Page 51 of Sour Lollipops and Sweet Nightmares
Sometimes I didn’t say anything at all and let her answer herself. I was fairly sure she had ADHD, either that or she did a lot of drugs. I hadn’t decided yet.
After getting changed, I walked into the kitchen, tied my hair back in a ponytail, then stretched my arms over my head.
The kitchen wasn’t the best room to do a warm-up in, but I liked how the morning sun cascaded over the soapstone countertops, highlighting the marbling in the stone. That and the demon bird was nested in the tree outside my bedroom.
The only window where you couldn't see the tree was the one in here. It could still stare in through the window behind me, but I didn’t have to look that way.
I don’t care what anyone said, that owl was not normal. All night long, it watched me, and I swear I heard it hoot my name last night. It was this eerie, elongatedGeeeorgiaaathat sent a shiver up my spine. I trusted Issac more than I trusted that thing.
Reaching down to touch my toes, I stopped and frowned while looking between my legs back toward the window.
The owl had gone to sleep now, but a branch from that damn tree was knocking against the living room window. The tip of it scratched the glass, making an eeriescreech, screech, screech,almost as if it was taunting me to come out and say hi to the evil big-eyed bird that lived there.
Demon bird was nowhere in sight, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t watching. He was always watching. Even right now, with my head hanging upside down, while I looked through my legs, I could feel his eyes on me.
I needed to get a cat—a big, mean, nasty cat that liked to eat birds. Our neighbor back home had a tabby named Hank who used to leave dead squirrels outside our door. Maybe he’d let me borrow him? Hank would rid me of my owl problem.
“Here, kitty, kitty,” I called through my legs.
“What are you doing?”
“Jesus Christ!” There was someone in my house!
My heart thumped hard against my ribs as I slowly lifted my head, half expecting to see some giant owl monster standing inside my door.
Thankfully, it was only Rachel.
Her brow lifted as she tipped her head. “Stop looking at me like I’m going to kill you. It’s just me.”
“Do you scare the crap out of all your friends?” I let out a breath and dropped my head back down.
“You’re my only friend.”
Really?
I lifted my head back up. “I thought you had a lot of friends?”
She was always going on about the parties she received invitations to.
“No, I have acquaintances.”
Wasn’t that what we were? Either way… “You have got to stop walking in here. Knock next time.”
Was she trying to give me a heart attack?
Rachel shrugged. “The door was open.”
That’s it, I was getting that lock checked. Right after I bought her a book on Knocking for Dummies. There had to be one out there.
“Why are you here?” This morning was my alone time—considering who I might have to see to get my bag back later—I wanted to enjoy it.
“I thought I’d join you for a run…” She paused to tip her head to the side. “I didn’t think I’d catch you talking to your vagina.”
“What? Why would I…” I stopped and looked down at my hands touching my toes, and thought about the here, kitty, kitty she probably heard.
Okay, I could see where she was coming from.
“It’s not what it looks like.”
