Dead Girl Dancing (15 page)

Despite my utter exhaustion, I slept badly that night.

Tossing, turning, tormented, my thoughts spun into tornadoes of confusion. I was torn between wanting to return to my real body and wanting to stay in Sharayah’s body long enough to get her to the audition. If I could jump-start her career, that would help fix all her problems. I had to show her she was worth more than some guy who broke her heart, and that she had the talent to become a star. She needed to stop throwing herself at random guys and return to her family. Being admired by fans was a great cure for heartbreak. She’d be so busy she’d forget all about Gabe. And Eli would get his sister back.

Grammy was wrong about my being wrong for the mission. No matter what it took, I’d prove that I wasn’t a failure. I could handle a Temp Lifer mission just as well as a dead soul could.

Still, as I slipped in and out of dreams, I thought of my family and friends and how much I missed them. Drifting on memories, I relived a perfect day where everyone I cared about came together to celebrate a triple birthday.

If days could be rated, this one deserved a Ten-Plus-Perfect. Everyone I cared about was there—my parents, sisters, best friends, neighbor Dilly, my cousin Zeke (minus Aunt Suzanne), all smiling and having a great time. The ice cream was even my favorite flavor—Heavenly Hash.

When I woke up, the taste of ice cream lingered in my mouth and a tear trailed down my cheek.

Sitting up in bed, still wearing yesterday’s clothes, I was alone except for the cat curled beside me. I scooped her furry body into my arms, struggling against an overwhelming wave of loneliness.

“I miss everyone so much, Kitty Calico,” I whispered. “But I can’t go back yet.”

Only how could I convince Grammy?

I really needed to talk to someone—and not just anyone, but the one person who knew all my secrets and understood me better than anyone else: my best friend forever, Alyce. I could always count on her to listen without interrupting while I vented, and to assure me everything would be okay. Whenever I was a mopey mess of emotions, I’d vent to Alyce and she’d know the perfect thing to say to make me feel better. But lately (since my near-death and body-switching), we hadn’t had a chance for a heart-to-heart talk.

Well, why not now?

A surge of hope sent me flying off the bed, causing a meow of complaint from Kitty Calico, who skittered out of my way as I hurried out of the room.

I searched all over until I finally found a phone (one of those old fashioned ones with a dial, if you can believe it!) perched on a shelf in the bathroom. I called the familiar number (making a mental note to leave money to pay for the call). Then I crossed my fingers on both hands, hoping that Alyce’s mother had already left for work.

The finger-crossing worked!

“Who is this?” Alyce asked in such a sharp tone that I felt hurt until I remembered she wouldn’t recognize my voice. Well, duh. I was still getting used to it myself.

“It’s me!” I yipped with joy.

“And you are … ?”

“—thrilled to finally talk to you!” I said in an excited rush. “I’m so glad you’re there, although I wish you were here or that I was there with you, whatever works, just so we could talk together, even if it meant hanging out at gross graveyards so you can take more ‘Morbidity’ pictures for your photo journal.”

Silence, then a gasp. “Amber?”

“Yeah, it’s really me.”

“But you sound so … so not you.”

“I swear, underneath this college girl’s body, I’m the same BFF that once dressed up like a vampire, dripped fake blood from my fake fangs and pretended to bite Dustin so you could take a picture for your collection.”

“The photo turned out great. Ohmygod … Amber.” Her voice cracked.

“Exactly,” I said, delighted to be called by my real name. “You won’t believe everything that’s been going on.”

“I know a little from Dustin, and he also told me what Eli said. I want to hear everything, but I can’t talk here.” She was whispering. “Wait while I go to my room so Mom can’t hear.”

“She’s home? I thought she’d be at work.”

“No … she called in sick.” I heard the sound of a door shutting and then Alyce added, “I’m in my room now so we can talk freely. Where are you?”

“Venice Beach. At the crappo condo.” I laughed wryly. “I’m here alone except for a calico cat. I don’t know her name but she slept with me last night. Not that I was really able to sleep after a completely insane day. How much did Dustin tell you?”

“Only that your grandmother switched you into Eli’s sister’s body and you’re in Venice Beach for spring break. Is that true?”

“As ridiculous as it sounds—yes.” I proceeded to explain, not leaving out even the most embarrassing details like waking up wearing a guy’s shirt, puking in a parking lot and strutting on stage for the wet T-shirt contest. I was always completely honest with Alyce, just like she was with me.

And in true Alyce form, she simply listened.

“Then last night Cola told me Grammy is pulling me off the mission,” I griped. “How can she do that to me? My grandmother is more protective on the other side than she was when she was alive. She says it’s too dangerous for me to stay in Sharayah’s body. But it’s more than that. I’ve failed her by losing the GEM—that’s the instruction manual. And now I’m going to fail Sharayah, too. I really blew it this time, Alyce.”

“You did your best. Sometimes things just don’t work out.”

“But I could
make
it work if I had more time.” I sighed. “What am I going to do?”

“Come home,” she said simply.

“Believe me—I want to!”

“Then do it.”

“I can’t go back as a failure.” I groaned, twisting the phone cord through my fingers. “If I can convince Grammy to let me stay for the audition, everything will work out. Sharayah is the most incredible singer—better than any of those American Idols. Kelly Clarkson would be envious! Sharayah could be even more famous than her, unless she misses this big chance. If only Eli would show up with the GEM, then I could contact Grammy directly. Have you heard anything from Eli?”

“Why would your boyfriend call me?”

“I don’t know … I guess I’m just worried because he hasn’t called me back. Of course he might have tried by now, only I won’t know until I see Sadie again. And I have no idea how to find her or Mauve. And what’s bothering me the most is not hearing from Eli.” The phone cord was now wrapped so tight that it was starting to cut off circulation. I unwound it, my hand free, but my heart still tied up in knots. “I just don’t know what to do. Alyce, what do you think?”

I waited for her encouragement, but there was a long pause.

“I think you should come home now. But you don’t seem to care what I say,” she finally said, in a sharp, very un-BFF tone.

“Of course I care.”

“You don’t act like it.”

“What’s this about, Alyce?” I asked.

“Nothing,” she snapped, in a way that definitely meant “something.”

“Alyce, are you mad because last time, when I was in Leah’s body, I didn’t immediately tell you I wasn’t dead? I’ve already explained that.”

“Why does everything have to be about you?” Her hostility shocked me. Whenever I got too dramatic, she would tell me to cut it out and call me her nickname, “Dramber.” But that was always done with a smile and good-natured teasing.

This time there was no teasing in her tone.

“I can’t believe you said that,” I told her, stung.

“That’s because it never occurs to you that other people might have problems, too.”

“Like you?” I asked, trying desperately to understand why she seemed so angry. “Is something wrong?”

“If it was, would you notice?” she retorted.

“Of course I would.”

“Yet when I told you mom missed work you didn’t even ask why. You never think about what I’m going through. A week ago I thought you were dead—do you have any idea how awful that was? I went around like a zombie, not able to sleep or eat or talk to anyone because you were the only one I wanted to talk to and you weren’t here.” Her voice cracked. “When we finally got to talk, I had to pretend like I hadn’t gone through hell for a few days. But before we can have a real talk, you leave again and it’s Dustin—not you—who tells me you’ve switched bodies.”

“I called,” I tried to explain. “Your mother said you were unavailable.”

“But you called Eli first—a guy you’ve only just met—rather than me.”

I couldn’t argue because she was right. “I’m sorry.”

“You’re always sorry. I should be used to that by now and not expect any more. But lately I’ve felt so alone. ”

“I can’t read your mind. I had no idea you were upset.”

“You don’t pay attention.” She made a soft sound like a sob. Alyce, crying? But she was the toughest person I knew, and never cried.

“I’m paying attention now. Talk to me, Alyce.”

“I can’t … not over the phone. Come home ASAP.”

“Grammy plans to switch me back today,” I admitted. “But I want her to wait until tomorrow so I can go to the audition. I can’t just quit on Sharayah when I’m so close to giving her chance at stardom. All I need is one more day.”

“Sure, help her. Isn’t that what you expect me to say?”

“I don’t expect you to say anything but the truth.”

“You don’t want to hear the truth. I don’t even know why you bothered to call me.” Her voice broke. “Just go … go have fun with new friends.”

“Mauve and Sadie? That’s ridiculous! I barely know them and they have no idea who I really am.”

“Yet you’re all having a great time together—dancing, flirting, hanging out on the beach. It’s so interesting to hear you go on and on and
on
about them. Thanks for sharing.”

“Alyce, don’t! You’re my only BFF and I’d rather be with you than anyone else. You know that.”

“Do I?” Alyce asked quietly.

“I might be dense sometimes, but I never stop caring. I’ll be home tomorrow—I promise. Then we’ll have one of our Double A’s talks. Just the two of us, like always.”

“Yeah. Like always.”

But the way she said “always” sounded like an accusation.

And before I could say anything else—even good-bye—she hung up.

Only the heartbreak Sharayah had felt when Gabe tied her hands and called her a “fool” came close to the hurt I was feeling. Alyce and I’d had arguments before, but we’d always kept talking until we worked things out. Never—not once in all the years of our friendship—had she hung up on me.