Page 81 of A Dead Girl's Guide to Living
“Liv,” I began, twisting in my seat to face her, sliding one leg underneath me.
“Dove,” Liv mimicked, a grin spreading across her face.
“We’ve been on the road for, like, what… four days now?”
“Four and a half,” she corrected, her eyes still dancing. “Having fun?”
“Loads,” I said, and it was a mostly honest answer. It was kind of nice to be away from home, the shop, my family. It made the loss of Margaret sting a little less, not being surrounded by so many things that reminded me of her.
“Ellis doesn’t seem too thrilled,” Liv commented, nodding toward her.
I shrugged, refusing to acknowledge the bait, and trying not to notice the thinner press of Ellis’s lips as she tightened her grip on the wheel.
“Well, I don’t know that much about you,” I continued. “All I know is you’re a ghost, you clearly love sequins,” I gestured to her outfit, still trying to understand why it was the one she died in. “And that you planned an epic road trip with your best friend.”
“That’s a lot of things to know, actually,” Liv said with a smirk.
“I mean more things, though,” I pressed. “Like, what was your favorite movie? Or your favorite food? What did you want to be when you grew up? That kind of stuff.”
“Okay,” Liv murmured, nodding with a grin. “I’ll play, but question for a question.”
“Done,” I said with a shrug. “Favorite movie?”
“Clueless,” Liv said, as if it were a no-brainer. “Obviously. You?”
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” I answered instantly. “I don’t know why. It’s weird as hell and makes me feel like I can’t breathe while I watch it, but I love it.”
Ellis said nothing, and I left her be.
“What were you going to do as a career, or any sort of job?” I asked.
“It was a toss-up,” Liv said, tucking her legs beneath her. “I either wanted to be a singer or I wanted to open a bar–slash–tattoo parlor–slash–bookstore.”
I blinked at her. “They couldn’t be further apart on the career scale.”
“I know,” Liv said with a dramatic sigh. “I’m either one or the other. But how cool would the bar–tattoo–bookstore be? You could walk in, get a drink, get a tattoo, and leave with a copy of The Bell Jar.”
“I would go there,” I said honestly. “Sounds awesome.”
“Did you always plan to work at your shop?” Liv asked, her expression genuinely curious as she leaned back into the seat.
I nodded. “Yep. From the moment I started hanging out there with Margaret, I knew that’s where I’d end up. I love it there. It’s home. I’m content building on it, making sure it doesn’t sink.”
Ellis suddenly began to slow the car, and I frowned as she pulled over to the side of the road. Liv’s eyes widened, and she beamed, clapping her hands.
“Photo op time!” she announced, eyes twinkling. “Welcome to Gary’s Gay Parita, the old Sinclair gas station!”
We all got out of the car, dust settling from the Mustang’s tires as it rolled to a stop. The first thing that caught my eye was a bright green Sinclair dinosaur sitting out front like it owned the place. I squinted at its round, plastic eyes, which caught the light in a way that could be either endearing or demonic, depending on the angle.
A rusty red truck sat behind another weathered vehicle, flowers growing out of its bed, recycled into probably the best planter I’d ever seen. The girl who owned the overpriced plant shop next to Margaret’s store could take notes. Just saying.
“This is cool,” I declared, turning in a slow half circle to take it all in.
Liv was attempting to mount the dinosaur, looking ridiculous in her boots and skirt as she did so. Birds chirped lazily, and gravel crunched beneath our feet. Ellis strolled around with her phone out, filming or taking photos. Her expression remained grim, and she didn’t say a word.
I made my way inside.
The gas station was amazing—part museum, part collector’s treasure chest—and I found myself standing in front of a rack of postcards. I smirked at the sight of one with a red Mustang on it and added it to my collection, along with some magnets and a key ring. I glanced up as Ellis entered the store, her eyes widening slightly as she took it all in.
