Strong Like Me

by Laurel Veil

  “Wake up over there.” He grinned.

  I hadn’t realized how tired I was.

  “I haven’t been sleeping well. I guess it’s catching up with me.”

  He put on his blinker and coasted down the exit ramp.

  “Are you sure you have the right address?”

  “I think so,” I said, though I was having doubts myself.

  Jay obeyed the robotic voice on the GPS and soon we pulled in front of a small shack of a house that sat on cinder blocks.

  “Are you gonna tell me what we’re doing here?”

  I bit my bottom lip nervously. Ow! And turned to look out my window.

  He parked and began to get out.

  “What are you doing?” I asked.

  “You’re crazy if you think I’m letting you go in there alone.”

  He closed his door and walked around the car and opened mine.

  It wasn’t worth a fight to me. Besides, I didn’t really want to go in there by myself anyway.

  The grass in the tiny yard was sparse and the flowerbeds were overgrown. I guessed Kamali didn’t take her work home with her.

  “There’s no doorbell,” I said when we made it up the worn steps to the covered porch.

  Jay knocked on the door and a dog began yapping.

  Jay pointed to a sign, no larger than a sheet of notebook paper that was showing through the window. It had a picture of a hand on it. Above the fingers, it said, Palm Reading.

  “Seriously? You’re not here to get your future told, are you?”

  Just then, the door opened a crack. Two dark eyes peered up at us from beneath a golden chain.

  “I’m closed.” Kamali was as snippy as her dog. “Whatta ya want?”

  I could tell by the way Jay looked at me that he was very interested in hearing my answer.

  “H-Hi, Kamali. I don’t know if you remember me from the other day. I’m Jessica. You were taking care of the flowers at my—”

  “I know who you are,” she interrupted.

  “I wanted to apologize for—”

  “That’s not why you’re here. Don’t waste my time,” she snapped.

  I stuck the tip of my sandal in the door before she closed it all the way.

  “You’re right. I-I mean. I am sorry that I we got off on the wrong foot.”

  “You were rude.”

  Jay stopped himself from laughing by clearing his throat.

  I looked back at Kamali.

  “You’re right. I was rude. And, I’m sorry. But, please…I really need to talk to you about what you said to Ursula. Please.”

  She shut the door. Jay and I looked at each other. What was I going to do now? Suddenly, I heard the chain rattle and the door abruptly opened. Jay let me go first and he came in close behind me.

  To say the house was cluttered was an understatement. Shelves were bursting at the seams.

  The spillover resulted in stacks of books scattered around the floor.

  “Would you care for something to drink?” she asked as she made her way to the kitchen.

  There was a basket of creepy handmade dolls with straw hair sitting on the counter. Antique-looking jars held brightly colored powders and herbs. One of the containers even held chicken feet!

  “No thank you,” I said for the both of us. I feared she might wash her dishes the way she cleaned her house.

  Jay tapped my arm and motioned with a flick of his eyes for me to look at something.

  I was surprised to see an actual crystal ball in the center of a round table. It was about the size of a volleyball and its pedestal had three brass legs. I thought those were only used in the movies.

  Kamali stepped out with a tray in her hands and caught us looking.

  “Come. Sit,” she commanded. Jay and I pulled chairs out and sat around the table.

  The house was dimly lit. Only a couple of lamps were on and their shades were covered with colorful, sheer scarves.

  Kamali handed me a dainty teacup. Yellow jasmine decorated its sides. The delicate vines twisted all around the cup in a complicated pattern. Steam rose from inside it that smelled like raspberries and cinnamon.

  She handed Jay a glass. “Here. Ice water for you.”

  Jay cut his eyes at me. “Thank you,” he said and then he took a sip.

  I wasn’t about to tell Kamali I didn’t like tea. It was too hot to drink just yet though.

  “So, we saw the sign out front. You’re a palm reader?” I asked.

  Kamali nodded. “I am. It helps pay the bills.”

  “How did you learn how to do that?” Jay asked.

  “My mother was from the Middle East and my father from Africa. Her ancestors were very spiritual and his practiced voodoo.”

  I looked at the basket of dolls. They were voodoo dolls!

  “It’s in my blood,” she continued. “I can’t tell the future. I only hear things from the other side.”

  I took a deep breath, and got right to the point of my visit. “You told me I was evil.” I felt a little embarrassed when Jay looked at me. I could feel his stare penetrating the air between us.

  Kamali merely nodded and gave no explanation.

  “Then Ursula told me that you said I had something attached to me.”

  “Yes.” She said it matter-of-fact, as if it were a normal thing.

  “Well…do you care to elaborate? What did you mean by that?”

  “Drink.”

  She was infuriating, but I did as she said. I didn’t want to make her mad. I blew on the surface of the tea and then took a sip. It was just the right temperature now and it was delicious.

  “Tell me,” Kamali said, “what’s been happening with you recently?”

  I squirmed uncomfortably in my seat.

  “What do you mean?” I asked.

  “You know.” Kamali raised her pointed brows even higher. Her huge dangling earrings reflected the light like a disco ball.

  I took another long drink to avoid answering her question. I finished the tea and then I began coughing. I thought I was going to choke.

  “What’s in this?” I gasped.

  Kamali reached for the empty cup. “Tea leaves,” she said. She stared into the cup. She was catatonic.

  When she finally spoke, it startled us.

  “I won’t ask again. Or you and your friend”—she looked at Jay—“can leave.”

  I swallowed and then told her about the apple. I told her about my dreams, my reflection in the mirror, and the mist that followed me. Jay didn’t even blink. He must’ve thought I was insane. What was I thinking, letting him come with me?

  She peered down again into the cup.

  “What are you doing?” I asked. “Aren’t you going to use your crystal ball, shuffle some tarot cards, or look at my palm or something?”

  “I’m reading your tea leaves.”

  Jay and I looked at each other. I waited for what felt like an eternity. “Well?”

  “The spirit that has attached itself to you is trying to get your attention. Don’t run away from it. It only wants to communicate.”

  “Oh, well, that’s a relief,” I said sarcastically. “Did you hear that, Jay? The spirit that has attached itself to me just wants to talk.” I took a deep breath and exhaled. “Is that it? Is that all you can tell me?”

  Kamali nodded.

  “Is it here with me right now?”

  Just then, one of her eerie straw-haired dolls tumbled to the floor and a stack of books toppled over. Jay and I jumped and then we looked at Kamali for an explanation.

  “Does that answer your question?” she said smugly. She continued, “You’ve been going down the wrong path, girl. You gonna have to get right.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “You’re going to have to face your demons.”

  “My demons?”

  She nodded. “We all have demons. They’re different for each of us. Only you know what they are.”

  “Why is this happening? Why now?”
/>   “I’m not sure, but…I feel another presence. I sense that someone else is involved somehow.”

  “What? Someone is doing this to me! Someone’s cursed me or put a hex on me?”

  “I didn’t say that,” said Kamali calmly.

  “But you don’t know for sure?”

  “True. I suppose it’s possible.”

  “You said you sensed someone else’s presence?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “You said the thing that is attached to me is trying to communicate.” I sprang from my chair and grabbed the doll off the floor. “I think it’s about time I started listening. Maybe someone is using one of these on me!”

  “Are you in pain? Have you been injured?”

  “No. But maybe they’re using it to mess with my mind—to make me think I’m going crazy.”

  This was good. I didn’t know how to deal with ghosts but I knew how to deal with people. I felt my fear melt and my anger spring forth. My brain kicked into overdrive. I really didn’t have what you would consider true enemies. I didn’t really have any true friends either. But I had frenemies. I immediately began forming a mental list of their names. Ava and Reanne were right at the top, and as much as I hated to admit it, so was Tori.

  The silence was awkward when we got back into Jay’s car.

  “Just say it,” I said.

  Jay took his eyes off the road for a second. “Say what?”

  “That you think this is insane and that I’m some sort of freakish mental case.”

  “I’m not going to say that because that’s not what I think.” He looked over his shoulder and changed lanes. “Honestly though, when that voodoo doll fell for no apparent reason and then the books, I was expecting someone to jump out with a camera and tell me I was being pranked on some TV show.”

  I laughed. “I know, right?”

  “So how exactly do you know Tamale?” I could tell he was trying to make me laugh.

  I giggled. “Kamali. She took care of my mom’s flowers for, like, a day. I don’t think she’s coming back though.”

  “So those things you mentioned, they really happened?”

  I whipped my head in his direction. “What? You don’t believe me?”

  “Would you calm down?” he barked. “I was with you just now when the doll and books fell, remember? What I meant to ask was—how are keeping it together as well as you are? I mean, your house is enormous, which is scary enough at night, but then mix in the supernatural. I would have moved out by now, I think. And you’re there alone a lot, too, aren’t you?”

  I turned my head to look out the window so he couldn’t see my face.

  “Hey,” he whispered and gave my shoulder a gentle nudge. “I didn’t make you mad, did I? I said I believed you. I mean it.”

  He waited a moment and then continued. “So do you really think someone you know could be behind all this?”

  I shook my head. “I don’t know what to believe anymore.”

  t was Friday, the day before my big party.

  I avoided my room last night and opted to sleep in the den. I guess it worked; nothing tried to communicate with me.

  I ran upstairs and quickly got myself ready. I threw on some blingy capris and a hot pink top, and then raced outside to meet Jay.

  Jay wasn’t there though. Mr. McKinney, our landscaper, was. He held up a pair of keys.

  “She’s all yours.” He smiled as he looked at the shiny little red BMW convertible that was parked next to him.

  My parents were gone. I didn’t see their cars. I didn’t see Jay’s either but it didn’t keep me from looking for him. Maybe he was parked at the barn. I looked out back but his car wasn’t there.

  I finally took the keys from Mr. McKinney and slid in. No camera flashes, no big red bow, no parents.

  “Happy birthday,” said Mr. McKinney as I drove away.

  I parked in the back of the lot so I could avoid some of the traffic. My car turned a few heads and I got a couple of happy birthdays tossed at me as I climbed out.

  Reanne caught me before I made it inside.

  “So did you talk to your dad yet?”

  I furrowed my brows. “About?”

  “About my car?” she hissed.

  Reanne was so self-absorbed. She hadn’t acknowledged my new car or even wished me a happy birthday.

  “Oh…yeah,” I lied.

  “And?”

  Her hair was orange and her freckles showed through her foundation. She was tall, too. Her height seemed to make it easy for her to be demanding. It annoyed me to no end.

  “He’s been superbusy. I guess just go in with your parents and have a look so you know what you even want. Then you can talk to him yourself.”

  “Oh, I already know what I want.” She looked down at me as she went to grab the handle of the door. “I think I’m going to go with a convertible BMW. Maybe red.” She gave me a catty smile and a cool gust of air from inside the school blew her pumpkin-colored locks around. “See ya tomorrow.”

  She looked like a witch. Check.

  She acted like a witch. Check.

  She hates me. Check.

  Reanne could definitely be the one who was out to get me. But, without me, she may not get a car, so that didn’t really make sense.

  I went to my locker and got ready for English.

  Ms. Jefferson had our desks put together in groups of four. She handed a sheet of manila paper to each group and a pack of markers. We worked together to dissect sentences in different colors.

  I didn’t have to think too much. Amber wrote the sentences in her very cute handwriting and Mason did the dissecting.

  “Happy birthday,” said Amanda.

  I tried to seem appreciative, but it was no use. “Thanks,” I said dryly.

  It was a little awkward. Surely Amanda knew about my party; everyone knew. But of course, not everyone was invited, especially her.

  I was gladder to get out of there than usual. Luckily, my other classes whizzed by and to my relief, I found Tori in the cafeteria and she was alone for a change.

  It took me a moment to find her. She usually wears her hair in a short, sophisticated black bob. But today she had it pulled up high in a stubby little ponytail. I almost didn’t recognize her.

  “Thanks for saving me a seat,” I said as I sat down next to her.

  She gave me a dirty look and moved her books to the other side of her.

  “So, are we good yet? Are you coming to my party or what?”

  She looked at me the most she had in days. “Sure,” she finally said.

  I started to smile but didn’t when Amanda sat down on the other side of Tori.

  “Hey,” said Amanda.

  “Hi!” Tori’s face lit up. She was like a freak’n puppy.

  I guessed this was going to become the norm. I clenched my teeth and took out my phone.

  Tori just moved to the top of my list. She practically hated me now. She never texted or called anymore. She barely even spoke to me. She definitely wasn’t concerned about whether or not I had a ride to school. She never even wished me a happy birthday.

  I couldn’t walk to my car fast enough. I noticed a tiny scratch on the front fender when I walked up. Great! As soon as I slammed the door, relief washed over me and almost brought tears to my eyes. As I went to start the engine, I noticed Jay’s car. The tiniest butterfly tickled my insides. I hadn’t seen him all day. I never do. I decided I would drive over and say hi.

  From out of nowhere, Ava ran up and slid in on the passenger side of his car. I drove straight home and went out to see Bear.

  There where lots of people working in the yard. A large white tent was now set up on the back lawn. I waved at my mom. She had a clipboard in one hand and she was pointing with the other. She smiled and continued to tell a small group of young men how she wanted the tables and chairs arranged.

  I gave Bear an apple that I had grabbed along the way. As usual, he was happy to see me.

  “I’m no
t going in that house alone,” I whispered in his ear. “So I’m just going to hang out here with you until my mom goes in.”

  Just then, one of my dad’s farm trucks roared to life from inside the garage. I was surprised to see Jay behind the wheel as it was backing out.

  He smiled when he saw me. I smiled back.

  He had the window down. “What are you doing?” I asked.

  “I have to run to the feed store. Bear needs a few bales and some oats.”

  “Oh.”

  “Is something wrong?” he asked.

  “No, it’s just that…well, I was hoping we could hang out some. You know like yesterday.”

  A lopsided grin touched his lips. It made me want to smack him.

  “Just forget it.” I turned on my heels and stormed off.

  “Wait a sec, Jess,” he called after me as he hopped out of the truck. I felt a tug at my wrist. I stopped and turned around.

  “We can hang out. I have to work though. You wanna come with me?”

  “It’s not that I want to go with you, it’s just that I don’t won’t to be alone in my house.”

  His smile faded. Good, I thought. That’ll teach him to think I actually liked him or something.

  “No offense,” I said with as much snark as I could muster.

  “Yeah, right.” He let out a deep breath of exasperation and turned to go.

  “Where are you going?”

  Without even turning around, he said, “I have work to do.”

  Oh no, I made him mad! Why do I do that?

  “Come on, if you’re coming.”

  I felt relieved. “I can’t go like this. Can’t I at least change first?”

  “I don’t care what you do as long as you hurry.”

  “Jay, wait a second.” He finally turned to look at me. “Will you come with me so I can change?”

  He raised his brows.

  “I don’t want to go into my house alone,” I enunciated.

  “What’s wrong with what you’re wearing? It’s not like you’re actually going to help me work.”

  “I might,” I said.

  “I’d like to see that.”

  “What, you think I’m lazy?”

  He just looked at me.

  “Well, are you going to come inside with me or not?”

  “I’m sure your dad would just love to have the guy he hired to work out back inside his house. In his daughter’s room, no less.”