Page 97 of The Stone Initiation
“Doing what?”
“Disclosing shit. I intervened back there because Jay’s an asshole and what he was planning to do was way over the line, but that doesn’t make us friends. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to go back to the gym and get my workout in. I’m sure you can make it to the doors.”
I looked up at the dorm house. We were already at the top of the path.
“Yeah, I’m good, I ca—”
He strode off leaving me with a bunch of questions and the conviction that it was time to alter my assessment of the arrogant, abrasive gargoyle with the shockingly blue hair.
CHAPTER42
The lounge was busy, movie still playing. My friends were squashed on the three battered sofas on offer. A couple of other gargoyles, not in our intake group, were stretched out on the floor.
On screen, a woman ran away from a dinosaur that looked like it was made of plastic. This was an old movie. One I had in the selection Romi had brought me.
My mood dipped. Romi…If he could see me now. Here.
If I could have come here when he’d been here…
I hated that we hadn’t had the chance to be family in front of the world. Hated that I was still hiding my heritage from everyone.
At least my friends knew the truth.
I ducked out of the room before being spotted and headed for the stairs. Hot shower, food then bed, and…Serath. The thought of him was like warm porridge filling my belly. I took the stairs two at a time and hurried to my room.
“Hello,” Melanie said.
“Oh fuck!” I jumped and clutched at my chest. “Melanie, fuck.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I brought you some coffee.”
There was a mug on my bedside table, but the film on the surface of the drink told me it had been sitting there a while. “Melanie, how long have you been waiting here?”
Her brow crinkled. “I’m not sure. I think I just got here, but…” She looked at the coffee. “That was hot a moment ago.”
I kicked off my sneakers. “Where were you before coming here?”
She looked down at the carpet for several beats then back up at me, her eyes wide with panic. “I don’t remember.”
Sometimes, ghosts who’d been earthbound for a long time experienced memory decay. They forgot about things that had happened while they were alive, but not where they’d wandered a few minutes or hours ago. It didn’t work that way. At least I don’t think it did. But then, I wasn’t an expert on ghosts.
Melanie wrung her hands. “Why can’t I remember?”
“It’s all right. It’ll come to you eventually. Don’t worry. Look, how about we hang out? I’ll jump in the shower and be back in a few minutes.”
Her face relaxed. “Yes, yes, of course you’re right. It’ll come to me.” She smiled warmly. “I’d like to hang out.”
“Okay, I’ll be out in a few minutes.”
I showered and shampooed my hair quickly, then dried off and dressed in the bathroom before heading back into the bedroom.
My ghostly roommate was nowhere to be seen.
“Melanie?”
Nothing.
She was gone.
