Talking to Dead (The Banshee Series Book 1) (11 page)

“He said it by accident. When I told him about my gift he got angry and didn’t believe me so he started yelling at me and at some point he blurted out how he was falling for me,” Azalea explained and Anny rolled her eyes.

“It doesn’t matter how he said it. I’m surprised he even has feelings about anyone else other than me and himself. I’ve lived with my brother ever since I was born. I know him and I know he never cared about anyone else but himself. Well, I’m an exception since I’m his sister and, of course, he cares about our parents.”

“What are you trying to say?” Ruby asked.

“What I’m trying to say is that I never saw Lucas care about anyone else but his family and that’s why I’m surprised he is falling for Azalea,” Anny explained and Ruby frowned.

“So you think Azalea isn’t good enough for your brother?”

“God no! Azalea is the only girl good enough for my brother,” Anny said to Ruby and then looked at Azalea.

“I’m sorry if you understood differently but I didn’t mean it that way.” Azalea just smiled. She understood her and didn’t blame her.

 “It’s okay, I don’t blame you. Ruby and I just misunderstood it.” Anny smiled thankfully and opened her mouth to say something when a phone started ringing. Azalea soon realized that it was her phone that was ringing and fished it out of her pocket.

“Hello?” Azalea asked answering the phone.
“Azalea darling, I need to you come home. There’s someone that wants to talk to you,” a voice that Azalea recognized it as Franz’s said to her.

“Who, grandpa?” Ruby looked at Azalea and asked her what he wanted.

“Listen Azalea, just come home and talk to her. She really wants to talk to you.”
“Ugh… Fine,” Azalea sighed frustrated and cancelled the call. “I have to go. My grandpa wants me to go home. Apparently some woman is waiting for me and wants to talk to me.”

Anny pouted and Azalea laughed.
“I’ll visit you tomorrow after school, okay?” Azalea said and Anny nodded.

“Have fun,” Anny said when she saw Azalea frowning. Azalea glared at her and Ruby laughed too.

“You two are ridiculous. I wonder why I became friends with you.” Anny pouted this time but Ruby just shook her head.

“Probably because we were the only ones that wanted to talk to a Banshee,” Ruby said teasingly and this time Azalea laughed too.

“I really have to go. See you tomorrow.” Ruby remembered then that Azalea had driven here with her.

“How will you get home? You came with me.” Azalea frowned and nodded.

“You’re right. I didn’t think about that. Would you mind taking me home?”

“Sure,” Ruby said and said goodbye to Anny. They left then and drove home. When Ruby drove onto Azalea’s driveway they saw a reporter’s van without the reporter. So at first Azalea was confused but then realized what was going on.

"I think the woman that wants to talk to me is a reporter." Ruby nodded and then looked at Azalea.
"I'm pretty sure she wants an interview. After all your famous now and they want to know the truth about Banshees." 
Azalea sighed and shook her head.

"I don't know what the fuss is all about. I'm just a normal teenage girl with school and boy problems. I'm nothing special," Azalea said confused. Of course, she knew what she'd done for this town and she knew that this Banshee thing wouldn't just disappear but she really saw herself as a normal girl.

Ruby snorted and rolled her eyes.
“Normal, alright.” Azalea giggled and slapped Ruby’s arm.

“Hey! You know what I mean.” Ruby laughed, too.

“Yeah, I understand. Now go in before your grandfather loses his mind.”
“Fine. Goodbye Ruby,” Azalea sighed and left the car. She slowly walked towards the house. Every step she made she felt more nervous, more scared. For some reason her feet were getting heavier and a voice in her head was telling her to turn around and run away.

She wanted to listen to that voice because being a Banshee or not she knew this reporter would want to know things and would spread things around that are not meant to be spread.

“I’m home!” She yelled as she entered the house. She finally got rid of the nervousness and of that voice and had her chin up.

“Finally,” Franz said as he saw her enter the living room. “Where were you? I expected you home two hours ago.” Azalea just shrugged and looked at the woman sitting in front of her.

The woman looked oddly familiar but Azalea couldn’t place her anywhere. She was slim enough to be a model and her hair was obviously dyed a brown colour. Azalea was sure the woman was blond before that and only dyed her hair because she wanted to look smart.

‘Once an idiot always an idiot.’
Azalea thought and smiled inwardly. When she focused her eyes back on the woman she noticed one more thing that bothered her a lot. Her make-up. She was caked up like a doll and Azalea wondered how she even got hired as a reporter.

“Hi Azalea! I’m Mandy Stratford and I’m here to interview you for our local newspaper.” That woke Azalea up from her thoughts and she forced a smile on her face while returning her greeting.

“So, your grandfather already agreed on me interviewing you and I already have some questions prepared. So, if you can answer them for me, I’ll be very happy.” Azalea cringed at Mandy’s voice but kept the fake smile on and nodded in agreement.

Azalea sat down on the sofa and Franz followed. It was obvious for Franz that Azalea didn’t want to do this but he knew that it’d be better for every Banshee if one of them told the truth than some people making up stories and spreading them around. 

“So, why don’t we start…?” Mandy said and pulled a voice recorder out of her purse along with a piece of paper full of questions.
“First question: When did you get your gift?” Azalea frowned and thought about the day it all started.

“Well, it all started on my seventeenth birthday…” Azalea started.

Chapter Twenty-Three – Famous Worldwide

Three days after the interview the newspaper with her interview was published and after that Azalea was a local celebrity. In school people actually talked with her and she was surprised to find out she became more popular than Chelsea. Of course, Chelsea was angry about it and was acted like a jealous bitch, as Ruby put it. And every time she went out, like shopping or something, people wanted to talk to her, ask her about Banshees and other things.

All of that was stressful for Azalea. She had always been a shy girl with no friends and when she first met Ruby and Anny, she was surprised that they actually talked to her. Now everyone talked to her while she still hated to be the centre of attention.

“Azalea, what do you think?” Ruby’s voice woke her from thinking about her past week. Looking up at Ruby she frowned when she saw a yellow velvet dress that didn’t look good on Ruby.

“Really? You look horrendous in that dress. Yellow and velvet don’t suit you.” Ruby sighed and looked down.

“Why are my parents making me go to this stupid wedding?” Ruby asked. She hated wearing dresses and shopping for them was even worse.

“Because your older sister is getting married? You have to be there,” Azalea said and Ruby sighed again.

“I know my sister is getting married but I hate dresses and I’m going to be bored. My cousins are all younger than me and I am not playing babysitter at the wedding!” Azalea chuckled and shook her head.

“Well, if it helps, Anny and Lucas have been invited, too,” Azalea said and Ruby shrugged.
“I know that but Anny probably won’t come because her psychiatrist said not to go and Lucas and I are not on the best of terms.” Azalea knew that and she wished her best friend didn’t have to go to that wedding but she couldn’t do anything.

“I’m sorry I can’t come,” Azalea said and at that moment Ruby’s eyes lit up.
“I can ask Lucas if he’ll take you as a plus one,” Ruby suggested and Azalea rolled her eyes.

“I doubt he would want to take me.” This time Ruby rolled her eyes and glared at her.
“Why wouldn’t he? He said he likes you.”

“Well I’m sure he found himself a prettier date than me. Just because he likes me doesn’t mean he wants to show me around.” Snorting, Ruby turned to the hangers and continued to search for the dress.

“You’re kidding, right? I mean look at you, you’re gorgeous and not to say famous around here. Any guy would date you,” Ruby said trying to gain a reaction from Azalea.

“Surree…” Azalea drawled rolling her eyes.
“I’m pretty sure he’ll ask you soon,” Ruby said and pulled a dress out. “What about this one?”

“Try it on. And I don’t believe you,” Azalea answered. Ruby just grinned and went to try the dress on. While she was dressing Azalea looked over the dresses. Her hand stopped at a beautiful cobalt blue dress and it happened to be in her size. She took it and went into the cabin to try it on.

Franz had given her some money to buy herself something nice since she never went shopping for herself. Once she tried it on she looked in the mirror and smiled. The dress was short but not tight. Black lace covered the waist part and the dress actually looked good on her. Azalea looked at the price tag and luckily the dress was not too expensive.
‘I’m buying it.’
Azalea said to herself even though she didn’t know where she’d wear it.

Once she left the cabin she saw Ruby at the cashier’s paying for her dress. She stepped towards her with the dress in her hands.
“You’re buying the dress?” Azalea asked and Ruby nodded handing the cashier her money then turning to Azalea. When she noticed the dress in Azalea’s hands she raised her eyebrows in wonder.

“What about you? You’re buying that dress?” Azalea nodded and handed the dress and the money to the cashier.

“I am, I like the dress and it looks good on me.” Ruby grinned and shook her head.

“I bet Lucas is going to ask you to the wedding and you’re going to wear this dress.” Azalea snorted and left the shop.

“He’s not going to ask me. He’s too proud to do it. I’ll just wear the dress to the prom or a birthday or something,” Azalea said when they walked towards the diner. They sat down at a table and ordered some drinks.

“Okay, I’ll stop talking about it. Can we talk about something else?” Ruby asked and Azalea shrugged.

“Talk about what?” Azalea asked. She was getting bored and tried to come up with a good theme for the conversation. Her eyes darted over the diner and stopped at the TV.

An American talk show was on and at some point Azalea’s picture showed. Gasping Azalea blinked again trying to make sure her mind was not playing tricks on her. She looked at the TV again and her face was still on.

“Hey! Look at that, is that me on the Ellen show?” Azalea asked Ruby and she turned around and looked at the TV too. Ruby’s eyes widened and then she grinned.

“Look at that. My best friend is famous worldwide now!” Ruby laughed looking at Azalea. “Now Lucas will definitely ask you to the wedding.” Azalea rolled her eyes and looked back at the TV.

“Just because Ellen is talking about me doesn’t mean I’m famous worldwide and I’m sure just because of that show Lucas won’t ask me.” Ruby grinned teasingly.

“But you want to be asked…” Ruby sang teasingly and Azalea rolled her eyes but still smiled.
“Okay, maybe I do want him to ask me. But he won’t so stop talking about it.”

“I knew it! You like him too,” Ruby said giggling and soon Azalea’s giggles followed. Just then Azalea’s phone rang and when she looked who was calling she saw it was Anny. Grinning she picked up.

“Hey Anny. What’s up?”
“Hey Azalea. I’m calling to see if you and Ruby are free to visit me,” Anny answered and Azalea grinned.

“Hey Ruby, Anny wants to see us. Are you up for it?” Azalea asked Ruby and she nodded enthusiastically.

“We’ll be there in an hour. We just got our lunch, so once we finish we’ll come.”

“Okay, see you.” Anny said and hung up.

****

“Hey guys! Come in,” Anny said when Azalea and Ruby showed up. They stepped in as Anny’s mother popped her head out of the kitchen.

“Hey Azalea. It’s good to see you,” Mrs. Sloane greeted.
“Hi Mrs. Sloane,” greeted Azalea back and Mrs. Sloane retreated back to the kitchen.

“Shall we go to my room? My mom is just baking something so that means she’ll get cranky if we bother her,” Anny said and Azalea laughed.

“Sure,” Ruby said and they went to Anny’s room.
“So, what did you want to talk about?” Ruby asked as they sat on the bed. The TV was on and the Ellen show was playing.

“Oh you know, I just wanted to ask Azalea how it feels to be famous,” Anny said and Ruby chuckled.

“She’ll just say it’s nothing. Azalea thinks she’s just a normal girl and nothing else,” Ruby said and Azalea scowled.

“I am not going to say that! I know I’m not just normal; I’m getting famous worldwide just because I saved you and because I’m a Banshee. It’s not because of my personality or anything, which isn’t good. They could hate me if they knew how shy I am and everything.” As Azalea said that the other two girls laughed out loud.