Page 15 of Fang Girl

"I'm so sorry," I said, perching on the edge of her bed. "I should have warned you."

To my surprise, Kylie's face broke into a huge grin. "Are you kidding? This is amazing! I mean, yeah, I freaked out at first, but oh my god—we had dates with vampires!"

"We're not—I'm not—" I spluttered. "Kylie, they hurt you!"

"No, I hurt myself," she said, unwrapping the scarf to examine her wrist. The marks had already started healing. "Riggs was super gentle, actually. But then I saw his fangs and panicked and yanked away. That's what caused all the blood."

I stared at her. "You're not mad?"

"Mad? Ari, this is like every paranormal romance novel I've ever read!" She grabbed my hands. "Victor is totally your Edward Cullen!"

"He's nothing like—" I stopped, remembering his intense green eyes, the way he'd written that song for me years ago, how carefully he'd touched me. "It doesn't matter. It's too dangerous."

"Dangerous? What’s dangerous?" Matilda chimed in.

Kylie followed my glare to the window. "Is there... is there a ghost here right now?"

I sighed. Might as well tell her everything. "Yes. This is Matilda. She haunts our dorm."

"Hi Matilda!" Kylie waved at completely the wrong spot, but her enthusiasm was genuine. "Wait, is this why you're always muttering to yourself?"

"I did tell you I see ghosts," I admitted. "All the time, everywhere. Except..." I trailed off.

"Except when you're with Victor," Matilda finished. "Tell her that part."

"Except when I'm with Victor," I repeated softly. "Something about vampires makes the ghosts go quiet."

"Oh my god!" Kylie squealed. "It's like you're supernaturally compatible! This is the best love story ever!"

I couldn't help but laugh at her excitement. "You really don't mind about the vampire thing?"

"Are you kidding? I'm going to ask Riggs so many questions." She paused. "If he'll still talk to me after I freaked out."

"He seemed more worried than angry," I admitted.

"See?" Matilda drifted closer. "Everyone's fine except you, Little Miss Running-Away-From-Happiness."

I threw a pillow through her, but she had a point. Running away was what I'd always done—from foster homes, from relationships, from anything that threatened to matter too much. Maybe it was time to try something different.

My phone buzzed. Another text from Victor:Please let me explain. I never meant to frighten you or put Kylie in danger.

"Answer him," Kylie and Matilda said in unison.

I looked between my enthusiastic roommate and the determined ghost. Here I was, a medium who could talk to ghosts, running scared from the first real connection I'd found.

"What if it goes wrong?" I whispered.

"What if it goes right?" Matilda countered.

"Besides," Kylie added, "think of the story! 'Ghost-seeing journalist finds love with a vampire rock star.' You can't make this stuff up!"

I picked up my phone, fingers hovering over the keys. The ghosts that usually crowded around me were still absent, giving me space to think clearly for once. Victor had done that for me, given me moments of peace I'd never thought possible.

Maybe it was time to stop running.

Meet me at the cemetery at twilight, I typed.We need to talk.

His response was immediate:I'll be there. Thank you for giving me a chance.

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