡± he said to Rebecca, shoving his hands into his pockets. She smiled and nodded. Three months ago he would¡¯ve reached for her hand; she would¡¯ve giggled and pushed him away, and then let him kiss her. Three months ago he was contemplating what came after kissing. And then the diagnosis came, and Price wasn¡¯t sure if he pulled away or if she did, but now he felt like a stranger around her. Around all of them. ¡°This sucks,¡± Tim said. ¡°You were our star player. What are we going to do without you?¡± Price shrugged. ¡°Hope someone just as cool moves in and takes my spot.¡± Alec groaned. ¡°I saw the old couple looking at your house. The only thing taking your spot will be a wheelchair and a bedpan.¡± Everyone laughed, but Price didn¡¯t see the humor in it. He¡¯d gotten quite good at pushing a wheelchair around, and wouldn¡¯t have cared in the least if he¡¯d had to change the bedpan. Alec stopped laughing, as if suddenly realizing what he¡¯d said. ¡°Hey, man. I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean anything by it.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Price said. But he didn¡¯t laugh, and he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it was okay. It wasn¡¯t, and he remembered why he didn¡¯t hang out with his friends anymore. The awkwardness had returned. ¡°Well.¡± Rebecca broke it first, stepping forward and putting her arms around his neck. ¡°We¡¯ll miss you. Have a great, great year.¡± Tim stepped up next, thumping Price heartily on the back. ¡°As soon as you have your license, you come and visit. Virginia Beach is only an hour away. Make sure you bring your dad¡¯s car.¡± They all turned to admire the black BMW. Price nodded, already worn out from trying to act normal. ¡°Yeah. Of course.¡± He said goodbye to the rest of the team. Rebecca was sniffling, and he felt like he should say something more to her, offer her something. Condolences? Why? ¡°Well.¡± He kicked at the paved street with his toe. ¡°It¡¯s been great.¡± ¡°Price,¡± his dad called. ¡°Time to go.¡± Price jerked his head in acknowledgment. ¡°Coming.¡± He faced them all one last time, a heavy feeling in his chest. ¡°Bye.¡± ¡°Bye,¡± they echoed. He walked away, wondering if that had felt as empty to them as it did to him. These were the kids he¡¯d trick-or-treated with, the ones he¡¯d gone camping with, egged houses with, even smoked his first cigarette with. And it was like he didn¡¯t know them. Or rather, they didn¡¯t know him. He watched the house until the car drove around the corner, and then he exhaled loudly. The Price Hudson of Chesapeake was no more. Whatever his life was now, he was a different person. ¡°Wait till you see the house,¡± his dad said, his voice upbeat and cheerful, if not a bit forced. ¡°It¡¯s huge, bigger than our house at the Bay. Has two stories.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen pictures, Dad,¡± Price interrupted. ¡°Well, I know,¡± Mr. Hudson said, his tone slightly flustered. ¡°But seeing pictures and seeing the house are two different things.¡± Price didn¡¯t comment. He understood the difference. He also knew he wouldn¡¯t care either way. They could sleep in a tent from now on and he wouldn¡¯t care. ¡°Can I have a swing set?¡± Lisa asked. She¡¯d been heartbroken that they were leaving hers behind, but it was so old and rusty that when Price and Mr. Hudson tried to pull it up, it just fell apart. ¡°Of course, sweetie,¡± Mr. Hudson said. Mr. Hudson pulled off the interstate, and Price knew they must be close. He watched the houses grow farther and farther apart until miles of farmland separated the small clusters of dwellings. They turned off the paved road onto a gravel street, and Price sat up straighter. ¡°Tell me we don¡¯t live on this street,¡± he demanded. ¡°What? It¡¯s not so bad.¡± ¡°Dad!¡± He groaned and fell back against the seat. ¡°I can¡¯t ride my bike on this!¡± His dad sent him an exasperated look. ¡°You¡¯ll just have to get dirt tires.¡± Like, yesterday, Price thought. He could only see five houses on the road before it curved out of sight. ¡°Here,¡± Mr. Hudson said with a sigh, pulling up beside the moving van idling in the long driveway. A fence embraced the yard, split-rail, with a space on the left for the electric gate. The gate was open in front of the driveway, awaiting the arrival of their car. At the end of the driveway was a large, two-story plantation style house, complete with shutters and pillars and¡ª ¡°It has a swing!¡± Lisa was out the door and running for the porch, where a white swing hung from chains. The house and its wooden fence were idyllic for sure, but that wasn¡¯t what had Price¡¯s attention. ¡°Dad,¡± he said, staring at the crumbling house next door, ¡°how can we live here?¡± His dad got out of the car and Price followed, his eyes riveted on the overgrown yard that threatened to swallow their neighbor¡¯s sagging porch. ¡°Don¡¯t judge them, Price,¡± Mr. Hudson said, pressing his lips together. ¡°You don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on in their lives.¡± Price grunted. For sure. He knew they either didn¡¯t own a lawn mower or didn¡¯t like to use it. ¡°Dad, they have chickens.¡± He could see the coop from here. ¡°We¡¯re in the country now. You¡¯ll see lots of animals.¡± As if to prove a point, a sharp wind blew their way, carrying with it the unmistakable tangy smell of animal waste. Price wheeled away, too disgusted to even complain. ¡°Let¡¯s start moving boxes into the house!¡± his dad called after him. ¡°Gotta go claim my room first,¡± he replied. Anything to get away from that smell. ¡°Lisa?¡± His voice echoed oddly in the empty house. ¡°Here!¡± She appeared in a doorway to the left of the living room, a big smile on her face. ¡°I found my room!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to explore upstairs.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She didn¡¯t budge. Maybe she was afraid Price would try to take her room. He headed up the stairs. The first door he opened was a bathroom. Simple, with a shower, toilet, and a sink. He kept going down the hall and opened to a bedroom. He stepped inside. A window to his left overlooked the yard and street. Moving closer to it, he could see better the sagging roof of the neighbor¡¯s house. He shook his head. A good rainstorm would blow that place over. He turned around and opened the accordion doors over the closet. This would work. He trooped back downstairs. ¡°I¡¯ll take the room upstairs,¡± Price said to his dad, evading the movers as they carried a couch up the porch steps. ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Mr. Hudson turned slightly, and Price saw that he hadn¡¯t been talking to a mover, but to a boy, about Price¡¯s age. ¡°Price, this is Michael. He lives down the street.¡± ¡°Hi,¡± Michael said with a wave. He tossed his head, the straight, bleached blond hair falling right back into his eyes. Even his feet were tanned in his flip flops. ¡°Tell me which boxes are yours, I¡¯ll help you move in.¡± ¡°Oh¡ªokay.¡± Caught off guard and not quick enough to think of an excuse, Price climbed into the truck and searched for something of his. Finding a box, he pushed it toward Michael while he grabbed another. ¡°This is heavy,¡± Michael grunted. He followed Price up the stairs. ¡°Sorry,¡± Price said. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± They reached the room in the corner, and Michael let his box drop to the ground. ¡°What¡¯s in here, anyway?¡± Price shrugged. Without asking, Michael bent down and opened it. His eyes lit up at the sight of the comic books. ¡°You¡¯ve got tons!¡± ¡°You can borrow some.¡± Price sat down on the floor across from the box. ¡°What grade are you in?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a sophomore. School started this week, by the way. You¡¯ve already missed four days.¡± ¡°Yeah, it just worked out that way. I¡¯m a sophomore, too.¡± ¡°Awesome. Maybe we¡¯ll have some classes together.¡± He set aside two comic books. ¡°Play any sports?¡± Price¡¯s shoulders tightened, and he forced himself to relax. ¡°No.¡± The word came out too quickly, and he winced. ¡°I like to ride my bike,¡± he added, trying to soften the negative response. ¡°That¡¯s cool. I¡¯ve never really been into bike riding.¡± The sound of a loud, broken muffler blasted outside, and Michael stood up to gaze out the window. ¡°Probably want to keep this closed at night. You¡¯ll hear them yelling.¡± Price joined him, and they both stared down at the beat-up green car that parked in a patch of weeds in front of the old house. ¡°Yelling?¡± ¡°Yeah. Sometimes I¡¯m outside late and I hear them. Or we drive by and see the cops. They¡¯re always fighting.¡± ¡°Figures.¡± Price rolled his eyes. All he could see from here was the top of the man¡¯s head as he climbed the porch steps and disappeared inside. ¡°So what¡¯s their deal, anyway?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t really know.¡± Michael settled himself on the window sill. ¡°We all stay away from them. They had a daughter, Kylee. She went to school with us for a few years before she quit.¡± ¡°She quit?¡± Price had never known a drop-out. ¡°Yeah. About a year ago. And then¡ª¡± he shrugged. ¡°Then what?¡± Price asked, fascinated in spite of himself. ¡°She disappeared. Maybe two months ago.¡±