Page 78 of Chasing Infinity

Noah informs everyone that to split into the two groups, he’s going to flip a coin, and we’re supposed to call out what we think will fall: if we’re right, we get to be groundsmen, wrong, and we’re ghosts. He gets his quarter ready and then flips it up into the air, catching it and slapping it over onto the back of his hand. Everyone calls out their prediction right as his eyes lock on mine expectantly.

Grace calls heads out beside me, and I follow her lead. “Heads.”

A sardonic smirk forms on his face, and his eyes are still on mine as he mutters, “Tails.” Then he takes his hand off the coin and observes the result. “Heads it is. Those who said tails are with me as ghosts.”

We split into the two teams, and the ghosts go off and hide. One of Noah’s friends, I think it’s Caleb, starts the countdown from one o’clock, and we begin our hunt for ghosts. Since the idea of the game is tonotget tagged when a ghost is found, Grace scampers off, and I find myself alone in the middle of the Witch House property.

I trek carefully, my eyes darting every which way trying to locate a ghost if they’re nearby. Someone across the field yells, “Ghost in the graveyard!”And I turn to run back to the designated home base when someone jumps in front of me.

“Gotcha!”

I scream so loudly that I wonder if maybethisis the source of the questionable wailing coming from the Witch House.

Once all my breath has left my body, I bend over, my hands resting on my knees. I take short breaths in and out, hyperventilating. My heart rate is way too high, and though it’s dark out, my vision swirls.

“Whoa, whoa,” a male voice whispers as arms wrap around my shoulders, holding me steady and straightening me up. “Calm down, Parks.”

Only one person calls me by my last name.

I spin around to face Noah. His face is hidden in the shadows, but even that can’t hide the concern on his face. I wonder if I’m hallucinating. He frowns as I put my hand to my chest, taking big gulps of air.

“That’s it, you’re okay,” he mutters softly, his hands running down my arms. “Deep breaths.”

When I’ve finally managed to calm my heartbeat to a regular rate, all sense comes back to me. I reach out and shove Noah away from me. “Youscaredme!”

“Isn’t that the point of Halloween?” he asks, though his expression doesn’t match his tone.If I look close enough, I might see a hint of worry still playing on his features.

“No, and I wouldn’t even be here tonight if it weren’t for you. Go find someone else to bother.” I start stomping away, but he reaches out and grabs my hand, halting my escape.

“Hey, hold on just a second.” I turn and glare at his hand holding mine, and he promptly let’s go. “Seriously, are you okay? You really freaked out there for a second. You were white as a ghost. Even though I think that’smyrole in the game.”

“I—I’m fine, thank you. You just startled me.”

Noah’s eyes soften to my complete and utter shock, and he steps forward. I observe him, waiting for the floor to fall from underneath me. He looks like he’s about to say something when he’s cut off by the sound of his name being called by a feminine voice from the darkness.

Rose.

The interruption breaks whatever spell that came over the two of us. I shake my head and distance between us, wrapping my arms around my middle. “I think your girlfriend is looking for you.”

Noah’s eyes narrow, and again he looks like he wants to say something else when Rose calls for him once more. He glances off in her direction, clenching his teeth together. I take advantage of his divided attention and skitter off, not looking back at him.

I find Grace standing on top of the hill at the home base, hands on her hips. She lets out a large, relieved sigh when she sees me coming toward her. “Where the heck have you been, Addie? Did you get tagged?”

I hesitate before answering. “Nowhere. Are you ready to leave? I don’t want to play anymore.”

“I wouldn’t be opposed to it. This place is creepy.”

I link our arms together, and we head back down the hill towards the main road. On our way, we pass Noah and Rose. Rose has her hands on her hips, an angry expression on her face, while Noah stands there and takes whatever heat she’s throwing at him.

“Wonder what’s going on there?” Grace muses. “Weren’t they just in la-la-land yesterday?”

I press my lips together, knowing that while Rose was searching for her boyfriend, he had been with me, trying to calm me down from almost having a panic attack. “Yeah, who knows. Noah’s always starting trouble.”

Grace hums but lets it lie as we continue our escape from the Witch House. On the way home, I try my hardest not to think about the strange moment with Noah tonight. For a second, he almost seemed…concerned? But that couldn’t be. It must have been a trick of the light or the enhanced nerves of Halloween Night. Noah made it clear that we aren’t concerned with each other. He wouldn’t change his mind on that.

It was just a one-off. Monday, I’ll get to school, and everything will be back to normal. Noah will be his regular snotty self, and I’ll go back to hating him.

“Oh, there you two are,” Charlie says, relieved when we walk up to him and Eli by the road. “You disappeared during the game, and I thought something bad had happened.”

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