Page 1 of Shadows of Nightshade
1
“The placeI’m house-sitting is haunted.”
My statement was brave, considering our history, and I hoped I’d spoken loud enough. I didn’t want to repeat myself. It had taken a lot of courage—or foolhardiness—to say it the first time.
The paranormal was a difficult subject, especially for my best friend. History had proven our differences of opinion. We’d been inseparable for over ten years, so I knew this was a topic where we were unlikely to reach a consensus.
But at this point, I was desperate. I might be going crazy, and only Finn could help me.
Yet, he showed no response. No reaction.
In fact, across the small cafe table, Finn was still typing furiously on his laptop, completely undisturbed by my nervous confession. He’d made no acknowledgment of my words, which made me wonder if he’d heard me at all.
The coffee shop was rather busy, after all.
“Finn.” I pressed my foot against his shin, trying to get his attention. “Finn, did you hear what I just said to you?”
His lips turned down as he glanced up, meeting my gaze. His light gray eyes were normally easygoing, at least toward me, but right now, they were disapproving. I was thankful his black-rimmed glasses offered a filter for his judgment.
“I heard.” His distinctive baritone dipped lower, signaling his annoyance. “But considering the absurdity of what you said, I chose to ignore it.”
Then, without further comment, he refocused his attention on his laptop.
I gasped. How could he be so callous and uncaring?
Even if he didn’t believe me, he could still listen. He was my best friend and the only person in the world I cared about, besides my parents. But he could be such a jerk!
I was beinghaunted. I coulddie.
“Finn, but… I’m not wrong this time!” I was close to desperate. I needed him to take me seriously. I didn’t know what else to do, and I had no one else I could trust. “Wouldn’t you feel terrible if a poltergeist killed me while you did nothing to stop it?”
“Yes, thatwouldmake me feel bad,” Finn said, pushing his glasses up his nose. “However, I have nothing to be worried about. Considering your track record, there’s absolutely no way a poltergeist will kill you. You’re more likely to befriend a hardened criminal and die from a lack of common sense. You need to stop being so paranoid about some things and be more discerning about others. That’s what gets you into trouble.”
My heart fell and my pulse began to race.Trouble.I never got into any kind of trouble. In fact, I was the opposite of a troublemaker.
Ihelpedpeople.
Where was he coming up with such horrible accusations?
I glared at my coffee while Finn returned to his homework—or whatever he seemed intent on.
Adrenaline rushed through me, an expected reaction to my mental preparation simply to broach this topic. With Finn so quick to shoot me down, there was nothing left to talk about. There was no way I could relax and concentrate on my own assignments.
I’d risked exposure even bringing this up.
He was a hot nerd in every definition of the term: an early riser, scholarly, athletic, wealthy, and adept at fighting. Meanwhile, I preferred to sleep and avoided sweating at all costs. And he was blunt and not shy at all—definitely not like me.
How was it possible for people with contrasting personalities to be best friends? Now that we lived on campus and spent more time together, our contrasts were more obvious than ever.
But while he was adjusting to college life, I…
I was constantly on the edge of my seat. Besides my roommate, who was nice enough but so distant, Finn was the only other person I was comfortable around.
Without his help, I wouldn’t have been able to cope with the transition. The world, in general, scared me, and seeing him always made me feel better.
There was something about beingwithhim that put me at ease. I admired him—I always had. Despite my quirks, he’d taken care of me for a long time.
For ten years, he never complained. And I loved him for it.
