Tires squealed as I swung my car into the allotted parking spot. Only a few stragglers remained outside the school doors. A familiar shaggy head towered over a petite girl dressed in black.
Great. Just freaking awesome. If I wanted to beat the tardy bell and the potential black mark on my school record, I was going to have to enter the building alongside Cal and Yuki. Not my favorite peeps at the moment.
I grabbed my bag with shaking hands, took a deep breath, and stepped out of the car. No way was I letting the whole ex-BFF awkwardness mess up my chances for college. Plus, how bad could it be?
I’ve faced down corporate jerks and their security teams multiple times while protesting for animal rights. I never let those monsters get under my skin, so why worry about facing Yuki?
“Becaussse ssshe’s your bessst friend,” a little voice in my head answered. It sounded suspiciously like a snake.
Snakes started being able to talk to me a few months ago. It still freaks me out. I like snakes and all, but having them speak directly into my brain was so not normal. At first, it had helped me to understand how Yuki felt about sensing ghosts and getting messages from her dung beetle spirit guide—not that it helped me understand her current behavior.
I did wish she’d get over herself and start talking to me again, if only so I could ask if she too had developed a habit of giving her inner self a voice like her spirit guide. With Yuki out of the picture, and Cal keeping his distance, Simon was the only person left who I could talk to about all of this creepy supernatural stuff.
I knew that Simon would understand, he’s been aware of the voice of his wolf spirit since childhood, but I didn’t want to ruin the time we spent together. No, my time with Simon was an escape from all of my worries. For now, I wanted to keep it that way.
I would just have to get used to the sibilant voice in my head. No problem. Easssy peasssy.
I strode between cars, keeping my head down and moving as fast as I could without actually running. Maybe Yuki and Cal wouldn’t even notice me if I didn’t do anything to attract attention.
“Hey,” Gordy called. “Emma! Cal! Yuki! Wait up!” Gordy was crossing the parking lot toward us with Katie on his arm. They were both smiling and Katie waved at us as Gordy walked toward me and nodded at Cal. “Hey, man, you guys hear the tardy bell?”
“Please say it hasn’t rung yet,” Katie said. “I really don’t want to be grounded for graduation. I’d miss Gordy’s party.”
Katie’s red hair was sticking out in every direction and her cheeks were flushed. Someone had been busy with some extracurricular kissing this morning. I tried to hide the grin that twitched at the corner of my mouth.
Katie and Gordy were totally cute together. I was really happy that they were dating, but running into them when Calvin and Yuki were standing there was beyond uncomfortable. Not so long ago we were all a tightly knit group of friends. Too bad someone had ripped apart the stitches that held us together, unraveling the cozy blanket of our friendship and leaving just enough strands to hang ourselves with.
I ran a finger beneath my scarf, trying to swallow. I was not going to get all weepy now. I turned to Gordy so I wouldn’t have to see Yuki standing at Katie’s shoulder.
“You’re having a graduation party?” I asked.
“It’s more of a beach party,” he said, chewing on the hair that came to a point at his chin. “My uncle has a place up the coast, right on the beach. He said we can use the place the entire weekend of graduation. You’re all invited. You’ll come, right?”
“Um, sure,” I said.
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world, Gordster,” Yuki said. She did one of those indecipherable handshakes with Gordy that involved fists, pinky fingers, and chest pounding. It reminded me of gorilla mating behavior.
“Of course we’ll come,” Calvin said. “Thanks man. You need us to bring anything?”
“No way,” Katie said. “I’m making vegan, veggie, and meat-lovers snacks—something for everyone. Just bring yourself.”
“And a surfboard,” Gordy said. “You surf, right Cal?”
“I’m more of a hiking guy myself, but I’ve been known to hit the waves,” he said. “It’s been years though.”
I tried to picture a wolf on a surfboard, and failed.
“I’m sure my uncle has a board you can use,” Gory said. “He’s about your size.”
“Cool,” Calvin said. “Um, Yuki?”
After Yuki’s enthusiastic handshake with Gordy, she’d stepped back to stare at me. She looked like an angry god, displeased by her people. Her frown was deep enough to trap entire villages.
“Is she bringing someone?” Yuki asked.
Yes, I was the “she” and Yuki was pointing straight at me.
“Oh, right,” Gordy said, looking from me to Yuki and back. “Of course you can bring a date if you want…”
“Never mind,” I said. We were already through the school doors, so I turned my back and headed down the hall.
That went well, my sarcastic side snarked. Not that I expected it to go any better. But why did my fingers feel bruised? Looking down, I found my hands wrapped around the straps of my bag, twisting like the pale fabric was Yuki’s neck.
I released the straps, smoothed out the creases, and walked to class.