Spirits (Spirits Series Book 1) (6 page)

I let out an
exhausted sigh, I know he’s right, “Fine, whateves.” But I still think I’m right and he’s a whole lot up tight.

“Let’s get bac
k on track, shall we?”

I nod yes.

“Very well.” He smiles and loops his arm through mine as we continue down the path. “So are you the first spirit Journey has seen?”

“No, she saw a
lot of them before me but since my death they’ve kept their distance.”

He chuckles, “That makes sense
, you are very strong-willed, you’ve pretty much claimed her as your own personal haunt. If we were abundant and hadn’t already laid claim to this land we’d stay out of your way.”

“So it’s not bec
ause I’m dislikable?”

“I guess
that’s a matter of opinion but no it isn’t the reason.”

“Good I was starting to get a complex.”

“I doubt other people’s opinions really matter to you.” He grins.

“You have a point.”

“Do you like Drew?”

His question catches me off guard. “Why? Why would you
ask that?”

“J
ust curious, I saw the argument between you and Journey, how you got all flustered when she asked.”

“There is such a thing called privacy you know.”

“Yes, I apologize but y’alls relationship is quite intriguing. Most people are afraid of us and unwilling to accept the fact that we exist. She embraces it.”

“I wouldn’t go that far, it’s more like she
’s stuck with it and has learned to accept it because she can’t change it.”

“B
ut we don’t scare her?”

“I’ve only seen her afraid a coup
le times in my life.” I shrug.

“What caused it?” He asks
overly interested.

I’m starting to see what’s going on here, “I’m not mad or jealous but why don’t you ask her yourself, clearly you
’ve got a crush on her.”

He remains
silent, I take it as a sign I’m correct. “Well are you going to?”

“I’m afraid to.” He says
shyly.

“Why? Why would you be afraid of her? She is the nicest person I know.”

“Are you going to show yourself to Drew?”

“Wh
y would I do that? How would I do that?”

“Because you like him, I’ve noticed that you spend a lot of time around him. It isn’t hard to do here, you are picking up skills quickly, it might
not be as easy as say turning on the radio,” he grins, “but it’s possible. You have to channel all of your energy and borrow some from your surroundings, like you did when you first arrived. The more you do it the easier it becomes.”

“Are you always watching us?”

“Not always.” He looks away.

“
But for the most part.” I roll my eyes.

He nods
. “How did it happen?”

“What?”

“Your death, were you in a horrible accident.”

“No,” I glance
at him, “I know it’s going to sound stupid to you but I, well… I guess you could say I gave up on life and ended it.”

“That’s a shame K
adence, I bet you could’ve done great things.”

“Y
eah, well, crap happens. How about you?”

“I
nfluenza and pneumonia.”

“OMG! That sucks, people rarely die from that now.”

“I am aware, medicine has advanced over the years.”

“How about the others?”

“Different reasons, suicides, murders, accidents, sickness. You’ll have to ask them yourself.”

“If
they’ll quit hiding.”

“Some of them take a while
to warm up to strangers, especially ones that have no problem associating with the living. And they’ve been in a bit of an uproar since Journey arrived, they’re afraid she’ll.” He stops suddenly and covers his mouth looking around nervously.

“The
y are afraid of her?” I whisper feeling uneasy like something menacing is lurking in the shadows of the huge trees.

Noah refuses to answer as he
glances around. His gaze settles on something unseen and he drops his head. “I accidentally let Drew see me earlier.”

“Really? Did it scare him?”

“No, I think you got him past the initial shock last night.”

“I
kind of feel bad about that… but he deserved it.”

“Y
es, I thought so as well. It unnerved me to see him treat her so poorly.”

“Yeah, he’s always been like that I ho
pe the new improved Drew sticks around.”

“Let’s hope.”

“So are you in trouble with the others for exposing yourself?” Oh that sounds to dirty and I want to laugh and comment on it but he’ll just get annoyed. Drew however would totally laugh his butt off.

“They are not pleased with me.”

“Rose didn’t seem mad at you.”

“She’s sort of taken on the motherl
y role to us younger ones here. Although sometimes I wish she’d accept the fact that I’m an old man now not the scared child I was in the beginning.”

“S
o she was here before you?”

“Yes, she was the or
iginal owner of the house.”

“W
hat happened?”

“You’ll have to ask her, it
’s not my story to tell.”

“Were there others here before her?”

“Yes.”

“Wow. I can’t wait to tell Journey.
”

“You can’t tell her Kadence.” He says quickly.

“Why not? We tell each other everything.”

“I kno
w for a fact you do not. Any time you and I talk about the others it stays strictly between us. If you can’t keep it secret I won’t tell you anything else and I promise they won’t ever talk to you.”

“Can I tell her about you?”

He seems to mull the idea over.

“Why don’t you just introduce yourself to her?”

“You can talk to her about me.” He says quickly.

“She’s going to want
to know how old you are.”

“V
ery old.” He bites his cheek.

“Dud
e, I mean when you died how old were you?”

“Nineteen
, happy now?”

“Yep, thanks.
”

“W
hy do you care so much about my age? Why would she care?”

“You really are cl
ueless. Dude you are slow.” I shake my head, he has no idea how crush worthy he is. I seriously miss making out but I can see he likes to be the pursuer. I’ll wait, if I move in to soon I’ll be boyfriend-less forever. Not going to happen and he’s not telling if there’s any other cute guys hanging around. Which makes me wonder, am I the only ghost interested in getting involved with someone? “Are there any girls your age around here?”

He snaps to me wit
h a puzzled expression, “Are you tired of me already?”

“No, not at all.
I was just wondering if you have a girlfriend.”

He laughs like it’s
the joke of the century as he shakes his head.

“W
hat’s so funny about that?” I ask annoyed.

“Forgive me, I f
orget you are still a young spirit and have not met many of us.”

“Alright so I’m taking that as a no and I’m the on
ly darned ghost that still cares about having a relationship outside of simply friendship. Great.”

“I didn’t say that.
”

“So you do have a girlfriend.
”

“N
o, I meant there are a few of us that still desire that.”

“W
ell that’s nice to know.”

He looks at me shyly, “W
hy, are you interested in me?”

“Um
… I think you are incredibly cute but I doubt our ideas of a relationship are the same.”

“How do you know?”

“Different lifetimes.” I shrug, “I’m sorry I don’t behave shy and ladylike. When I want something I let it be known. I go after it, I don’t sit around like a wallflower that’s more Journey’s style.”

He attempt
s not to smile or look at me, “You know I think you should try exposing yourself to Drew tonight.”

I can’t f
ight back my fit of laughter, “He’d like that way too much.”

He rolls
his eyes with flushed cheeks, “You are a little pervert.”

“I know and
it’s completely wasted with you, such a shame.” I shake my head sadly, “We could have a lot of fun.”

“We will stick with being friends but there
are a few others around that would… Enjoy your humor and company. I must warn you though not everyone here is friendly watch whom you speak with.”

“You sound so ominous, are you always like this?”

“Only when I need to be.”

“Y
ou should lighten up some, especially when you decide to meet Journey. Don’t be a buzz kill.”

“Buzz
kill?”

“Never mind. Just don’t be all doom and gloom. Make her smile a
nd laugh, she needs that.”

“Alright.
”

CHAPTER FOUR

     Drew can’t stop chuckling as we walk back to River Street to meet our parents for lunch. Maybe I found it a little humorous to begin with but now its just old.

“
Spanky’s.” He sighs, “You have to admit it’s funny.”

“Not anymore dork face.”

“Hey you look like a girl version of me.” He shoves my arm.

“Y
eah but I’m pretty.” I stick my tongue out like a bratty child.

“I think that dude
thought so this morning.”

“Huh?”

“There was the guy watching you while you were talking with that ‘lady’.” he air quotes the word grinning, “He was definitely checking you out.”

My cheeks fee
l like they are on fire. He has to be talking about that cute guy. Well at least I know he wasn’t another ghost.

“
Oohh, Journeys gotta crush.”

“Y
ou just wait till your next girlfriend, I’m going to have something wonderfully over-the-top embarrassing planned out.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Oh wouldn’t I?” I grin hugely.

“F
ine,” he rolls his eyes, “truce?”

“I
’ll think about it.” I say before quickly skipping off to Mom and Dad.

“Did you have a good time?” Mom asks.

I nod, minus my run-in with Abigail thanks to Drew.

“Y
eah we did one of those Historical tours. Very educational.”

“Until you almost got kicked off
due to your comments about the Union being intellectually superior to the Confederates.” I elbow him in the ribs.

“Son, you didn’t.
”

“I did
, but don’t worry it won’t happen again. This big dude wearing a rebel flag hat wanted to beat my a… butt. Journey convinced him I wasn’t mentally all there.”

“Some Southerners are very… s
ensitive about that. From now on keep the Yankee comments to yourself. We may live here now but we’re still outsiders as far as some of them are concerned. Understand?”

Drew nods quickly, “Y
es sir.”

“Good, we don’t want anyone messi
ng up your beautiful face.” Mom smiles as they turned to enter the restaurant and I giggle looking at him. “Beautiful,” I snicker, “see you should’ve been my twin sister.” I whisper.

“
Journ.” Drew warns.

“Okay,” I huff. Hi
s future girlfriends are going to be jealous that he’s prettier than they are. Not that he looks like a girl, he has masculine features but he is, I’d never tell him to his face, handsome. Kadence occasionally called him the beautiful one. Then I’d smack her and tell her she was going to give him a big head even though I knew he was already full of himself, and I dare not say what her comment on that was. I want to throw up just thinking about it.