Abandoned by Abigail Livinghouse (distant reading txt) 📕

giggled again. “Why would you even own such a ghastly outfit?”

 

“Good point.” She said, laughing herself.

 

Tessie shut her eyes and reached out, feeling the fuzzy texture of wool. She pulled back and opened her eyes, a black sweater and dark jeans. Not bad.

 

“Good call.” She said to Cyndi. “Who told you to pick clothes like that?” She asked, combing through her closet for her tennis shoes.

 

Cyndi shrugged. “When I was living in Chester my mother told me that clothes were just superficial items and no one really cares how you look. Then again, she also said that to save time in the morning before school just shut your eyes and shove your hands in your closet. Whatever you touch first will be what you wear.”

 

Cyndi sat up, her blonde hair slightly disheveled. “She said that it would’ve been your first choice and is what you would’ve wanted to wear anyway.” She rolled her eyes and got up from the bed.

 

 “I’ll leave you to getting ready.” She said with a smile before heading out into the hall. Tessie groaned, falling back on her bed.

 

“What are you doing?” The deep voice came from her bedroom door.

 

She sat straight up, gasping in surprise. Cade was actually standing in the doorway. He stepped over the threshold and into her room, reaching backward and with the flick of his wrist slamming the door behind him. Tessie flinched at the loud banging.

 

 “What are you doing here?” She asked, proud that her voice came across as firm.

 

Cade walked forward until they were inches away from each other. His eyes seemed to have gotten darker, changed from warm brown to almost a black opaque.  A scowl etched his devilishly handsome features. He looked less than happy to see her. Tessie noticed then that he was wearing designer jeans, and a black V-neck tee. He had on combat boots and was toe-to-toe with Tessie’s bare feet. It looked like he had just walked out of Hot Topic. All he needed were some piercings and a few rainbow streaks in his hair.

 

“You changed your clothes.” Tessie blurted out. He seemed to be the only ghost to change outfits. His eyes narrowed slightly.

 

“Of course I changed clothes. Just because I died doesn’t mean I have to stop living.” He quipped shortly.

 

She pursed her lips, taking a step back and then to the side, walking past him to her dresser.

 

“Well, if you don’t mind I have to get ready for school now, so–” She waited for him to leave, but he stayed rooted to the spot, his eyes following her as she went through her jewelry.

 

Could you kick a ghost out of your room? Preferably in the ass? She wasn’t sure, but she would find out if he didn’t leave in the next few minutes.

 

“I came to talk.” He said in a tone that suggested he wanted to duck out just as much as Tessie wanted to kick him out. She turned her head slightly, only showing her profile.

 

 “Oh?” She said.

 

He nodded, turning around fully and looking at her head on. “Yes. You shouldn’t be here. It’s best if you get out.”

 

Tessie gave a curt laugh. “You don’t think I haven’t tried that one with my parents? This place is their pride and joy. They won’t leave it.”

 

“Try again.” He said bluntly.

 

 She turned so that she could see his eyes. The cold hatred there almost made her wince. “It’s useless.” She said, inspecting a pair of fake diamond studs.

 

“They won’t listen. Besides, we’ve been here for about four months. Trying to get them to move now would be pointless. And the kids need me.” She said, her voice thick.

 

Cade disregarded what she had just said, speaking with so much conviction that she couldn’t comprehend how someone could sound so miserable. “You must get out. This isn’t your house. It’s mine. Leave.”

 

She fought back a sigh. They had been over this already. Cade was pissed off that her family was in the school, but it never was his school. It was abandoned, and owned by no one. Except now it was owned by Tessie and her parents. Period. She opened her mouth to speak but he began talking before she could.

 

“Besides, I can take care of them.”

 

 Rage flashed through Tessie, warming her whole body. She clenched her fists, her face reddening.

 

“You sure as hell can’t.” She said, moving forward until she was all up in his face. He was completely unaffected by her rage. He brushed her off coolly. “They are not your responsibility. You can’t do anything to help them.”

 

“Why not?” She shrieked.

 

She eyed the door for a moment to see if her parents were about to burst in. After a minute with no yelling she turned back to Cade.

 

“I can help them a lot better than you ever can. Why couldn’t I?” She asked, her fists clenching with anger.

 

He smirked nastily. “You’re alive. They’re dead.” 

Chapter 22

Tessie’s eyes narrowed into thin slits as she stared Cade down and he stared right back. She was pissed off that he had said she couldn’t help the others. She so could. It had nothing to do with them being dead and her alive.

 

A little part of her said that Cade was jealous that he wasn’t alive. Of course, the dead would be jealous of the living and they would want to be alive too. But the key word here was dead. The world Tessie had lived in before her family had moved to Chester Elementary was a world where people were alive and the dead were dead. But in this world, some of the dead were ghosts and not exactly alive but still living.

 

Tessie was alive and was trying to help those who hadn’t moved on. But Cade was just plain miserable. It was almost as if he would be miserable no matter what. Tessie cleared her throat, forcing herself to keep her gaze locked on Cade’s black eyes.

 

 “It doesn’t matter that I’m alive and they’re not. But Cade, I’m trying to help them move on. I can help you too. Isn’t that what you want?”

 

Instead of answering, he brushed past her, more like his shoulder actually went through hers like air. She shivered, feeling like she had just been hit with a cold blast of wind, her hair even flew back. He turned when he was at the door, his face devoid of emotion.

 

“I’d rather go to hell than let you help me.” Cade abruptly spun around, then walked through the door.

 

Tessie rushed forward, gripped the doorknob and looked out into the hallway. No one was there, except her mother was thundering up the steps and Tessie was still in her pajamas. Looks like her punishment was going to be extended after all.

 

       The high school was a dismal brick building with chipped white paint and a few cracked windows which janitors were lazily repairing. It was a few weeks into the start of the school year. It had taken a while for her parents to get her enrolled since she had been in Havre High before she moved, a very nice school that unlike this one had cleanly washed bricks and crack-free windows.

 

Her parents were driving her to school, and since they won the lottery and had quit their jobs they said they could pick her up after school, but she had politely refused, saying she’ll take the bus instead, even though she despised the bus. But she would rather be in a hot school vehicle full of shouting kids rather than a car with her parents arguing about trips to Vegas or new paint colors for the house.

 

“Now, are you sure you don’t want us to pick you up?” Her mother asked as they pulled up to the curb.

 

A bunch of kids stopped to gawk at the shiny new Jaguar, most of them boys who pointed and jeered about how much of a “sweet ride” it was. Tessie wanted to hit them.

 

“I’ll be fine.” She said, slinging her beat up leather messenger bag over her shoulder and opening the door.

 

“Alright. Have a good day hun!” Her mom shouted much too loudly as Tessie got out and slammed the door.

 

Blood rushed to her cheeks as the boys who had been making comments on the car looked at her and snickered. Ignoring them, she walked forward and pushed on the double doors to enter into the school. They wouldn’t open. She shoved again, bruising her shoulder.

 

“Damn it”, she cursed under her breath.

 

Someone came up next to her, gripped the handle to the door to her right, and pulled it open. She stood back, feeling her face grow hot.

 

“I know push and pull sound familiar, but trust me they’re two entirely different things.” The boy standing in front of her chuckled.

 

“It’s tricky the first time but you’ll get it after a while. Nice to meet you, I’m Rick.”

 

Tessie looked up, seeing a boy with large black framed glasses enlarging clear jade green eyes. Freckles dotted his nose and cheeks, which stood out even though he had a deep tan from summer break. He was very tall and lanky, he was at least two heads taller than her. He had a full, pouty mouth that looked sensual especially since it was curved upward in an amused smile. His messy brown hair fell onto the glasses and into his eyes.

 

He outstretched one tan hand. She took it, shaking it once then withdrawing her hand. His grin only widened.

 

“I’m Tessie.”                                   

 

 Obvious surprise and then joy flitted across his face. “So you’re the famous new girl I’ve been hearing about. Well then it’s very nice to meet you.”

 

 She rolled her eyes, hitching her bag up higher onto her shoulder. “Charming. Would you please move?”

 

She gave the door a good yank, it creaked on its hinges as it opened slowly. Rick chuckled again, grabbing the door and holding it open for her. She glared at him.

 

“Can I help you?” She asked.

 

His lip quirked. “No. Just helping a pretty girl inside. And if you’d like, I can show you to your classes too.”

 

 Tessie bit her lip. She was planning on getting lost, taking at least ten minutes instead of the allowed two between classes to find her way. It would save her a lot of time to just know where she was going. With a sigh she reluctantly agreed.

 

 “Fine. That would be–fine.” She cleared her throat, walking inside and completely ignoring the amused laugh from behind her as Rick followed.

Chapter 23

She was beautiful. With long tangled scarlet curls that cascaded down her