Past Midnight [1] by Mara Purnhagen

Author:Mara Purnhagen [Purnhagen, Mara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General, Fiction, Supernatural, Reality television programs, Body; Mind & Spirit, Juvenile Fiction, Fantasy & Magic, Horror & Ghost Stories, Family, High schools, Love & Romance, Schools, Ghosts, Ghost stories
ISBN: 9780373210206
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2010-09-01T05:00:00+00:00

eleven

Noah gave me the newspaper article about Adam and Jared’s accident the very next day during AV class.

“Don’t let anyone else see it,” he whispered as he slipped me the folded page. “They might, you know, freak out a little.”

I nodded and slid the paper into my backpack. “No problem. I’ll read it at home.”

I’d had enough of people freaking out. The school was buzzing with rumors about Jared and Avery’s confrontation in the parking lot the day before. Thankfully, Jared didn’t show up for school, but the cheerleaders were on high alert. If they overheard someone talking about what had happened, they confronted that person or stared them down. They were a force to be reckoned with, particularly when Avery was involved.

It was strange, but I finally felt like I fit in with the other girls. I now knew the big secret-that-wasn’t-really-a-secret, and I shared the other girls’ commitment to keeping Avery safe from vicious gossip. I also felt more bonded with Avery. We shared a common goal, even though she didn’t know it: we both wanted to be treated as totally normal. Of course, Avery was normal, but dealing with tragedy, whereas I was dealing with ghosts who were getting stronger every day and taking a more active role in my life.

You will. The two words etched into my nightstand felt tattooed on my brain. You will what? You will help us, no matter how hard you fight it? Or you will know how to help us? I couldn’t decide whether it was a threat or a prediction.

Or both.

“Charlotte, you there?”

I blinked. Noah was watching me.

“Sorry. I was daydreaming.”

“Right.” He motioned to the computer screen. “I asked if you thought we should lead with the tree ceremony or the soccer highlights.”

My answer was automatic. “Tree ceremony.”

I hadn’t seen Bliss since our strange confrontation. She was avoiding me, and I was fine with that. I was making a more conscious effort to balance the sports footage with other news, and the tree ceremony was my attempt at apologizing. Bliss had been out of line, but rendering her speechless in the hallway was something I felt guilty about.

I tried to focus on editing, but my mind kept wandering back to my paranormal problem. The main question I had to answer was what had happened to Charlotte Pickens. If I could figure that out, maybe I could find her final resting place and lead her parents there.

I nudged Noah. “I have a question for you.”

He frowned at the screen. “Is it why Bliss is wearing purple and green? Because she shouldn’t. She kind of looks like an eggplant.”

I laughed. “No comment. But seriously, can I ask you something?”

He turned his chair toward me. “Ask away.”

“Have you ever known someone who ran away from home?”

He raised an eyebrow at me. “Do I need to be worried?”

“No, it’s not me. Promise. It’s for this, uh, documentary my parents are working on.”

“Well, if it’s for the advancement of documentary film, then yes, I do know someone who ran away from home.

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