Ink (Book 1 of the Ink Series)

The talk

I thoughtfully excused myself from frolicking on the beach with Karsen and Kidd. They liked each other, who was I to hang around like the third wheel? Besides, love of any kind didn't sound too alluring to me at this moment in time.

I threw open the door to the kitchen. Nona and Dad looked up from the table, their expressions told me they were chatting about me.

"Hey, sweetpea," Nona said, standing up. She smoothed out her lengthy pencil skirt. "How have you been? Are you happy Karsen showed up?" She winked as if I wasn't aware she was the one who brought Karsen from the airport.

"I'm alive. And yes, I'm happy Karsen is here. I am miserable to think she has to go home though." I did my best to hold it together.

Opening up the refrigerator and taking out left over cheesecake, I grabbed a fork from the drawer and headed off to my room where I could be by myself.

I set the cheesecake down on the bed and turned the volume high on my stereo. Rage Against the Machine blasted through my room. I sat cautiously next to my dish of cheesecake and took a mouthful, staring around my room. I was in misery. All because of Slade. I exhaled. Well, maybe because of this nutjob he formerly dated.

"Nutjob?" Ezra asked suddenly.

I screamed, dropping my whole plateful of cheesecake on my carpet. Had she heard my thoughts?

"Get out of here!" I yelled.

Ezra grinned evilly, taking a seat at my desk. She thumbed through one of my biology textbooks and then fingered my necklaces scattered on the desktop, ignoring me.

"I wish you would take a hint and get the hell away from me," I growled. I lifted the plate off my floor. I wasn't going to give in to this idiot.

"That's the fun part. Of being dead, that is. I can do what I want." She spun around in my chair like a little kid at a fair on some stupid ride. "And besides, once I know for certain you will stay far away from him, then I will do just that."

I blotted my carpet with a tissue, not helping matters any. Dad knocked on my door. "Hope, are you okay? We thought we heard a scream. And where is Karsen?"

I sighed. "I'm all right. Unless you know a thing or two about getting rid of intruders of the mystical kind."

"What?" Dad said, jiggling my doorknob. Ezra stood, walking to the door.

She placed a palm against it. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"No one can see you but me. I'm not stupid. Now leave," I whispered.

"Hope," Dad called again.

"Dad, I'm fine. Everything is just peachy. Karsen is at the beach." I gritted my teeth. He muttered something from the other side of the door before leaving me be. I spun around to face Ezra.

"Maybe this is something you should take up with Slade. I have no reason to speak to him. And I'm sure you would know if I did."

Ezra ran a hand against her hair, stroking it like a pet. "And if he comes around again?"

"Then he comes around again. That doesn't mean he wants anything to do with me. He has already made it quite obvious. I think you have done your job. Slade wants nothing to do with any girl romantically. And it's because of you."

Ezra sharpened her eyes on me. "That didn't stop him from running around with that Anaya. I don't know what he even saw in her. She was plain."

My stomach dropped. "Anaya?" If I had heard right she was beginning to make me think something I shouldn't be thinking. That she took care of Anaya.