Krysta's Curse

by West, Tara

  “Let me guess,” AJ laughed, narrowing her crystal blue eyes, “they’re going to crash with you for a while until they find a new cemetery?”

  Well, at least someone thought this was funny. AJ acted the tough jock, but I knew her wise cracks were just a way to avoid dealing with real feelings.

  “No.” I shook my head. “They’re still at that cemetery. The mall developers just moved the tombstones and left the bodies.”

  “Gross. I’m not eating at that food-court.” Sophie stuck out her tongue.

  I wondered if she knew she had just shown the world her French fry residue.

  “What?” AJ jabbed Sophie in the shoulder. “Are you afraid you’ll find an old finger in your French fries?”

  “Hey, Krysta.”

  My drink froze midway to my mouth at the sound of that familiar voice. The commanding way he said my name was almost like he was making me take notice, but I didn’t need any prodding to notice Bryon Thomas. The boy was gorgeous. He had short blond hair, spiked with the perfect amount of gel. And those clear blue eyes. I just wanted to die every time I looked at him. And he was my new lab partner!

  “Hey, Bryon.” I casually turned in his direction. He was standing just a few feet behind me munching on a cookie while he selected a coke out of the vending machine.

  “How do you know Bryon?” Sophie leaned over and whispered behind a frozen smile.

  I shifted in my seat, trying not to act too excited. “He’s my new lab partner.”

  AJ wagged her eyebrows. “He’s a hottie.”

  “We know what kind of chemistry you’ll be working on.” Sophie snickered.

  Hoping Bryon couldn’t hear my shameless friends, I knew I must have been turning ten shades of red. Just as I was giving them the “shut up or die” stare, I felt his familiar heat behind me. I turned back around. His gorgeous tanned arms were folded across his chest while he clutched an unopened soda.

  “Tonight at seven, right?”

  Feeling quite awkward that my face was level with his belt buckle, I craned my neck to look up at him.

  A few cookie crumbs were pasted to the right side of his mouth. It took all my willpower not to reach up and wipe them off. I had imagined myself caressing his lips for way too long and I’d make a complete fool of myself if I stared much longer.

  “Yeah, about tonight.” I shifted again, trying to shake loose the nerves that shot cold heat through my veins whenever Bryon was near. “I was wondering if we could study at your house.”

  “No. My dad’s got some clients coming over and wants me out of his hair.”

  “I understand.” Biting my bottom lip, I had to come up with a plan. What if they showed up when we were studying? “Maybe we could go to a café or something.”

  Bryon sat next to me and I nearly jumped out of my skin. Unfortunately, only my hair was doing the jumping. That invisible light socket attached to my head zapped a piece of frizz out of place and I tucked it behind my headband with shaky fingers.

  “Those places are always too noisy. What’s wrong with your house?” Bryon popped the lid on his drink and took a swallow, but not before shooting me a heated glance with his icy eyes.

  He was so close to me, I could almost inhale the fizz from his soda. He smelled so sweet, kind of like a fresh batch of cookies. The warmth radiating from his body turned my brain to mush. Every nerve ending in my body was doing back flips and my tongue felt like a dead-weight in my mouth.

  “Nothing, it’s just…”

  “Great, I’ll see you tonight.” Bryon squeezed my arm before getting up and walking away.

  Looking at the fading imprint of Bryon’s fingers on my skin, I felt as if I was melting.

  I mean, yeah, expecting a hottie like Bryon to like a short, frizzy-haired girl was a long shot, but I had a right to dream. Besides, we had a lot in common. He had good taste in clothes, and I heard he lived with his dad, just like me.

  “What if your friends show up while you’re studying?”

  AJ’s question brought me back to reality. What if they did show up? If I told them to go away, Bryon would think I was insane for talking to myself. So what if I told him the truth? He’d think I was insane for having ghost friends. Either way, I was screwed.

  Chapter Three

  “Holy crap!” Nearly jumping off the toilet, I threw down my Cosmo at the sight of the two dead people hovering above me. “Can’t a girl get a little privacy?”

  Ed nudged Gertrude before pointing at me. “This one’s got a mouth on her.”

  Gertrude planted hands on her hips, her eyes taking on a supernatural glow. “Nothin’ a good bar of lye soap won’t fix.”

  “It’s not my fault you scared me.” Hastily wiping, I jerked up my pants.

  Snickering, Ed shook his head. “You said youz used ta dead folk.”

  Feeling the heat rising in my cheeks, I flipped my hair behind my shoulder, trying to forget my total embarrassment. “Not when I’m on the toilet.”

  “Sorry, miss.” Ed’s smile quickly faded. “But this couldn’t wait.”

  “Yep.” Gertrude moaned. “We got some terrible news.”

  “Look.” I blew out a breath, mentally counting to three. How could I put it nicely that I really didn’t care? I had my own problems. “Tonight’s kind of bad. You see, I’ve got this hot guy coming over and—”

  “A parking lot.” Ed’s deep voice bellowed, rattling the cosmetics I’d laid out on the sink. Creepy. The action reminded me of how ghosts could make things fly across the room, even though their spirits weren’t solid.

  An eerie tremor shot through my insides and that familiar chill raced up my spine. “What?” I choked out through a shiver.

  “You know.” Ed threw up his arms. “Where you pen those motor cars.”

  How could I be creeped out by this guy? He was too dorky. “Look,” I sighed, “I know what a parking lot is.”

  “Did ya know that’s what they’re puttin’ on us?” He shot his fist in the air. “Right next ta that big tradin’ post.”

  I bit my lip to keep from laughing. “It’s called a mall.”

  “I don’t give a damn what you call it.” Ed fumed. “They got no right tearin’ up my tombstone.”

  Once again, his voice shook the room. Only this time, my eye shadow shattered on the floor.

  “Now, Ed, don’t go breakin’ all her face paints.” Gertrude scolded.

  I bent over, scraping up what was left of the makeup that cost me two weeks babysitting money. My turn to get mad! “I’m really sorry, but this isn’t my problem,” I spat.

  “Ain’t your problem!” Ed’s scream rattled the walls so hard the medicine cabinet on the wall flew open, spilling the contents into the sink.

  “I can’t stop that mall. I’m only fourteen,” I raged. Was this lunatic determined to break everything in my bathroom?

  “Hogwash!” Ed thrust a fist into the air.

  “I was already married when I was your age.” Gertrude laughed.

  “Well, things have changed, thank God, so could you please leave? My study partner is coming over and I really don’t want him to know I talk to dead people.”

  Grabbing a grocery bag from under the sink, I quickly scooped in the contents from the medicine cabinet.

  Totally absorbed in getting my bathroom clean before Bryon came over, I had momentarily forgotten the annoying dead people behind me.

  Then Ed loudly cleared his throat, although what he was clearing I didn’t know. After all, he didn’t have real lungs anymore.

  “S’pose we don’t leave.” Ed clung to each word slowly, as if he enjoyed the flavor of each syllable.

  He couldn’t be serious! Turning to the ghosts, I felt my jaw twitch in annoyance at their silly grins. “Excuse me?”

  “Seein’ how we got booted from our graveyard, I think we’ll make ourselves at home right here.” Ed made a point of looking around the entire bathroom and resting his good eye on an orderly shelf of lotions. Was he threa
tening my moisturizers?

  Stepping in front of the lotions, I barred Ed’s path before he destroyed any more of my stuff. I could feel my heart racing wildly. Bryon would be here any minute and I hadn’t even retouched my makeup.

  “No, you have to go. Do you want my study partner to think I’m a freak?” I tried to fan them away, like they were clouds of smoke, but they just continued to stare like idiots.

  At the familiar sound of a distant chime, my blood froze. “The doorbell!”

  Crossing her arms across her chest, Gertrude tapped her foot. “Then promise you’ll help us.”

  “I can’t.” Turning toward the mirror, I made a hasty attempt to smooth my unruly hair.

  “Suit yerself.” Ed shrugged.

  The deep, muffled sound of a familiar voice assailed my ears.

  “Oh-mi-god!” I shrieked. “I hear Bryon. Dad must have let him in.”

  “Krysta, your friend is here.” My dad spoke through the door. “You can study in your room if you leave the door open.”

  “NO!” I yelled at the door. Facing the ghosts, I turned my lips in to a pout and batted my eyes. “Please leave. What if I find you an old house to haunt?”

  “We want our graveyard back,” Ed answered evenly.

  “Who are you talking to?”

  I jumped, dropping the contents from the medicine cabinet on the floor.

  Bryon was on the other side of the door.

  “Nobody.” I tried to sound casual, but I could feel the shakiness in my voice. “Go wait in the living room. I’ll be right out.” I kneeled, and once again, scooped makeup into the bag.

  “Your dad and your sister are watching a movie in the living room,” Bryon said.

  I rolled my eyes. Dad’s newest girlfriend looked like she’d just graduated high school. “She’s not my sister.”

  “Oh. You okay?”

  Even through the door, I could feel Bryon’s sincerity. Any other guy wouldn’t have asked if I was okay, but Bryon was different. That’s why I’d been thrilled when Mrs. Jackson made him my study partner. I couldn’t tell him why I was still stuck in the bathroom, though; I needed an excuse.

  “Yeah, I’m just putting on my ghosts,” I blurted. “Your what?”

  The old people laughed hysterically.

  How childish. Weren’t they like 200 by now? When were they going to grow up?

  Don’t be an idiot, Krysta. Calm down, breathe.

  “My clothes. I just took a shower and I’m putting on my clothes.”

  Nice save.

  “Okay, I’ll clear off your desk and get started.” Listening to the sound of Bryon’s retreating footsteps, I breathed a sigh of relief, slumping my back against the door. When Ed and Gertrude floated through me and into my bedroom, my pulse jumped. Not cool. They were going to mess with him.

  “Get back here!” I threw open the door, running smack into Bryon’s chest.

  Stunned, I looked up into the palest blue eyes I’d ever seen. A girl could get lost in the heat of his gaze. Until I remembered them.

  Bryon quirked a brow. “I didn’t go anywhere.” “Oh.” Totally embarrassed, I stepped back and felt the flames race up my chest and across my cheeks. He must have thought I was yelling at him.

  Hearing Ed’s chuckle, I stole a quick glance at the ceiling and spotted them hovering above Bryon’s head. I bit my bottom lip.

  Please don’t do anything I’ll regret.

  Resting his chin in his hand, Bryon smothered a laugh while looking at my midsection. “You forgot to zip.”

  “Ho!” My feet made a hasty about-face, while I struggled with the zipper which was caught in my underwear. Grimacing, I recalled my response just a few seconds ago. What does ‘ho’ mean, anyway? Get it together, Krysta.

  Turning around, I brushed my hand through my hair, a lame attempt at looking cool, but Bryon wasn’t looking at me. His head jerked from side to side before he turned in circles, reminding me of AJ’s dog, Patches, whenever he chased his tail.

  Mortified, I watched as Ed and Gertrude spun circles around Bryon so fast their translucent forms had turned to glowing flashes of light.

  After what felt like an eternity, a stabbing pain in my chest reminded me that I had stopped breathing. I tried to inhale, but air was only coming in gasps.

  A few more rotations and Bryon stopped, looking at me with a glazed-over expression. “Do you feel that?”

  “What?” I stammered.

  The ghosts were, once again, hovering above my lab partner, holding their stomachs with shouts of laughter.

  Clenching my fists, I shot the pair a heated glare, warning them to leave Bryon alone. Although, really, how could I have stopped them?

  “I don’t know.” Bryon scratched his head. “It felt like a breeze, a really cold breeze.”

  “I think it’s the air conditioner.” I shrugged, chewing on my lower lip.

  “Maybe you should turn it down.”

  “I can’t. It’s broken and we’re waiting for the apartment manager to fix it.” The perfect excuse to get Bryon out of my apartment and away from the ghosts.

  “That sucks.” Raising his eyebrows, Bryon scanned the room.

  For the first time, I worried what Bryon thought about my home. Did he think me uncool because I lived in a run-down apartment? My dad had a crappy job as a graveyard shift security guard. I had heard rumors Bryon’s dad was rich. I followed Bryon’s gaze as they rested on a stack of crates holding my old laptop computer.

  Smiling softly, his gaze found mine.

  Was that pity I saw in his eyes? Even without Sophie here, I could figure out what he was thinking. Poor kid can’t afford real furniture or keep her pants zipped.

  Suddenly, I felt very small, like I was shrinking into the carpet. If only I could. I knew getting Bryon interested in me could be challenging. Making him feel sorry for me was not the way I wanted to do it.

  Bryon pulled on his jacket. “Didn’t you say there was a coffee house down the street?”

  Thinking he was desperate to escape my ghetto home, I nodded toward the door. “Yeah, maybe we should go study there.”

  “Sure.” He rubbed his arms. “It’s too cold here. I don’t know how you sleep like this.”

  “If you only knew.” I sighed and followed him to the door, leering at the annoying spirits from the corner of my eye.

  Before turning out the lights, I caught Ed’s toothless grin and Gertrude’s lopsided smile. Would they tag along? Maybe going there wasn’t such a hot idea. Oh, the tricks they could play with hot coffee.

  Chapter Four

  As we entered Mocha Madness, I scanned the area for the ghosts.

  All clear—so far.

  Would they really come here and ruin my entire evening with Bryon?

  Sighing, I rubbed my temples in frustration, a habit I usually saw AJ doing whenever she was pissed. Maybe it would relieve my ever-growing headache. Dropping my book bag on one of the four empty tables, I headed to the counter where Sunny was cleaning coffee pots while swearing.

  I don’t know who thought to name her Sunny. She was a Goth who never smiled. Her arms were covered in skull tattoos, which I was pretty sure were fake because they seemed to move to new locations each time I saw her.

  Looking at Bryon, I could see he already had his eyes on the pastries. He was kneeling in front of the glass case, licking his lips and looking too cute.

  Mocha Madness had the best desserts ever, but I rarely ordered any sweets. I had to watch my weight if I wanted to pursue a career in modeling. Besides, their desserts were expensive.

  Leaning over Bryon, my gaze followed the direction of his transfixed stare. He was looking at the triple chocolate chunk, peanut butter brownies topped with marshmallow crème. Sounded kind of like too much of a good thing, but they were awesome. They sure had Bryon under a spell. I couldn’t help but feel a little jealous. What chance did a short, frizzy-haired girl stand against triple chocolate heaven?

  Bryon put his hand
on the glass. “Come to Papa,” he whispered.

  “Do you want one of those brownies?” I asked, unable to refrain from smiling.

  Jerking his head up, he flashed me an impish grin. “Heck, yeah!”

  I couldn’t refrain from laughing out loud. “Anything to drink?”

  “Yes.” He nodded before turning his gaze back to the chocolate bliss. “A tall double-mocha latte.”

  “I’ll have the usual.” Rising, I called to Sunny’s back. “Got that, Sunny?”

  “Sure,” she mumbled without turning around.

  I knew she’d heard me, but I still wanted to get a response from her. She liked to play this fantasy game that she was the only person in the room.

  Usually, I didn’t mind.

  Mocha Madness was a small espresso bar. Tucked away in the back of the run-down shopping center down the street from my apartment, it didn’t get much business. I liked it that way. I could escape here after school whenever my dad brought home a new ‘friend’. Dad and his barely legal girl toy were usually nice to me at first, but I caught on real fast that Dad wanted me out of the picture.

  I’d ask for ten bucks to go eat and then I’d disappear to Mocha Madness, drink a diet soda and read my magazines. The system worked to my advantage because I usually pocketed about nine dollars each time. I already had this totally adorable handbag on layaway. With just ten more visits to Mocha Madness, the purse was mine.

  Sitting at our little table in the corner, I opened my chemistry book and turned to page seven. We had a test this Friday and chemistry really wasn’t my thing. Luckily, it was just the Periodic Table of the Elements. Seemed easy enough, but how would I be able to keep all those letters in my head without getting totally mixed up? So far, the only one I could remember was oxygen.

  When Bryon sat next to me, I nearly jumped from my seat. He sat next to me every day in class, so why was he having this effect on me now? Something about his nearness in this deserted café had my nerves on edge.