by Rue Volley
Liv wagged his eyebrows. “So, what happened last night?”
The bridge of my nose wrinkled in disgust. “Nothing. Absolutely nothing.”
Court placed a hand on her hip. “So, you didn’t talk to him?”
I shook my head. “He waved, I waved, and then my brothers showed up. End of story.”
GG leaned in. “Bummer.”
I didn’t respond. I was afraid if I said anything at all, it may give them more ammo. I tightened my lip and fidgeted with my locker combination. It wouldn’t work, no matter what I did. I clutched the books to my chest and abandoned the idea of getting in my locker.
“Hey, listen. I wanted to talk to all of you about something last night before that boy interrupted everything.”
They all stared at me. At least I had their full attention now, but it was almost short-lived.
Court interjected. “I want to talk about those ghost hunters and Killian Porter because those are the two hot topics of the day.”
“Hot is right.” Liv turned to face me while adjusting his cuff. “Was Angel cute at all without all the—you know.” He circled his face with a rigid finger.
“I—well, he looked like a dad in the suburbs.”
“Mmm.” I should’ve known that wouldn’t deter him. “So, clean-cut?”
“Seriously, Liv. Stop. It’s not like you could date him. He’s so much older than you are.”
Liv placed his hand over his heart. “I’m very mature for my age.”
Both Court and GG giggled. He wasn’t amused.
I cleared my throat, “I put up a flyer.” While pointing toward the ceiling.
Court was confused. “For what?” she asked.
“A club,” I said with pride. There, I finally said it.
Liv’s eyes sparked. “Oh, what sort of club?” he moved closer to me.
“A dead one,” I added with a smirk.
GG stepped in front of me. “Tell me more.”
“Well,” I fidgeted, but there was no turning back now. “Books. I want to start a book club.”
“Oh,” Liv said as he leaned against the lockers.
I moved forward, feeling like I was losing them. “It’ll be all about romance, paranormal things, witchy stuff—and dead boys. Tons of those.” I added.
“Mmm.” Court said as she glanced at Liv and then back to me. “Okay. I’ll bite.”
“Dead boys? I like that,” GG repeated.
“So, you mean dead boys like the ones in the books, right? Because I’m not into zombies at all—I mean it. That’s totally gross.” Court clarified. It amused me.
“No zombies, just witches, warlocks, and vampires.”
Liv gave me a stern once-over. “What about ghosts?”
I bit my lip and shrugged my shoulder. “I never thought about ghosts as boyfriends, I mean they’re not able to touch anything, right?” I asked. Embarrassment stirred in me.
Liv chuckled. “Well, it all depends. I’ve read where you can do exorcisms and make them solid and not all translucent and stuff.”
I shook my head. “I don’t think that’s what happens.”
His expression darkened. “Have you never watched Beetlejuice?”
I smiled. “Of course, I have, but that’s a movie, not real life.”
“You’re extremely skeptical for someone who crushes on dead boys.”
“I’m not skeptical. I know that ghosts are real. We all do. All I’m saying is it would be hard to hold a ghost’s hand or—or—you know.”
Liv leaned into my ear. “I think the word you’re looking for is kiss.”
I blushed and fidgeted with one of my curls. It was true, all of it, but it sounded really bad. I tried to ignore it.
“We have our first meeting today at three-thirty, in the library.”
They all hesitated, and it made me nervous, but finally they nodded one by one, accepting the invitation, which offered such relief. I didn’t want to be in a club without them. I wouldn’t be able to do that. These are my friends. My favorite people. Each one of them can be somewhat annoying, and the whole dating thing had nearly ruined us, but they’re back, and instead of dwelling on that I need to move forward and be grateful.
“So, you put up a flyer, huh? To get more people?” GG asked with the twist of her foot. I don’t know if any of them were as excited as I was, but they agreed, and that was enough for me.
I shuffled my feet. “I guess so. I don’t know. I thought maybe there might be more kids here, like us, who love books.”
Court laughed. “No one loves books more than you do, Harper.”
I grinned. She was right.
“So—pizza day, right?” Liv said as they all began to walk toward the cafeteria. I still wasn’t hungry, but I joined them anyway, half jogging to catch up.
I grinned while the three of them chatted away.
I missed them so much.
More than I should, but I couldn’t help it.
Chapter Nine
We sat at the table with our fingers interlaced and feet tapping. Liv was the worst with his constant knee-knocking. I shot him a look, and he paused, but it didn’t last long.
The flyer had sat on the table in front of us for over fifteen minutes. I reached out and straightened it as if it would help. It felt like forever. The minutes passed by so slowly. Even the birds seem to hang in the cloudless sky right outside the large windows. My eyes locked onto them a few times, expecting to see butterflies swarming, but that’s just a dream—and the idea that other kids would be enticed to join us may also be the same.
I didn’t think anyone was coming to join us, which is somewhat discouraging. I thought for sure that we’d have other like-minded people in this school. Book lovers, like me. Like us.
It’s hard to imagine that we’re alone in this. Books are so incredibly generous—offering companionship when others fail you, offering laughter, tears—even hope. I can’t think of many things that give so freely, asking nothing in return.
“Honey—you might want to start the meeting.” GG sounded so compassionate. I appreciate it, but my heart sank. Just one new face would’ve been nice — just one.
It’s the wording—or lack thereof, I just know it. What seemed clever to me was easily overlooked by everyone in this school. Well, at least I have my friends here. Maybe someday the club will grow.
I resigned. “Yeah, I guess we should—”
Then the door opened, and he walked in.
He, being Killian.
He paused just as the light rained down on him from the window. He looked angelic, good—better than he had before. If I weren’t so grounded in reality, I would think he was a day walking vampire who had fed on something and was now basking in the afterglow. But no, that’s silly. He’s a Middling and nothing more. He reached up and tucked his shaggy hair behind his ear, exposing his bright blue eyes. They’re piercing blue, like the waters of the Caribbean. Nestled in thick dark lashes that only serve to accentuate how mesmerizing they really are.
He spotted me, and a hidden smile tugged at the corner of his full lips.
I looked down at the flyer, ready to snatch it up, but he was standing in front of the table before I could blink, going from slow motion to fast forward without warning.
Court kicked my foot under the table, so I flinched. He noticed. I don’t like that he notices everything I do. He shouldn’t. I parted my lips, and Liv stood up and extended his hand.
“Welcome to the club.”
I cleared my throat. Liv glanced down at me, and I straightened my shoulders.
“We have a few questions,” I spoke in an even tone, trying to hide any emotions that may be bubbling up. Liv rolled his eyes and sat back down, leaning toward me. “Seriously?” he whispered. “He’s the only person who’s even bothered to show—”
My eyes widened, so he leaned back in his chair, closing his mouth. I was shocked that it worked. Usually Liv is just a loose cannon, which he proved when he basically gave Killi
an a free pass. My mind wandered back to feeling that soft breeze rush along the side of my face. My jaw tightened.
I was forced to look at him. It didn’t help. “How many books have you read?”
Court raised a hand and dropped it when I glanced over at her. This is my club, and I only want serious people in it — people who feel like I do.
Like we do.
This isn’t a joke. Books mean as much to me as my friends do—as my family does! They are family, packed with so many wonderful characters and worlds. I live in them, so no—he isn’t going to join anything just because he looks like that, or smells good.
No.
“Hundreds,” he replied without blinking an eye.
I coughed, forced to tap my chest, while Liv grinned. His claim exasperated me.
“Hundreds?” I asked, steeped in skepticism. Surely, he was exaggerating.
He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, and the sunlight rushed across the metal charm resting against his skin. A pentagram. He either picked it up to look cool, or wears it for protection, but that can be a question for another time, maybe. Right now, I want information that proves he isn’t lying.
I tilted my head. “Name some.”
He wasn’t going to roll in here, tossing out huge statistics like that without some sort of proof.
He rubbed his chin, and his eyes narrowed. I leaned in, ready to tell him thanks, but no thanks, and then he started.
“War and Peace, Hamlet, Lolita, The Catcher in the Rye, The Divine Comedy, Heart of Darkness, Catch-22, 1984, The Trial, The Sun Also Rises—”
I interrupted him. “Paranormal books.” I know I'm awful, I can feel it, but I couldn’t stop testing him. Part of me wanted him to fail, and the other part? Well, that part of me wanted more than I should. It fueled the flames and set my lips in a hard, straight line. Maybe I can make him leave. It felt like a challenge.
GG bumped me, but he was just naming off really popular books, like the top ones that were easy enough to memorize.
He cleared his throat and tapped his chest. “Okay—Dead Until Dark, Mortal Instruments, Beautiful Creatures, Fallen, anything, and I mean anything, Holly Black, A Discovery of Witches, Kiss of Midnight, Harry Potter—”
“Which one?” I wanted clarification.
“HP?” he asked. I nodded.
He leaned in. “All, and I own every variant cover, too — US and UK, soft and hardcover, which isn’t easy. I may even start getting the ones in other languages. I mean, why not? A collection isn’t complete without everything they offer, right?”
My stomach tightened. Maybe he did know his books.
I swallowed hard; the test was not done. “I’ve never tried to keep a specific person alive before, and it’s much more troublesome than I would have believed—”
He finished for me. “But that’s probably just because it’s you. Ordinary people seem to make it through the day without so many catastrophes.”
I bit my lip. Court leaned forward. “What was that?” she asked.
“First base,” Liv muttered.
My cheeks reddened. It wasn’t, and he could stop.
GG smiled. “It was from Twilight when Edward was speaking to Bella.” She clasped her hands together. GG loves her Edward. I couldn’t blame her.
I bit my bottom lip then released it. “The world was a tomb to me.”
He placed his hands on the table and leaned forward. Liv, Court, and GG moved in closer to him. I held my ground when his eyes locked onto mine then lowered to my lips as he spoke. “A graveyard of broken statues and each statue resembled her face.”
Liv snapped his fingers. “Um—um—Interview with the Vampire!” He was right, but neither Killian or I acknowledged him. We were locked in a battle now. I was determined to trip him up, and he was refusing to back down.
I dug deeper. “Mortals. I envy you. You think you can change things. Undo what was long before you came along.”
He lowered, so we were now eye level, and finished my sentence. “You are such beautiful creatures.” It made me uncomfortable. The words—how close he was to me—all of it.
The room was silent. No giggling, no breathing. I think Liv, GG, and Court were just as spellbound as I was, but someone had to break it.
I leaned back, taking the flyer with me. “We’ll let you know,” I spoke calmly without trying to make eye contact with him.
“You’re in,” Liv said. Court nodded, and GG stared at me in shock, raising her brows.
Did I say I missed my friends? Because I may have spoken too soon.
“Are you guys sure?” he asked while staring a hole through me. I cleared my throat and gave a small nod. I was outnumbered, so I might as well give in. It wouldn’t matter if I fought it, they’d pressure me until he was allowed to stay anyway. Clearly, they’re obsessed with him.
I’m not. He’s annoying. That’s all. I’ve come to a conclusion with Killian Porter. Sure, he may be pretty and all, and he knows his books—you know what? That’s a huge whatever. A lot of people can memorize things, but does that mean that he knows what they mean?
I straightened my shoulders while adjusting in my chair. “Well, I guess we should get started.”
He smiled while grabbing a chair and flipping it backwards. He took a seat, gripping the back of the chair. Heathen. He can’t even sit right. I should’ve known. I tried my best to focus on the task at hand and not him. Never him.
The title of stalker is NOT a good thing.
He hid a laugh behind the side of his hand.
Is he mocking me? I think he is.
I glared at him and then retrieved my bag, producing a few pieces of paper. I had made more than I needed. I guess I was hopelessly optimistic that there would be a rush of kids who wanted to join us. Instead, I got this: one Killian and a churning stomach. I pressed my hand against my stomach as his eyes lowered. I know he can’t see through the table, but his soft expression said otherwise.
“Are you okay?” he asked in a half-whisper.
Why does he have to be so caring? I don’t need his attention or help. I’m fine on my own. I didn’t start this, so I get a boyfri—I paused. Well, came to a dead stop, really.
Killian is NOT BF material. No, he isn’t! He’s mortal — the exact opposite of what I always wanted. I cringed inwardly.
This is my club. My idea—well, my mom’s, but whatever. I have a plan here, and he isn’t going to disrupt it with those bright blue eyes, perfect jawline, messy hair that falls just the right way—or—or—that mouth.
He’s grinning. I blinked. Was I staring at him?! Great! Sure, Killian Porter, keep on smiling! And what kind of name is that, anyway? Could it be any cuter?
I jumped in my seat when GG touched my arm and whispered in my ear, “Are you okay, Harper?”
I handed the pieces of papers out, one by one, and when he took it, we paused. He stared at me with those piercing blue eyes. I was momentarily distracted but recovered as quickly as I could. I let his piece of paper go and set the remaining ones down in front of me.
Court tilted her head and inspected the piece of paper in her hand. “What’s this?”
I ran my fingers across the smooth surface of the paper, my gaze lifted, and he was still staring at me. I adjusted in my chair. He can stop. I’m not interested.
I’m.
NOT.
Interested.
“It’s a pledge.” My voice cracked, not from nerves. Nope.
“Cool,” Liv spoke up, making me feel better about making it.
“So, this will be your promises to the club,” I added while avoiding direct eye contact with Killian. “All clubs have them.”
GG nodded. “Should we say it together?” she asked.
I half grinned. “That would be cool.” I adjusted in my chair again. It did make me happy that she suggested it because that’s what I wanted. Killian had thrown me off, just like he did in the cemetery. Just like he does every single moment he looks at me.
So, we all lifted the papers in our hands and began to speak as one, making a promise that I had written in the middle of the night, half-asleep. I hoped that it made sense, I guess we’ll see.
“I—there was a blank spot, so I waited as they each said their names—promise to always treat my books as I want to be treated. To never keep a good book to myself. To collect and care for as many print books as I can. To be loyal to and love my fellow club members, and to help The Dead Boy’s Club grow each and every year.”
I took a breath, hoping nobody wouldn’t start laughing. They didn’t, so I finished.
“Now say it with me. The only good club is a dead one!”
Everyone smiled, including me. The pledge sounded cool, much better than I expected. They also embraced every word, taking it seriously, which I also appreciated. I reached down and grabbed my bag, and pulled out a few small cards that I had made on construction paper. I handed everyone a card and watched them inspect it.
I had drawn a skull with flowers and some cobwebs. I even added two butterflies, one yellow, one purple. I had to include them. I kept dreaming about them every single night, along with that shadowy figure who seemed to be beckoning me into the light.
All it said on the front was THE DEAD BOYS CLUB, and then it had “Official Member” on the back along with “The only good club is a dead one.” I tried to make them look professional, but now I wasn’t so sure until each one of them perked up while flipping the cards over in their hands.
I was proud of how much I had done without much artistic talent. I don’t draw—usually, but I’m a firm believer that if you really want something, then you’ll make it happen.
Liv lifted the card and grinned. “I love this, Harper!”
GG and Court agreed, and Killian gave me a nod before shoving it in his pocket.
“Thanks.” I stared down at my card. I guess it was sorta cool, after all.
“The Dead Boy’s Club,” Killian said. “Very clever name. I guess it’s all about book boyfriends?”
Court just had to chime in. “Or girlfriends, of course.” I glanced at her, of course, she was looking at me. I was forced to adjust in my chair. I’m not GF material any more than a Middling is BF material for me.