Death, and the Girl He Loves

Jared shrugged sheepishly and sat beside me. His thigh brushed up against mine, the contact warm and electric. I was firmly planted in Happyville until I heard Tabitha’s heels clicking. It was a sound I’d never forget. I could always tell when she was near, even in my old reality. “Hey, Lor. Thought we’d join you after all.”

“Great,” Cameron said, his tone condescending. Brooke elbowed him in the ribs as Tabitha and Amber sat down. Whatever had prompted Brooke to ask me to sit with her was clearly going to have to wait.

“I’m Tabitha,” she said, holding out her hand to Jared. “Tabitha Sind. And, yes, I do live up to my last name.”

I stared wide-eyed at her brazenness. She’d had a thing for him since day one in my old reality, too. Only in this one, Jared seemed to have a thing back. Who could blame him? Tabitha was stunning.

“I’m Amber,” her ever-faithful sidekick said. She thought about shaking his hand, too, but Tabitha wouldn’t let go of it. She also held his gaze, and he let her for far too long before producing a bashful smile and nodding toward Amber in acknowledgment.

I felt sick. So completely disoriented, I wanted to run home screaming. I didn’t like a reality where I was a stone bitch, my best friends either hardly knew me or despised the fact that I dared to breathe, and my boyfriend had eyes for another.

“I’m sorry,” I said, a wetness welling between my lashes despite my best efforts. “I’m not feeling well.”

I stood and practically ran out of the lunchroom, continued out the front door into the brisk, clean air.

“Can I walk you home?”

I whirled around to the male voice. To Jared’s voice. He stood behind me, his brows drawn in concern.

“Jared?”

One corner of his full mouth tilted up and he stepped closer. “That’s me. Jared Kovach.”

I wanted to ask him if he remembered me, if he remembered what had happened, if we were in heaven, but something stopped me. What if this new reality had rules? What if I broke them? Would I be kicked out? Would I lose my parents again?

“Are you going home?” Tabitha asked. She’d followed Jared, who’d followed me. That girl was truly the bane of my existence, even in heaven. “You’ll get in trouble if you don’t sign out at the office, but I can drive you if you want me to.”

I would much rather have Jared walk me, but I had no delusions that she wouldn’t invite herself along.

“I’m okay. I just need some air,” I said, unable to tear my gaze off Jared. He had yet to disengage his as well.

“Fine, then. Come on before your food gets cold.” She took Jared’s arm in hers and led him back inside, and that was about all I could handle of that.

I left the school grounds and hurried down the sidewalks of Riley’s Switch toward my home. But when I arrived at my grandparents’ store instead, the one that I used to live over, I stopped and stared. Would they be different? Would they be okay?

I’d lost my best friends and my boyfriend in one fell swoop. I didn’t think I could take it if I didn’t have that unconditional love I was so used to. I was utterly spoiled where they were concerned, and I was not about to apologize for it.

My parents’ house sat about half a mile behind the store, along the tree lines of the mountains. I could see it from where I stood, but I wanted to visit Bill and Vera Lou James. The people who had raised me since I was six. My mother’s parents.

Because I was used to doing it, I went around back instead of entering through the front and was greeted by the kitchen I’d grown up in. The small, outdated living room sat off to the right and the stairs up to my room to the left.

Grandma’s kitchen was filled with all kinds of food as though they were having a cookout or a big party. The party. My party. I had no idea why I was having a party and wondered if I might should actually ask someone.

Oh, no. That would be too easy. Heaven forbid I do things the easy way.

I called out, but no one answered, so I went through the kitchen and into the store. It was closed. On a weekday. I could read the sign on the door that had been written in black marker.

CLOSED FOR PRIVATE PARTY

That was interesting. Everyone was sure taking the party seriously.

“Hello?” I heard a woman call out.

I went back into the apartment. It was Betty Jo, my grandmother’s best friend.

I beamed at her. “Hi, Betty Jo!” I said, walking toward her.

She held her arms wide. “The big day,” she said, giving me one of her Barcalounger hugs. I could always count on Betty Jo for a hug.

“And what a weird day it’s been,” I said.

She set me at arm’s length. “In what way?” she asked, her eyes round with concern. “I mean, everything’s okay, right? Still on track?”

“Oh, sure.” I nodded, not wanting to worry her, though I had no idea what she was talking about.

A relieved sigh slipped past her lips as she started sorting items into piles of what needed to be refrigerated versus what did not. “Thank God. What a glorious day.” The smile she placed on me was full of both appreciation and pride. “You did it, Lorelei. You’re amazing.”

I blinked in surprise. I hadn’t done anything. And her words just brought that to the forefront of my thoughts once again. I hadn’t done anything but watch my friends die, only to meet them in heaven that wasn’t really a heaven so much as a topsy-turvy version of my old world.