Beyond - Volume 1 (YA Paranormal Romance) by S.P. van der Lee Page A

her finger around her temple. “I’ve heard people talking, Raven. It’s not good. They even say he uses drugs, because he’s never around and when he actually is, he looks stoned.”
    I tap my foot as Damian disappears from my sight.
    “It’d be better for you if you didn’t hang around him,” she repeats.
    “I can’t believe this crap is coming from your mouth. I thought you were my friend.”
    For a moment there’s silence between us.
    “Well, I can decide for myself who I hang with.” I barge away, infuriated.
    “Fine. Why do I even care? But don’t come crying to me when he’s done with you!” she yells.
    I refuse to say anyt hing to her.
    Nobody tells me who to trust and who not to trust. I ca n find out for myself. What on Earth is she thinking getting in my business anyway? I’m not helpless. Damian can’t hurt me. I don’t need Lillian and Emma to decide that for me.
    I walk down the staircase in the hallway up ahead as Damian sprints away toward another set of stairs. I’m not planning on going to my next class. I have to find out the truth.
    I pursue Damian down the next set of stairs , which have a sign on them saying ‘prohibited’. I arrive in the basement of the school. Spider webs hang from the walls and ceiling, and there’s a little room to the right which contains a couple of brooms, mops, some detergent, and a couple of old tables. The only source of light is a small light bulb hanging from the ceiling.
    Damian is in the middle of the basement, a few steps away from me. His eyes find my face. Then they drift off toward something between us. The black ghost is floating in the hallway. It’s flying a random pattern in between the wall and the ceiling.
    My bag drops to the floor. My hallucinations have now found their way into my school. I rummage through my bag, looking for the bottle of pills. With trembling fingers I take out two pills and bring them to my mouth. Then I see Damian’s eyes following Sam. I shudder with the pills clenched in my hand and realize what’s going on. Damian can see my hallucinations too.

 
8.
 
    I don’t have time to respond to what’s happening, because Sam flies toward me. I fall backward. He’s coming so close to me that I can see the smoke dripping off him like mud. His narrow eyes stare into my soul.
    Why now? I don’t want this, not here, not now.
    My whole body shakes as I crawl backward on hands and feet. I feel my way across the floor to get away, but he keeps following me. When my hands feel the cold wall, I know I can’t go any farther. What now? This thing seems to have focused on me. I’m trapped in a corner, with no way out.
    Damian Hayes stares at the floating ghost.
    “Get lost or I’ll make sure you regret coming here!” Damian yells.
    I don’t think he’s talking to me, because he’s not looking at me. Suddenly he walks away and leaves me here alone with Sam.
    “Wait!” I cry. “Don’t leave me!” But it’s too late, he already ran toward the room filled with mops and detergent. I wonder if he’ll come back.
    I cross my arms in front of my face, hoping it’ll protect me and make this ghost go away. His disg usting eyes look at me like I’m a toy, something to play around with. I feel paralyzed by the fear creeping inside of me. My heart begins to race again. I can’t run away, even though I’d love to. I’m nailed to the floor. This reminds me too much of that time on the road, when I first saw him at Lillian’s party. I see it all in my mind: a flashback of Sam with the wooden arrow in his hand, the ghosts that haunted me in the woods and Damian who brought me home on his motorcycle.
    Then the blue transparent ghost appears again. Only this time he’s not in my room, nor at the pond, but in my school , and he’s coming right out of the room that Damian just entered.
    “Damian!” I exclaim, but there’s no response.
    The blue ghost floats to the black one. In his hand he holds a device which I don’t