Chapter Six

Pagan

Miranda was standing at her closet with several outfits laying over both our beds and the desks when I walked into the room. I’d spent the rest of the day checking out my classes, meeting with professors, and finding a coffee shop close enough to stop by in the mornings on my way to each class.

“Did our closets throw up?” I asked as I closed the door behind me and took in the mess in front of me.

“Maybe,” she nibbled on her bottom lip nervously. “I have nothing to wear. Nothing.”

I knew for a fact she had enough clothes to clothe a small country. What she meant was she didn’t have anything to wear on a date. Must be someone she really liked because I hadn’t seen her go this crazy over what to wear in years.

“Who’s the lucky guy?” I asked, moving over a blue jean skirt that belonged to me and her royal blue scarf shirt so I could sit down on my bed.

“Nathan. The guy from the club,” Miranda clapped her hands excitedly, “And get this! He is in the same fraternity as Jay. They want both of us to go out to dinner tonight and go see a movie.”

Uh-oh. That wasn’t going to work.

“Um, well, see here is the thing. Jay has a girlfriend or is obviously in a relationship. I saw it last night at the club. You know I don’t do drama and that is some serious drama there. You’ll have to tell Jay ‘no thanks’ for me.”

Miranda’s face fell and she dropped the red jacket she’d been holding up in the mirror. “Pagan, please. This is important to me. Nathan is, he is like, I just haven’t felt about anyone like this, since, well since,” I saw tears well up in her eyes as she stared pitifully at me.

“Since Wyatt?” I asked.

She sniffed and nodded. “It isn’t as strong as what I felt for Wyatt, but I just met him. He makes my heart race and I get all tingly when he touches me. He isn’t Wyatt. No one will ever be Wyatt. But when I’m with him my heart doesn’t hurt.”

Well, crap. She finally finds a guy to move on with and he is a friend of my ex. Just freaking perfect.

“I’m sure Nathan will still want to date you even if I don’t go out with Jay,” I assured her.

Miranda walked over and pushed the clothes beside me out of her way and sat down. “I am sure he would. But I don’t know him that well. We just met. We had coffee today and ended up talking for hours. He kissed me. It was… wow. I just want to have you there with me on our first official date. I’ll feel better knowing I’m not alone.”

Double crap.

“What about Jay’s girlfriend?” Please tell me she is a psycho and she may come after my head if I go anywhere with him. This will be my only way out.

“Nathan said that Jay and Victoria aren’t an item. She is in the sorority that does things with their fraternity. She has been after him for over a year. Jay puts up with her clinginess but until he saw you walk into the club he hadn’t had a problem with it. Now he is putting a halt to things with Victoria. Nathan said you are all he’s talked about since he saw you. Come on, it’ll be fun. I need you there.”

This was trouble. I looked at Miranda’s pleading eyes and knew I wouldn’t be able to tell her no. “What time are they going to be here?” I asked and she jumped up and squealed.

“At seven,” she replied. It was only three. What was she doing getting ready now?

“We have four hours. Why the clothing panic?”

Miranda rolled her eyes, “because it’s gonna take me four hours to do all that I have to do to be presentable.”

I gathered the clothes up that she’d left on my bed and took them over to hers and dropped them. “You put the clothes away. I’m taking a nap. If I have to do this then I definitely need some sleep. I’m exhausted.”

“Fine. I’ll find you something to wear. But promise me you’ll get up in plenty of time to shower and shave your legs. I’m going to pick you out a mini. Jay always liked your legs.”

Ugh.

Dank

A teenage girl not paying attention to a stop sign. It was all too familiar. The difference was, I hadn’t been stalking this soul. She hadn’t intrigued me. The crumpled car was wrapped around an electricity pole. Her parents stood over to the side crying as the desperate hope in their eyes stayed focused on the car. They wanted there to be some chance that their daughter had made it. That when the Jaws of Life pulled the car free they’d find her alive inside. I knew she wasn’t. He soul was releasing as it sensed my presence.

I reached into the rubble and drew her soul out. It came willingly. The confused look on her face as she looked back at herself and then toward her parents was one I saw daily. She didn’t understand just yet that she was no longer in the body.

“Come on, Chick, time for you to head up. You’ll have another life before you know it. Say your goodbyes to this one,” Gee informed her as she grabbed her hand and they left.

I didn’t stay around and wait for her parents to figure out their worst fears were true. I’d had enough of that for one day. I just wanted to go see Pagan but I had thousands of souls still left to collect.

I walked toward the truck that had flipped in an attempt to miss the girl’s car. I stopped where the paramedics were performing CPR on the driver. As the paramedics worked to save him, his soul had already released from his body and was staring down at his empty shell. Gee appeared beside me and without a word she took his hand telling him he’d get to start over and maybe this time he could keep from getting a beer gut.

Pagan

“It is unfair. Completely unfreakinfair.” Miranda scowled into the mirror she had us standing in front of. “I spent hours getting ready. You spent less than thirty minutes and you still look better.”

Miranda was gorgeous. She had styled all her wild ringlets perfectly around her face. The red sleeveless top she’d paired with the silver pencil skirt that stopped way before it hit her knees, highlighted every curve she had. Nathan didn’t stand a chance. “You seriously are confused. You’re hot. Embrace it and let’s go,” I replied before she could change her clothes again.

“Are you sure? You aren’t just saying that are you?” She was still standing in front of the mirror fidgeting with her shirt and hair.

“I am positive. Come on. They are probably already down there waiting for us.” And I wanted to get this over with.

“Maybe I should have gone with boots. You look killer in those leather boots,” Miranda replied without moving.

I glanced down at the tan leather knee high boots I’d put on with the blue jean mini skirt Miranda had made me wear. “You can wear the boots if you want to. I don’t care. I’ll go find some other shoes to put on.”

Miranda scowled. “No. Those boots won’t match what I’m wearing. Besides, you’d end up putting on your Converse or something ridiculous like that. It’s a miracle I managed to get you in those. I’m not messing up my luck now.”

I smiled because she was correct. If I took these boots off I would slip on my Converse. “Then let’s go,” I replied, and opened the door.

“Okay. Fine. Okay. I can do this,” Miranda reminded herself in the mirror, then turned and headed my way. Maybe I’d get her out of here before midnight.

“It’s okay Miranda. He’s just a boy and this is just a date,” I assured her as I pushed her out the door and into the hallway.

She nodded, “You’re right. He’s just a boy. It’s just a date.”

We made our way down to the great room where they’d said they would meet us. I could hear feminine laughter and deep voices, as we got closer. “I hear them,” Miranda whispered.

“Yep. Sounds like they’re entertaining some of our neighbors,” I replied. Maybe Jay would see someone he liked and leave me alone. Then she could deal with crazy Victoria.

We stepped into the room to see Jay talking and laughing with a girl I hadn’t met yet, but I’d seen her yesterday when we moved in. Girls always flirted with Jay. He had that friendly kind of personality. Nathan’s eyes zoned in on Miranda instantly. The smile on his face as he looked at her made this all worth it. I liked that guy.

Nathan elbowed Jay as we approached and he stopped talking to the redhead and turned to look at us. His eyes swept over me slowly. The girl he’d been talking to reached out and squeezed his arm and said something about seeing him tomorrow night. I almost laughed. He’d just been caught making a date with another girl while waiting for me. That was priceless. If I weren’t going on this date for Miranda’s sake, I’d use this as my excuse and back out now. I couldn’t do that to her though. Not when Nathan had the look of awed worship in his eyes as he stared at her. Yeah, I’d have to deal with Jay the Romeo all night. Maybe Miranda and the redhead could meet and they could double date next time.

“Pagan, wow. You look amazing,” Jay said as he stepped toward me, leaving his new friend behind.

“Please don’t let me interrupt you,” I replied, turning my attention to the girl left waiting on his response.

He was nervous. I smiled at him reassuringly. “Really, Jay. I don’t mind. Finish your conversation. I’m in no hurry.”

Jay studied me a moment and I could see the indecision on his face. I wasn’t the lovesick seventeen-year-old he’d left behind. That ship had sailed. He shook his head and closed the distance between us and rested his hand on my lower back. “I’m ready to go. I was just being friendly.”

The frown on the girl’s face said otherwise. I moved his hand from my back and took a step back. “If you were asking her out then please go finish what you started. You’re being rude.” I whispered.

He let out a sigh. “Fuck.”

I watched him as he ran a hand through his hair in frustration. I knew him too well. I could read his body language. “You weren’t supposed to hear that. Dammit. I’ve screwed this up. Asking her out while waiting on you was disrespectful. I’m sorry.”

I shrugged, “I’m just on this date because Miranda begged me. You know I can’t tell her no. So, no worries. I’d say you could take the redhead instead of me but Miranda needs me tonight. So, you’re stuck with me.”

Jay’s eyes went wide, “Wait. No. I don’t want to be on a date with anyone else. I want to be with you. I’ve missed you. That back there was just me being a dick. I’m used to asking girls out whenever one seems entertaining. But it’s a habit. I would turn her and anyone else down if I had a chance at going out with you instead.”

Well, that was sweet but it was unfortunate. Because, habit or not, I wasn’t stupid enough to go there. “That habit of yours isn’t a healthy one and it’s mean. Go finish what you started. I’ll wait with Miranda and Nathan.” I replied and walked toward the door where Miranda and Nathan had gone to give us some privacy. Not that we needed it.

“Sorry for the hold up. Once he is finished finalizing his date for tomorrow night, we’ll go.”

Nathan closed his eyes and shook his head. “Stupid,” he mumbled. When he opened them back up he looked at me apologetically. “I’m sorry about that. He’s a major flirt. But I guess you know that.”

Actually I didn’t. Back in high school he hadn’t flirted with anyone but me.

“The Jay I know would never have done that. It pisses me off. I wish you’d flip him off and go back upstairs. Maybe call up Dank Walker since he’s hot after your bod and wow him with your sexy ass.” Miranda was mad. Jay was in for it.

“You know Dank Walker?” Nathan asked. “As in Cold Soul’s lead singer?” I could hear the disbelief in his voice.

“Yep she knows him. I saw him carrying her books to class today.” Miranda replied smugly. I hadn’t realized she’d seen that.

“Okay, I’m ready. Again I’m sorry about that.” Jay said as he came up beside us.

“You’re a dick,” Nathan replied. “A stupid dick.”

Jay let out a frustrated sigh, “Yeah, I know.”