Page 11 of Haunted Mediation
“Yes! Which is so unfair. I’ll be eighteen in two months, and it’s just a stupid rule anyway.”
Leon sighed and pressed two fingers against the bridge of his nose. “And if I were to call her right now, she would agree with this?”
Hailey glared at him, and he stared right back.
Finally, her stance shifted, and she dropped her arms. “Yes. That’s why she didn’t want me to come because she didn’t want to go as the over-eighteen person, and we didn’t have anyone in the group who was old enough. You can try calling her if you want, but she never answers when she’s on shift.”
Leon closed his eyes and pressed his fingers even harder against his nose until his knuckles turned white, contrasting with the obsidian ring he often wore on his middle finger.
One of the teens called over to them, and Hailey turned around to yell, “Just wait a fucking second, Zach.”
Leon’s eyes popped open, and he slowly—dangerously slowly—turned his head to look at the group. “Is Zach The Joker?”
“Yeah?”
“And he’s eighteen?”
Hailey scrunched up her eyebrows. “Yeah? I just said that.”
“No,” Leon said.
Hailey’s arms crossed so fast that James was surprised she didn’t throw her phone across the courtyard. “What do you mean, no?”
“No, you’re not going with him.”
“I’m not going withhim. I’m going with all my friends!” she said, throwing out her hand to gesture at the group, again impressively holding onto her phone the whole time.
James glanced over at the kid, Zach, and caught him staring at Hailey. Oh, boy. James could guess why Leon was being so defensive.
“Hailey,” James said slowly, “I think Leon’s worried about you.”
The two neighbors looked at him, and he wondered if maybe he should have kept his mouth shut. Too late now, though. How did he put this delicately?
“Sometimes, at scary movies or on scary rides or at haunted houses like this, guys make excuses to hold your hand or put their arm around you, claiming it’s so you don’t get scared,” James said. Leon had that skeptical eyebrow raised in his direction again, so James hurried to clarify, “But don’t be fooled by that. It might seem chivalrous, but really he’s doing it because?—”
“Because he’s actually a pussy and wants to hold your hand ’causehe’sscared,” Leon finished.
James gaped at him. “Leon! You can’t say that!” he squeaked, wheeling around so he was only facing Hailey. “No, he wants to hold your hand because, unfortunately, teenage boys are often only focused on one thing.”
“Ahhh…” Leon said.
But before he could say anything else, Hailey snorted. “Yeah, pussy, I know. I’m not some ignorant kid.”
James’ jaw practically hit the cracked pavement, and Leon guffawed.
Hailey shook her head and reached forward to pat James’ shoulder. “Don’t worry, James. Zach and I are just friends. It’s actually Catwoman I’m interested in.”
Well. That would show him for assuming.
“Oh, uhm, well…okay, I guess that’s a bit better?—”
“Don’t stereotype, little mensch,” Leon said, stepping up behind James to throw an arm around his shoulders. “Chicks can chase skirts just as much as dudes can. Don’t let anyone hold your hand, Hailey. You’re a strong, independent woman.”
Hailey rolled her eyes with perfect teenage finesse. “Okay, whatever.”
“How are you getting home afterwards?” Leon asked, his joking tone gone as quickly as it had come.
“I…assume one of the others will take me home?” she said, but she seemed a lot less sure.
