mom.”
“Spirits lie all the time.” She placed a hand on my arm. “Look, I can see how much this means to you and I’m not trying to burst your bubble. Really I’m not.”
“Could’ve fooled me.”
“It’s just that you’re letting this spirit in and that’s dangerous. I don’t know if he’s really your dad or not but I do know that you need to be careful.”
13
A fter rubbing Noxzema into my skin and feeling my pores tingle, I leaned over the bathroom sink. I switched on the faucet, inhaling the strong medicinal smell, and splashed warm water on my face. With my eyes closed, I reached out to grab a towel from the hanger on the door. As I wiped the excess liquid from my face, cool air blew on my neck.
“Don’t listen to her. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”
Wesley.
Goosebumps rose on my arm. I dropped the towel, looked up and saw his reflection in the mirror. He stood over my shoulder, wearing the same outfit as the night before. His black eyes bore into mine. I froze.
“She’s telling you lies. You can’t trust her.”
“W-w-who?”
“Rhiannon.”
“You heard our conversation?”
He nodded, a slow smile spreading across his face.
My stomach plummeted. Did he watch me all the time?
“I have to protect you, Kenzie. Liars surround you. People who don’t have your best interest at heart.”
“But you do?”
“Of course I do. Haven’t you ever wondered why Rhiannon’s never introduced you to her friends?”
I nodded.
“It’s because she knows you’re more powerful than her. You have powers she only dreams of. How else would you be able to see me?”
He had a point. Maybe that’s why she was so nervous about the whole thing.
“She’s jealous of you, Kenzie.”
He was so close I could feel his breath on my neck. I shivered because it was so cold. How could he smell like fire but feel like ice?
“I’ve always wanted the best for you,” he said. “You believe me, don’t you?”
I had no idea what to believe anymore, but I was too scared to say that. Instead I nodded.
“Good. You’re a good girl. I knew I could count on you.”
Rarely had someone said that about me. Mom certainly never did. The thought of her brought questions to my mind. I turned toward Wesley but the bathroom was empty. Man, I hated how he could disappear like that. I spun back around and gasped. There he was in the mirror. Quickly I peered over my shoulder. Nope. Gone. I looked back at the mirror. There he was. My blood ran cold.
“How are you doing that?”
Chuckling filled the tiny room. “One day I’ll tell you all my secrets, but not today. First, you have to prove yourself. I have to know I can trust you. You want that, don’t you Kenzie?”
Again, I nodded.
“Good. That’s what I hoped you’d say.”
He vanished. I took a deep breath, slapped my hand over my chest. My heart pounded beneath my fingers tips. When I regained composure I exited the bathroom. Walking down the hallway, I passed Grandma’s room. Her snores slipped under the door. The minute I entered my room, I caught sight of Wesley perched on the edge of my bed. I gasped.
“You’ve got to stop scaring me like that!”
Wesley moved so quickly all I saw was a blur of colors. Before I knew it he was beside me. “Expect the unexpected.”
Before I could contemplate what that meant he was gone again. I spun in circles, peeked in the closet, peered under my bed but the room was empty. Even though I knew doors and windows couldn’t keep him out, I bolted the window shut and closed the blinds anyway. Unnerved, I crawled into bed and pulled the covers up to my chin. I kept my light on and my eyes wide open. All night I stayed up, jumping at every noise. By the time the sunshine spilled into my room, my nerves were frayed, my mind and body weary. I stumbled out of bed and staggered into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee, hoping caffeine would jolt me awake.
Just as the coffee began percolating,
“Spirits lie all the time.” She placed a hand on my arm. “Look, I can see how much this means to you and I’m not trying to burst your bubble. Really I’m not.”
“Could’ve fooled me.”
“It’s just that you’re letting this spirit in and that’s dangerous. I don’t know if he’s really your dad or not but I do know that you need to be careful.”
13
A fter rubbing Noxzema into my skin and feeling my pores tingle, I leaned over the bathroom sink. I switched on the faucet, inhaling the strong medicinal smell, and splashed warm water on my face. With my eyes closed, I reached out to grab a towel from the hanger on the door. As I wiped the excess liquid from my face, cool air blew on my neck.
“Don’t listen to her. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”
Wesley.
Goosebumps rose on my arm. I dropped the towel, looked up and saw his reflection in the mirror. He stood over my shoulder, wearing the same outfit as the night before. His black eyes bore into mine. I froze.
“She’s telling you lies. You can’t trust her.”
“W-w-who?”
“Rhiannon.”
“You heard our conversation?”
He nodded, a slow smile spreading across his face.
My stomach plummeted. Did he watch me all the time?
“I have to protect you, Kenzie. Liars surround you. People who don’t have your best interest at heart.”
“But you do?”
“Of course I do. Haven’t you ever wondered why Rhiannon’s never introduced you to her friends?”
I nodded.
“It’s because she knows you’re more powerful than her. You have powers she only dreams of. How else would you be able to see me?”
He had a point. Maybe that’s why she was so nervous about the whole thing.
“She’s jealous of you, Kenzie.”
He was so close I could feel his breath on my neck. I shivered because it was so cold. How could he smell like fire but feel like ice?
“I’ve always wanted the best for you,” he said. “You believe me, don’t you?”
I had no idea what to believe anymore, but I was too scared to say that. Instead I nodded.
“Good. You’re a good girl. I knew I could count on you.”
Rarely had someone said that about me. Mom certainly never did. The thought of her brought questions to my mind. I turned toward Wesley but the bathroom was empty. Man, I hated how he could disappear like that. I spun back around and gasped. There he was in the mirror. Quickly I peered over my shoulder. Nope. Gone. I looked back at the mirror. There he was. My blood ran cold.
“How are you doing that?”
Chuckling filled the tiny room. “One day I’ll tell you all my secrets, but not today. First, you have to prove yourself. I have to know I can trust you. You want that, don’t you Kenzie?”
Again, I nodded.
“Good. That’s what I hoped you’d say.”
He vanished. I took a deep breath, slapped my hand over my chest. My heart pounded beneath my fingers tips. When I regained composure I exited the bathroom. Walking down the hallway, I passed Grandma’s room. Her snores slipped under the door. The minute I entered my room, I caught sight of Wesley perched on the edge of my bed. I gasped.
“You’ve got to stop scaring me like that!”
Wesley moved so quickly all I saw was a blur of colors. Before I knew it he was beside me. “Expect the unexpected.”
Before I could contemplate what that meant he was gone again. I spun in circles, peeked in the closet, peered under my bed but the room was empty. Even though I knew doors and windows couldn’t keep him out, I bolted the window shut and closed the blinds anyway. Unnerved, I crawled into bed and pulled the covers up to my chin. I kept my light on and my eyes wide open. All night I stayed up, jumping at every noise. By the time the sunshine spilled into my room, my nerves were frayed, my mind and body weary. I stumbled out of bed and staggered into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee, hoping caffeine would jolt me awake.
Just as the coffee began percolating,
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