Page 24 of Their Little Ghost

“Shit, sorry,” he says. “I didn’t mean to make you jump.”

“It’s o-okay,” I stammer, mentally scolding myself for being such a socially awkward mess.

We reach for the same piece of paper, and our hands brush. I flinch as if he electrocuted me. A man’s touch reminds me of One and how he licked my face. His tongue was pointed with possessive intent, eager to claim me. My cheeks redden as I quickly gather the rest of my belongings and stand.

“Here.” Nate passes me the books he collected, flashing a perfect, apologetic smile. “I’ll walk you to class.”

I nudge my head at the door opposite. “I think I’ll make it without dropping anything.”

“It was good to see you on Friday night,” he says. “I heard your dad showed up?”

I groan. “Does everyone know?”

If the ground could swallow me up, that’d be great. I’ll forever be known as the girl whose dad dragged her home from a party like a pathetic loser.

“Word travels fast,” he says. “Your folks are strict, huh?”

That’s one way to put it.

“My dad’s protective,” I say. I shouldn’t defend him, especially after what he did, but it’s second nature now. “Sarah’s disappearance was hard on him. On all of us.”

“Fuck, sorry, of course. I didn’t think…” Nate runs his hand through his hair. “It’s nice he looks out for you. All my dad cares about is how I perform on the football field. It sucks you had to leave the party so early, though. I was hoping we’d get to spend more time together. How about a rain check?”

Behind us, a group of girls watch our interaction with intense interest. Lindsay Polar—Nate’s not-ex-girlfriend, because he ‘doesn’t date’, but the girl he’s hooked up with the most—is one of them. Lindsay’s the head cheerleader and looks exactly how you’d imagine a stereotypical blonde pom-pom wielder: big boobs, skinny waist, perfect tan, and drop-dead gorgeous. After being with her, I don’t understand why Nate would show any interest in me. From the glares she and her friends are shooting in my direction, she doesn’t either.

“Maybe,” I say, managing a tight-lipped smile and swerving around him to get to class.

“Did you hear she threw herself at Nate at Theobald’s party?” Lindsay says, making sure she’s loud enough for me to overhear. “It’s pathetic. Look, she’s practically stalking him now. Talk about obsessed!”

I ignore the giggling and keep my expression blank. Correcting them will achieve nothing. Besides, it only reaffirms why I’ve always kept my friendship circle small. Apart from Mia and a few other musicians, I avoid social interactions like the plague.

Safely away from Lindsay, I find my usual desk, right at the back of the class by the window. I carefully take out my book and line up my highlighter pens, ready to absorb myself in a Shakespeare play. A tragedy will help distract me from my problems.

Ms. Chi, our teacher, floats in on the bell, swishing her long-sleeved patchwork dress. She’s my favorite teacher. Unlike the others, she respects my right to stay silent and doesn’t put me onthe spot to answer questions, even when she knows I know I’ll get them right. Usually, she’s in a good mood, but this morning, her expression is troubled.

“Silence, class!” she barks. Everyone sits straighter in their seats, taken aback at her sudden loudness. “The principal has an announcement.”

Seconds later, a jingle echoes over the PA system. Usually, morning announcements take a few minutes. They include a quick rundown of sporting fixtures and club updates, read by a member of the school newspaper society. However, today, Principal Wire’s voice fills the halls.

Principal Wire is a friend of my father’s, who also sits on the town council. He’s a serious man, well respected in the community, and he takes the academy’s reputation very seriously.

“All students must report to the main auditorium for an emergency assembly immediately,” Principal Wire says. “Teachers, accompany your students.”

Everyone looks around in confusion. An emergency assembly has only been called once before, during my first week. My stomach rolls at the memory. He and the sheriff gathered all the students to request they come forward, if they had any information on Sarah’s disappearance. Although Sarah never studied here, the sheriff thought visiting all high schools within a twenty-mile radius may be helpful. Needless to say, it gleaned nothing useful. Other students make the same connection as their heads swivel to look at me. Sarah’s disappearance sets me apart from the others. People don’t want to associate with me. I’m an unfortunate reminder that bad things can happen, no matter how rich or well-positioned your family is.

“Come on, class,” Ms. Chi chides everyone. “Form an orderly line.”

Whispered rumors fly through the halls as I join the crowd.

Nate appears beside me. “What do you think happened?”

Wherever I go, he seems to pop up. Whilst I’m flattered by his attention, he’s ruining my attempt to meld into the background.

“No idea,” I say, keeping my gaze forward.

“Some people are saying someone broke into the principal’s office to steal exam papers.”

“I don’t think they’d break into the office for those,” I say. “Besides, exams aren’t for another few months. The papers don’t get shipped that early, do they?”

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