Ghost

0802

"That's just for, um, projects," I said quickly. "I mean, a project. A project for school."

"Oh really?" He said, opening my ghost guidebook to the first page. I had to bite my lip to keep from squealing. "Which class?"

"Um...English. It was a writing sort of, uh, thing. It was so long ago I don't even remember it," I laughed tightly.

"Huh," he mumbled. "I've always been really interested in paranormal junk. I'm a bit of a horror buff myself." 

"Oh yeah?" I started to jingle my foot as he turned to the second page.

"Would you mind it if I borrowed this sometime?"

The hoard of notes I had scribbled on the inside pages flashed inside my head.

"Actually, it was a library book. I still need to turn it in. Whoops."

"Wow, they're going to be pissed," he said, flipping to one of the little notes sticking out. I almost tackled him.

"Ooookay, I think we should start on the Bio stuff before my mom gets home." I flashed him a smile as I grabbed the book out of his grip and threw it on my desk. "You can look through that some other time."

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah," I said, but it came out breathy and nervous. "Of course."

"You sure? Your face is really red."

"Oh, yeah. It just...does that."

"Maybe you should go get some water."

"Yes," I said. "Let's go do that. Now."

"You're very demanding," he noted, but with a playful smile, and I had just enough guts to actually push him out of the room. "Hey, is that the ladder to the attic?" He asked as soon as we were out in the hall. His expression turned ornery. "We should study up there."

I thought of Alfred.

"But there's rats up there." I tried. "And spiders."

"Even better."

I let out a sigh, defeated. There was just no stopping him. "Fine."