Inbetween

Chapter 9

Emma I barreled into my bedroom and pulled the plastic shopping bag out of my jacket. My hands wouldn’t stop shaking. My head wouldn’t stop spinning. He’d disappeared. Vanished like smoke swept away by a gust of wind. What did that mean? What the hell was he?

Besides a guy who had saved my life twice now.

This couldn’t wait another minute. Whatever—whoever? —was doing this was going to ruin my life. I refused to let it.

I tore into the bag and slid the purple and black Ouija board box out onto my bed, then paused to smooth the blanket around it. Like it mattered. If anybody found out I was doing this, I’d have a whole new bed to worry about at Brookhaven, complete with a roommate on so many downers she looked asleep even when she awake.

My cell phone rang and I jumped. I squeezed my hand into a fist to stop the shaking before I answered it.

“Where the hell did you go?” Cash slurred on the other line.

“I…I came home,” I said. “I parked the Bronco in your driveway. Sorry I took off.”

“I don’t care about the Bronco. Are you okay?” he asked. A girl laughed in the background and he shushed her. “You don’t sound okay.”

“I’m fine.” I tried not to look at the board in front of me. “I just don’t feel good.”

“I’m coming over.” He pulled away sounding muffled. “Hey Tinley, I need to go home.”

“No!” I gripped the phone tighter. “Don’t. Mom’s home, and she’s still up. I’ll just see you tomorrow.”

He grunted something I couldn’t hear, then finally said, “Fine. But call me tomorrow.”

“Hey,” I said before he could hang up. “Don’t drive home, okay?”

Cash laughed. “Yes, Mother.”

I pressed the end button and dropped the phone.

I could do this. I had to do this. Nervous energy coursed though me. Consuming me. I ripped the lid off the box and set the board on my bed. It didn’t look like anything to be afraid of. It was just a board.

I touched the letters and sat the pointer gingerly on top.