Last Dance (11 page)

The store’s door banged shut and a chilly wind whipped around me. As I struggled to tame my hair, I heard a crinkling sound and glanced up at the “Chloe Celebration” banner. Wind-torn and ragged, it flapped overhead like a battered bird.

I expected to find Dominic and Thorn on the bench, but it was empty. I glanced around and spotted them in Dominic’s truck.

As I crossed the street, I couldn’t stop thinking about Chloe. Was she a tragic victim or a dangerous spirit? According to Tawnya, the ghost lured her ex-boyfriend to an isolated cliff. He grew dizzy, like he was in a trance. Then he stumbled as if someone pushed him and he started to fall over the cliff. If he hadn’t grabbed onto an old tree, he would have died. His friends finally heard his frantic shouts, but no one believed a ghost attacked him. They accused him of drinking too much and being clumsy.

Tawnya admitted that he
was
clumsy and he
did
drink too much. But she believed his story. I wasn’t sure if I did—but I wouldn’t forget it. Was he the guy I’d seen falling in my dream vision? The more I found out about Chloe, the sooner I wanted to leave town.

A short while later, Dominic was talking to a mechanic, a thirty-something guy with a long skinny beard and the odd nickname of “Goat,” who agreed to pick up Thorn’s jeep and have it repaired by tomorrow morning.

I glanced at my watch and groaned. Almost three already. There was no way I’d make it back in time for the dance. With a sigh, I went to make two calls.

“Sabine, it’s about time!” Penny-Love said when she heard my voice. “I was beginning to think you’d never call. I was starting to worry.”

“Nothing to worry about, I’m fine.”

“It’s the dance I’m worried about! I have boxes of ribbons, streamers, and paint, but zero talent for decorating.”

“Anyone can twist crepe paper and put up banners.”

“Not me. I’m counting on you to help me whip up some awesome decorations. You were due back yesterday.”

“Sorry. Things got crazy.” It would be easier if I could be completely honest. But explaining about my gift was tricky. My last best friend turned against me when she found out. So I was in no hurry to tell Penny-Love.

“Things are way more crazy here,” Penny-Love went on in her usual overly dramatic way. She may have some faults, but being boring was not one of them. “I’ve been stressing over the dance, going to cheer practice, doing tons of homework, and helping your grandmother. Did you hear about her losing electricity and how I loaned her my laptop?”

“Yeah, she told me. Thanks for helping her.”

“It was fun. I’ll tell you all about it in person as soon as you get your butt to my house. We’ve got tons to do. How soon can you come over?”

“Well …” I bit my lip. “It could take a while.”

“Where exactly are you?”

“Uh … in Pine Peaks. And it gets worse.” I blew out a heavy sigh and admitted I wasn’t returning till tomorrow.

Her shriek was so loud my ears stung. “I can’t believe you’re doing this to me!”

“I’m sorry. It’s just that nothing’s worked out right. The family friend I came to see still isn’t back yet and Thorn’s car needed repairs—”

“Thorn!” Penny-Love cried accusingly. “What does that Goth loser have to do with anything?”

“She’s not a loser,” I defended. “And she was nice enough to drive me.”

“You could have refused. Obviously you’d rather be with her than me.”

“No, that’s not true—”

“Prove it. Come home now.”

“I can’t. You don’t understand—”

“Oh, I understand perfectly now. You’re blowing me off. And I thought you were my friend. Guess I was wrong.” When she slammed the phone in my ear, the sharp click slammed into my heart.

I deserve that
, I thought miserably. She’d counted on me, and I let her down.

Unfortunately, I had one more person to let down.

Maybe Josh won’t be home,
I hoped as the phone rang a second, then a third time. He’s probably out shooting hoops with Zach or at one of those secret magician meetings. It’ll be easier to leave a message. It’ll give me time to come up with a good explanation and for him to cool off.

But Josh answered on the fifth ring.

“Sabine!” He sounded so happy to hear from me that I felt even worse.

“Hey,” I said feebly.

“So how was your trip?”

“Okay … just longer than I expected.” Before I chickened out, I sucked in a deep breath and told him I was still in Pine Peaks. Then I braced myself.

Only Josh didn’t yell or even hang up. Instead he said something that cut sharper, deeper than the knife that sliced through Thorn’s jeep. And I was the one who ended up angry—and hurt—because Josh was still going to the dance. Without me.

But that wasn’t the worst part.

Before Josh hung up, he told me he was hanging out with Evan again. Evan Marshall—living up to his “Moving on Marsh” reputation—had moved on from Shelby. He was going to the dance with a new girlfriend from a Bay-area school. I didn’t recognize her name, but I nearly died when Josh told me what school she attended: Arcadia High—my old school.

If Evan didn’t already know my secret, he would soon.

Then he’d destroy me.

As Dominic drove us back to Thorn’s aunt and uncle’s, I stared out the window at skeletal trees and infinite darkness. I thought back to when I’d first started dating Josh. I’d been noticing him since I arrived at Sheridan, but never had the courage to talk to him. Then suddenly he was in trouble and my sixth sense warned me in time to help. He’d been more than grateful—actually interested in me. And just like that, we were going out.

I was so proud to have such a cool guy interested in me. My girlfriends congratulated me and said I was so lucky. But tonight girls would line up to dance with Josh. And when he dumped me, no one would think I was lucky.

Penny-Love was so mad she’d never speak to me again. And after Evan found out, and told what happened at my last school, I’d lose the rest of my friends. Well, except for Manny and Thorn.

“You okay?” Dominic asked softly as he spun the steering wheel. I sat beside him while Thorn listened to her headphones in the backseat. “Don’t let that note worry you.”

“It’s not the note.”

“Then what?”

I shook my head. “Nothing.”

“You didn’t get bad news about Nona?”

“Just what we already know. Otherwise, she’s great.”

“But you’re not,” he accused.

I didn’t answer and shut him out by facing the window. Dominic wouldn’t think missing a dance was a big deal. He didn’t seem to need friends or care what anyone thought of him. I doubted he’d ever gone to a school dance. I wasn’t even sure he’d attended school. I knew a little about his past, that his mother was dead and he’d had a rough time with an abusive uncle. Otherwise, he was a mystery.

As we neared our turn off, Thorn took off her headphones and made arrangements with Dominic for getting the jeep in the morning. When she asked where he was staying the night, he said he was camping out. “No better ceiling than stars and sky,” he added.

After he dropped us off, I told Thorn I wasn’t feeling well and went directly to my room. I didn’t bother to turn on the light. With the shades drawn, the room was pitch dark. If only I could shut out my feelings so easily. But images kept spinning in my head of Josh, Evan, Penny-Love, Nona, my mother, my sisters, and hostile classmates from Arcadia High.

Did I have some fatal gene that turned people away? Why was my life so complicated? I worked so hard to be what everyone expected that I wasn’t sure who I was. If only I could be totally honest. But if I told Penny-Love about Nona’s illness and my connection to the other side, would she still want to be my friend? Maybe. But nothing would be normal between us again.

And what about Josh? He hadn’t gotten upset when I said I couldn’t make the dance. If he really cared, he would have sounded mad or disappointed. Instead he just told me to have fun and said he was only going because he promised to set up the disc jockey equipment for his friend Zach, who was the DJ. And Josh never broke a promise.

I admired Josh’s sense of honor. Truly, I did. But I hated him going to a dance without me. What would my friends think? That we’d broken up? Would other girls zero in on Josh? If they asked him to dance, he’d be too polite to refuse. And Evan would be nearby spreading his own poisonous revenge.

Staring up at the ceiling, I was overwhelmed by conflicting emotions—numb yet aching, feeling nothing and everything. I was grateful for my sixth sense when it helped people, but I hated it for making me different. Right now more than anything, I’d rather be at home organizing decorations for the dance.

I’d made a mess of everything. Nona’s illness would worsen if I didn’t find the remedy book, my mother didn’t want me at my sisters’ party, Josh was going to the dance without me, Evan was plotting revenge, and I’d let down Penny-Love.

My head ached and I shut my eyes, blinking away tears.

Darkness closed in and I escaped into dreams …

* * *

“Chloe, you can’t elope! You’re too young!”

“Keep your voice down, Cathy. And help me shut my suitcase.”

“You can’t do this,” Cathy warned, but Chloe hopped on top of the bulging suitcase, then snapped it shut.

“Your parents will just come after you.”

“Let them try!” Chloe said with high confidence. “James and I will be long gone before they even notice I’m missing. We’ll get married and move to Hollywood. He knows important people who can help me become an actress. At last I’ll be a star! My name will be in lights and everyone will admire me.”

“People already admire you.”

“The boys do, but the girls are too jealous. Except you, which is sweet.” She hugged Cathy. “James is sweet, too, and I can’t wait to see him again. I’m sorry about Teddy, but my parents pushed me into that engagement. After I marry James, they can’t tell me what to do.”

“You’ve always done what you wanted anyway.”

“True, but they don’t know that,” she said, giggling. “If my parents had their way, I’d stay locked away in my room until I was eighteen, then I’d have a dozen kids with boring Teddy and rot in this small town. If it weren’t for my secret escape window, I’d never have met James.”

“Teddy is a great catch. Are you sure you don’t want him?”

“As a friend only.” She waved her hand. “You can have him.”

“But he doesn’t want me.” Cathy spoke wistfully, her eyes clouding over. “You shouldn’t have led him on. He’s going to be hurt when you leave.”

“It’s his own fault for believing I’d ever marry a fuddy-duddy like him. Jeepers, he doesn’t have any backbone. He’ll end up selling furniture like all the men in his family.”

“There’s nothing wrong with selling furniture.”

“Except that Teddy truly wants to join the Navy. Only he’ll never have the courage to stand up to his father. But I have plenty of courage to go after my dreams. James is my dashing prince and this princess is long due for a rescue.”

“You should slow down and find out more about James. Where does he come from? What’s his family like? You barely know him.”

“I know that he loves me.”

“But can you trust him?”

“I’m trusting him with my whole future.”

“You shouldn’t … you can’t! He’s a liar.”

“Cathy! What are you saying?”

“The truth. I didn’t want to hurt you, but there’s no other way. Chloe, there’s something I have to tell you about James
…”

* * *

Bolting up in bed, I stared around the dark, unfamiliar room, not sure where I was or even who I was. Blackness swallowed me whole, and I fought against panic. Even after I plugged in my nightlight, surrounding myself in an angel’s glow, my heart still raced. I had the eerie feeling of traveling a long distance. I was back now … but not alone.

Although I couldn’t see Chloe, in some mysterious way, our destinies were entwined. She was giving me clues about her past that were impossible to ignore. Even if I left Pine Peaks, she’d continue to haunt my dreams.

She needed my help and I needed to help her.

I only hoped no one got hurt.