Hunted by T.M. Bledsoe

shooting flames.  “Knock it off, you guys!” she hissed at her friends.  “This isn’t the time to act all bitchy!  Lanie just lost her friend!  She isn’t thinking about stealing anyone’s boyfriend right now!”
    Actually, she wasn’t thinking about stealing anyone’s boyfriend at any time.  Not just right now.  And as a side note, she wouldn’t have to steal a boyfriend.  If she wanted one of them, it would not be hard to just walk up and have him willingly follow her away.
    “Yeah.  Thaw out, you guys!” Devyn agreed snappishly tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder.  “You don’t have to act like a bunch of pishers !  This isn’t even cute on a regular day!”
    Lanie watched as some of the Spirit Squad seemed to lose a bit of their standoff-ish air.  However, it was too little, too late for Lanie.  “You guys go on and do whatever you need to do.  I’ll be in the thrift store.”
    “Are you sure?” Johnna asked her, looking guilty.  “You can just ignore these idiots.  I usually do.”
    Lanie shook her head.  “Nah.  You go on.  Just come and get me when you’re done.”
    That said, she pushed through the horde of overdressed Spirit Squaders and started down the sidewalk toward the thrift store, not feeling as peevish as she probably should have.  Who cared if the Spirit Squad girls didn’t want her to be included in their shopping trip?  They didn’t want her included in anything, yet she was on every single committee that they were on and she was the head of most of them.  Thus, she would have her revenge.  Perhaps, someday soon.
    With that thought bringing a little spring to her step, Lanie continued on her way toward her favorite shop, which she hadn’t visited in a while.  The bell jangled merrily as she opened the door, but something flashing from the corner of her eye stopped her from stepping inside.  The flash of movement or flicker of shadow was further on down the street and when she focused in that direction, she didn’t see anything other than a few people window shopping and a couple of cars way up at the intersection of Center Street and Bisbee Avenue. 
    Lanie stalled for a moment in the open doorway, scanning the sidewalk and the street as far down as she could see, but there was nothing out of the ordinary.  Nothing that shouldn’t have been there.  There was no faded yellow car cruising the street, no very handsome man wearing a long, faded leather coat lurking about.  There was…nothing. 
    Wait.  Did she really expect to see him lurking about, watching her?  Did she really want to see him lurking about, watching her?  No!  No, she most certainly did not!  She wasn’t that nutty balls just yet!  Annoyed, Lanie let out a breath and went on into the store.  What was the matter with her!
    “Hey, Lanie!” a cheerful voice chirped as she entered the store, which always smelled of incense and the strong coffee that was constantly being brewed behind the front counter.  “I haven’t seen you in a while.”
    “Hi, Patti,” Lanie greeted the round faced, red haired woman who owned the shop. 
    “How ya’ doing, girl?” Patti questioned, her voice soft with sympathy, which caused Lanie to have to bite back a sigh. 
    Ugh!  Not here, too!  “I’m fine.”
    “Are you?  Really?” Patti urged.
    Lanie turned her attention away from the woman and headed through the maze of clothing racks, focusing on that instead.  “I’m okay.  Really,” she answered for what felt like the millionth time.
    “It’s a nasty business, what happened to poor Stacy.   I couldn’t believe it when I heard,” Patti said in a somber tone.  “I mean, here of all places!  This kind of thing just doesn’t happen here!”
    Well, that was no longer true, was it?  “Do you have any sweaters in?” Lanie questioned, hoping to shift the topic of conversation.
    “Yeah.  They’re on the back rack over there,” Patti answered.  “How’s your dad