“I’ve seen crazier things,” I said. “I guess we’re all crazy.”
“Let’s toast to that,” Pam said, “and to digging deeper into Mount Park Manor.”
We clinked our glasses, and Shantel joined in with her bottled water.
“You guys are pretty cool,” Shantel said.
“You should hang out with us more often,” I said, smiling.
Shouts escalated, and I could hear two people having a heated argument.
“Somebody’s not very happy,” Pam said.
I listened intently. “Is that Hunter, fighting with the principal?”
She bit her lip hard. “I think so, but you shouldn’t get involved. He’s a big boy. He can take care of himself.”
Ignoring her advice, I raced out of the room and down the corridor to the principal’s office. I didn’t know the guy too well and had only said hi to him in passing. He was a tall guy with dark hair and dark eyes, about forty years old.
A minute later, Hunter stormed out of his office.
“Hunter, what’s wrong?”
“The principal thinks I broke his precious vase, and now he’s threatening to put me on medication.”
“What!?”
“He thinks I’m hallucinating because I blamed a ghost for breaking his precious antiques. First, he accused me of being on drugs, and now he’s threatening to put me on them! The man’s a hard-headed idiot!”
Mr. Rowens stepped out of his office. “Miss Sanders, I would like a word with you…alone.”
“Talking to him is useless,” Hunter whispered in my ear. “If you tell him anything about ghosts, he’ll wanna put you on meds too.”
I nodded.
“I’ll catch you later, Zoey.” He turned and walked down the hall, still genuinely upset.
I walked into the principal’s office and sat down in a large velvet chair in front of his oversized desk.
“I noticed you and Hunter have been spending quite a bit of time together.”
“We’re friends,” I said.
His gaze narrowed. “Maybe you should choose your friends more wisely. Hunter is a troublemaker. I think it’s best you stay away from.”
“A troublemaker? A vase gets broken, and you start labeling students with names like that?” “I’ve seen his records, Miss Sanders, and you haven’t. He is not as perfect as you think.”
“Then why’d you let him into the school?”
He pondered, as if taken back by my question. “That is private information that I cannot discuss with you.”
“Yet you can jump into my private life and tell me who I can’t be friends with?”
“You’re crossing a fine line, and I’d be careful if I were you. Your record isn’t spotless either. After Hurricane Katrina, you showed signs of self-destructive behaviors.”
“I’m far from perfect… I’m sorry, sir. But I don’t want to talk about this anymore.” I glanced down at the ground as I pondered.
“I can’t help but notice that there’s something on your mind. Please feel to share. Mount Park Manor has an open-door policy. You can tell me anything.”
“Well, I have been wondering about something, but…”
“What is it, Miss Sanders?”
“Well, it seems most of the students here have less-than-commendable records. I wonder how we all got into such a prestigious school, considering that.”
“We give everyone the benefit of the doubt. I choose to help the less fortunate because I believe there’s hope for everyone, not just the rich and privileged.”
“I understand, sir.”
“Hunter claims the vase flew off the ledge of the fireplace on its own or from some unseen force. Have you experienced anything of that nature during your time here? Anything odd or seemingly paranormal?”
“What?” I asked, feigning shock. I didn’t want to lie, so I just pretended I knew nothing.
“You haven’t? I thought so.” He stood. “Thanks for your time, Zoey. I think we’re all done here for now.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Just remember why you’re here. Concentrate and focus all your energy on your schoolwork and curriculum. We made a promise to you to help you get into the best colleges, so you should take every advantage of this unique opportunity.”
“I want that more than anything.”
“If that is true, you should consider staying away from Hunter. I won’t stand for romantic entanglements in my school. I promised your parents I’d keep you safe, and that includes keeping you away from troublemakers.”
“Thanks, sir. I’ll think about what you’ve said.” I turned and walked out of the office and raced right to Hunter’s room, ignoring every word the principal had said. I knocked, but he didn’t answer. I knocked again, harder this time.
“He’s not there,” Brad said, coming up the corridor. “We’ve been looking for him, too, but nobody seems to know where he went.”
“I know!” I said, darting down the corridor, down the steps, and outside. I hurried through the woods and found him sitting at his special spot, on the giant rock in the middle of the stream.
“I didn’t think you’d come,” he said. “I figured he tried to poison you against me.”
I stood along the edge of the river. “Nothing could possibly do that, Hunter—especially not some principal’s lame speech.”
He jumped off the large stone and stepped across medium-sized rocks in the riverbed to reach me. “I didn’t break that vase, Zoey. I was in the living room, and the thing just went flying. He said it was worth thousands of dollars, but I didn’t break it.”
“I know that, Hunter. Weird things have been happening to us ever since we got here.”
“I’ll leave this castle before I’ll go on any meds,” he said.
“Hunter,” I pleaded, “please don’t say things like that.” I needed him, and the thought of him deserting me was more terrifying than any ghost I’d seen or heard. “I can’t stay here without you.”
“My bad reputation seems to catch up with me no matter where I go. There’s no escaping it, Zoey. Depending on who you ask, I’m either a lunatic or troublemaker—sometimes both.”
“Let ‘em believe what they want,” I said.
He sucked in a breath, then let it out slowly. “I’m not crazy, Zoey. I’ve acted out in anger before and have done horrible things, but I’m not crazy. I’ve been trying to change and become a better person.”
“You don’t need to change a thing, Hunter. You’re the most wonderful person I know.”
He cupped my face, emotion pouring out. “I’m broken, Zoey.”
I touched his hand that was resting against my face. “Who isn’t?”
He took a deep breath, then continued, “You couldn’t begin to fix me.”
“Who says you need fixing?” I said. “Perfection is overrated anyway. For me, you’re perfect just the way you are. I want you for you, the guy I’m staring at this very second.”
“When I asked my last girlfriend why she wanted to dump me, she said I’m beautifully flawed, a train wreck, and a beautiful disaster. Then she kissed me on the lips and walked away.”
I gripped his hands. “Who doesn’t mess up along the way? I know I have, a million times. I just jump to my feet and get back up.”
“Life has thrown many disappointments at me. Sometimes I think I’m…”
“Misunderstood?”
His lips pressed into a grim line. “Yes.”
“Me too. Welcome to the Land of Teenage Angst.”
Our eyes connected, and we held the gaze for a long moment before he embraced me in a tight hug. “I don’t know what I’d do without you. You’re the only one who gets me.”
“You get me too,” I said. “We can’t use our mistakes as an excuse to avoid getting back up. Hunter, we can’t undo the past, but we can always start over again.”
“Let’s forget all about our pasts.”
“And begin again…together,” I said softly. “Do yo
u believe in fresh starts, in new beginnings?”
“Yeah, and that’s some powerful stuff.”
“Just remember, life is what you make it.” I squeezed his hand and victoriously led the way.
Chapter 12
Hunter walked me back to my room. Every second, I felt more connected to him, more comfortable with Hunter. I stepped closer, looking at him expectantly, hoping he’d get the hint, sparking him to kiss me. My heart beat faster. I wished he knew how much I wanted to kiss him, but I feared I’d seem too easy if I made the first move. I nervously fiddled with my hands for a few more seconds and waited for him to lean in, but he was the perfect gentlemen and simply pecked me on the cheek, then went on his merry way.
A little while later, a knock at my door woke me up. I threw on my robe and shuffled over to the door in my slippers, assuming it was Hunter or Pam.
“Zoey, I’m hearing that little girl again,” Shantel said. “I need to know I’m not crazy.”
“Where are the sounds coming from?” I anxiously asked.
“I followed her outside.”
“Give me a sec’.”
“What are you planning to do?”
“I’m going to find her.”
“We’ll need flashlights,” she said.
“Meet me in the hall in five minutes,” I said. I rushed back into my room, slipped into a pair of jeans and t-shirt, then threw on some tennis shoes. I opened the door, but Shantel wasn’t there. “Shantel?”
Across the hall, her door opened, and she was fully dressed. “Here,” she said, handing me a flashlight.
“Let’s go.” I raced down the winding stairs, past the knight. As soon as I opened the door, a burst of cold air hit me in the face. I stepped outside and glanced around in the darkness.
She motioned toward the woods. “She went that way.”
As I looked in that direction, I saw a white, shadowy figure dancing around the vegetation. I squinted and made out the eerie outline of a little girl. Then the giggling started. Without hesitation, I darted toward her, running to the edge of the woods as fast as my legs could carry me. I stopped by the giant statues and felt totally intimated by the darkness. When a hand gripped my shoulder, I jumped, my heart racing a million miles a minute.
“Sorry,” Shantel said. “I was right behind you.”
I gasped between breaths. “I’m guessing she came from the graveyard.”
“Oh man! That’s crazy. You’re not seriously considering following her in there?”
“I need answers, Shantel.”
“Me too.”
“Still think it’s just a figment of our imagination or some drug-induced nightmare?”
She met my gaze straight on. “I still don’t think it’s real.”
“Let’s find out,” I said.
Her eyes widened, and I could feel my own knees shaking. I was terrified as I stared at the guardians of the forest. Shantel grabbed my arm, nudging me along. I waved the flashlight beam back in forth in front of us, trying to watch in every direction.
“Are we nuts or what?” I said.
“Ironically, I’m out here to prove I’m not.”
Moonlight poured in through the trees. Something skittered in the leaves and trees, and I clung to Shantel’s arm in a death grip. When we saw an eerie figure in the distance, we followed it.
“Maybe we should get Hunter,” I said.
“No, we’re here now. There’s no going back.”
I swallowed hard. “The graveyard is right over there.”
“Are you sure you wanna do this?”
“I’m sure. I need to know.”
“I’m scared of what we might see.”
“But I thought you didn’t believe in ghosts,” I said.
“I don’t, but I have no idea what kind of drugs might be in my system or what my mind will conjure up in this dark forest.”
“Shantel, they’re not drugging us.”
We walked through the vegetation and into the graveyard. She pulled me in and glanced around as a thick, white mist swirled all around us.
“Oh my gosh! I’ve completely lost my mind,” she exclaimed. “This confirms it.”
“You’re not crazy,” I said.
“I beg to differ, Zoey. We’re standing in a graveyard in the middle of the night.”
I waved my flashlight beam around. “Elizabeth!” I called. “Where are you?”
“Why can’t she communicate with us in the castle? Why bring us out here?” Shantel asked, her voice wavering.
“Maybe she doesn’t feel safe talking to us in there.”
“And what’s that supposed to mean?” She pointed back toward the castle. “We sleep in there, Zoey.”
“I think it’s safer out here,” I whispered. “I feel more at ease beyond those walls.”
“Please fill me in on what you’ve learned.”
“I think good and evil exist in the castle, one always trying to overtake the other, with us caught in the middle.”
“You’re crazy,” she said. “It’s official. I’m standing outside with a lunatic.”
“I wish I could be like you,” I said.
“What do you mean?”
“You have the luxury of disbelief.”
“How can you believe in any of this? You know what? I’m not scared. We’re just standing in the woods in the dark. It’s no big deal. And who cares if we’re in a cemetery? Everyone here is long dead and gone and can’t hurt us.” She spun around. “Hey, ghosts, I’m not scared of you. Do your thing! I dare you to prove me wrong!”
Nothing happened.
“See?” she said. She then spun around and yelled into the air, “You’re not even real!” She turned to meet my gaze. “I’m glad I came out here. It really puts my mind at ease.”
I took a few steps around and was suddenly overcome with an odd feeling, as if we weren’t alone anymore. “Do you feel that?” I asked the skeptic.
She put her hands in her pockets and spun around slowly.
“You brought me out here!” I yelled. “What do you want? I’m here and waiting.”
Suddenly, the outline of a little girl appeared in the distance.
I grabbed Shantel’s arm. “Do you see her?”
Her jaw dropped, and then she tugged on my arm. “Let’s go!”
“No, I’m not running away. I’m gonna stand here and face it. I’m tired of not knowing what’s going on. I want answers,” I said.
“Get them another time!” Shantel yelled.
“She won’t hurt us, Shantel.”
“Exactly how do you know that?” Shantel retorted.
“I can’t explain it. I just know.”
“Well, that’s reassuring, Zoey,” she said.
The little girl I’d met in my vision stopped twenty feet from me. “Hello, Zoey. Hello, Shantel.”
Shantel squeezed my hand. “She knows my name. That thing knows my flipping name. Let’s get out of here while we still can, before she slimes us or something.”
“Please don’t be afraid of me,” Elizabeth said.
“If her head starts spinning or I see a hint of puked-up pea soup, I’m outta here,” Shantel whispered in my ear.
“Elizabeth, I’m so sorry I broke my promise to save you when I had that vision. I didn’t know what was going on.”
“It’s okay. I’m here to warn you that the portal to the other side has been opened.”
“Portal? Isn’t that a videogame or something? What’s that supposed to mean?” Shantel asked.
“The people who live in the castle won’t hurt you. There are some pranksters, but they are harmless. The ones coming through the portal are the ones you should worry about.”
“Who opened this portal?” I asked, trying to understand.
“I’m not allowed to say. If I do, I’ll be imprisoned. I might get in trouble for talking to you.”
“The bad man you told me about? Did he come through the portal?”
“Yes, along with
many others. They want to stay in the castle, and they want you to leave.”
“Are we in danger?” Shantel asked. “Because I sleep alone in a giant stone room that’s kind of freaking me out.”
“You are all safe for now,” Elizabeth said. “Isabella is trying her best to look after you, but some of them are too powerful even for her.”
Shantel nodded. “What do we do to stop them?”
“You must disable the portal. Only then can you help us and free us from the castle.”
“Can we really free you?” I asked.
“Yes. The Chosen One can free us using the gold medallion and the five—”
Shantel inched forward. “The Chosen One?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” the girl asked.
“Elizabeth, please tell me more. I can’t help you if you don’t confide in me. Where can this gold medallion be found?”
“If I tell you that, I’ll be bound to this place forever. You must find it for us, using the clues set before you. Please help us, Zoey. You can still keep your promise to me, but we’re all running out of time, and Isabella’s strength is waning,” she pleaded, then faded into the mist.
“Elizabeth! Don’t go!” I yelled. “I need more to go on. Elizabeth, wait! I just need to—”
“She’s gone,” Shantel said, glancing around the cemetery and tugging on my sleeve, “and I think we oughtta be going too.”
“That was no hallucination, Shantel. She answered my questions.”
She let out a trembling breath. “I know. I can’t believe I just talked to…a ghost.”
I wrapped my arms around myself and shivered. “Let’s go.”
We walked back through the dark woods and talked about everything but couldn’t make much sense of it. We both vowed to keep it a secret. We also felt more at ease than we had for a while; knowing that Isabella was looking after us was comforting, if only for a while. That gave me a sense of peace and I drifted off to sleep.
Chapter 13
Hunter and I were inseparable over the next few weeks. As far as our relationship, we didn’t really take it much further, but I didn’t mind waiting to get to know him better. We had an amazing connection and couldn’t bear to be apart.
After an amazing day with Hunter, I got ready for bed and went to sleep. I was right in the middle of a fantastic dream about an exotic prince, who happened to look just like Hunter. When he asked me to join him for a fancy banquet, I woke up, shivering; my covers had fallen onto the floor. As I reached down to lift them back, someone startled me, tapping me on the shoulder.
My Haunted Fairytale - Book 2 (The Enchanted Castle Series) Page 11