The Accidental Kiss (The Kiss Book 1) (18 page)

I slipped in the empty space next to Lucy. “Hey.” I opened my backpack, pulled out a huge baggie of chocolate chip cookies, and donated them to the pile of food.

“Dibs,” Jacob yelled as he ripped open the bag, shoving two cookies into his mouth without a single breath.

“Slow your roll man. There’s enough for everybody,” Emily reminded him.

“I’m deprived of chocolate.” Crumbs cascaded from his mouth. “And I am a growing boy who needs chocolate.”

Logan looked at his brother with pity. “You have a problem.”

“I think that title belongs to you,” Jacob shot back.

Emily left the twins to bicker amongst themselves. She turned in her seat and looked at me. “Hey, I see your color has returned. How you feeling?”

I hated lying to her. “Good. It was just a tiny stomach bug.”

“Really?” Lucy said. “For a tiny stomach bug, you looked like death warmed over.”

I grabbed a carrot stick to chew on in order to avoid answering. The complicated map of lies I’d woven was getting hard to follow. It was only a matter of time before I slipped up and told the truth, which would stick me in a psych ward faster than you could count to three. People lived in a comfortable world where zombies, voodoo priests, and clairvoyants didn’t exist. It was a world I wished I still belonged in.

Emily slapped Lucy’s leg. “Have some sympathy.”

Lucy apologized around a mouthful of food. “My bad. Sorry.”

“No need to apologize. I felt like death warmed over so I’m sure your description was pretty spot on.”

Logan trained his inquisitive gaze on us three girls. “What’s Lucy apologizing for? She never apologizes.”

Jacob sided with his brother. “She doesn’t. It’s like she’s allergic to the word sorry.”

Lucy glared at the twins until they both withered in their seats. A self-satisfied smile spread across her face and she happily continued with her meal. Lucy should have been the chosen one. If a voodoo priest were after her, she would kick ass and take names. I could learn something from her. Once the carrot sticks were demolished, I moved on to a prosciutto and pesto sandwich. The crusty bread was the perfect ratio to meat.

“I want to marry this sandwich,” I declared.

“Dude, everybody wants to marry that sandwich. Lucy’s dad makes some of the best in town. He’s the sandwich king,” Jacob said.

Emily lowered her voice as she looked at me from the corner of her eye. “He’s a little obsessed.”

“A little? More like a lot,” Lucy grumbled.

Jacob pointed a cookie at us, his fifth one. “Sandwich making is an art.”

I bit my lip from laughing at his serious tone. In my peripheral vision, a flash of tousled sandy blonde hair caught my eye.
Daemon.
I quickly looked over my shoulder and was disappointed to find it wasn’t him. Worry sliced through my veins.

“Hey guys, you wouldn’t have possibly seen Daemon today, have you?”

They murmured a collective no. The worst possible scenario played in my head like a horror movie on repeat. What if he was chained in a basement right now, getting tortured for information? Or what if the voodoo priest got to him? My anxiety skyrocketed.

Emily sensed my distress and placed her hand over mine. “Daemon isn’t a guy who plays by the rules. He’s probably at home sick or at work.”

My chin jerked up. “Work?”

“Yeah, he works at the graveyard as a maintenance worker.”

How fitting for a zombie.

Oddly enough, it never dawned on me Daemon had to support himself. In ninety-nine percent of the supernatural movies I had seen, the paranormal beings had inherent wealth. Just goes to show, the movies are nothing like real life.

“Do you know which cemetery?”

Emily’s mouth scrunched to the side and my heart sank. That is until Lucy chimed in to save the day. “It’s called Plymouth Cemetery on the south side of town. You can’t miss it.”

Emily stared at Lucy, quizzically. “How do you know that?”

“I just do.”

I could have reached over and hugged Lucy, I was so happy but my hands stayed in my lap. She didn’t strike me as the kind of girl who was into public displays of affection. Twenty-four hours had to pass before I chased Daemon down at work. The crazy stalker card could only be used under dire circumstances.

Emily shook her head as if her best friend had turned into a complete mystery before her eyes. “You are a puzzle.”

“Thanks,” Lucy chirped brightly. “That’s the nicest thing anybody has ever said to me.”

Emily gave her one last long look before she switched subjects. “There is a party at Brandon’s house on Friday. We should all go.”

Logan extracted the chocolate chips from a cookie. “Brandon is a douche.”

“He is only a douche according to you because he,” Lucy held both hands up and made air quotes, “
stole
a girl you’ve never talked to before but somehow had claim over.”

“We shared a moment.”

Lucy sighed. “Whatever. I’ll go with Emily if you’re going.”

Emily’s eyes gleamed with excitement as she swung her attention over to me. “Sky? Are you in?”

High school parties never interested me. They were always too loud, had too many drunken people, and made me feel like a ninety-year-old because I would rather be at home reading.

“I don’t know…” I shrugged. “Maybe.”

“Maybe is the equivalent of no and I don’t take no for an answer. Besides there will be a ton of guys there. Perfect to get your mind off Daemon.”

Daemon was like a disease that infected every cell of your body until it completely consumed you. There was no forgetting him. Still, the idea of normal guys who weren’t a mysterious entity and or a zombie had its appeal.

A grin broke out onto Emily’s face when she saw I was warming up to the idea. She shook my knee. “Come on. You can stay for an hour and if it’s complete living hell, you can leave.”

I laughed. “Fine.”

Emily fist pumped the air and danced in her seat as if that was the best news she had heard all year. Her enthusiasm was infectious. Maybe this party wouldn’t be so bad after all.

Lucy looked at me over the cookie she was eating. “I know we didn’t have any luck at the mall or the lost and found closet, but you can’t wear what you’re wearing.”

I glanced down at my faded purple concert t-shirt and my tight dark jeans that made my ass appear smaller than it was. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”

“It’s fine for school but we’re going to a party. You have to show some skin.”

My eyes slid over to Emily for support but she nodded her agreement with Lucy. It was two against one. Showing skin wasn’t a problem. What was a problem was my boobs weren’t big enough to qualify for cleavage material and my legs looked like two sticks of butter.

I sighed. “You guys, there is no way anybody wants to see my pasty ass skin on display.”

Lucy grabbed the bag of cookies off the table, halting Jacob mid-grab. His eyebrows cinched together in annoyance. “What the hell?”

“You will get these back if you answer one question.”

“What?”

Lucy gestured her head over to me. “Would you want to see Sky in a kick ass mini skirt and a halter top?”

My cheeks flamed bright red at the attention. “You don’t have to answer that.”

Jacob’s lips lifted in a shit-eating grin that showed how different he was than his brother who was more quiet and reserved. “Fuck yes, I would. When is this happening? I’ll be there.”

Lucy underhanded the cookies back to him. “Calm down and eat a cookie.”

With it being three to one now, there was no choice. I had to wear a skin-revealing outfit. “Fine. Your point has been made but it’s not like I have anything in my closet like that.”

“I do. You can borrow something of mine.”

Lucy was six inches taller than me. Anything she owned would hang loose on my body and appear as if I was wearing a potato sack.

Emily jumped in before I could say anything. “Why doesn’t she borrow something of mine instead? I’m more of her height.”

Lucy paid no heed to the matter. “Whatever.”

The rest of the lunch break, we discussed the logistics of the party. While I didn’t forget about Daemon completely, my worry had waned. Daemon was a big boy. He could take care of himself wherever he was.

Four days passed without any sign of him. If I had Daemon’s number, I would have psycho called but since I didn’t, our communication remained at zero. Thanks to Lucy, I knew he worked at the graveyard but something was holding me back from checking to see if he was there. At the dinner table with my mom, Daemon had said we were friends. Nothing more. Girlfriends had the right to bust in on their boyfriends at work. Friends didn’t. Right? Isn’t that how it worked? I threw the dress I was holding across the room in frustration. Past friendship with boys weren’t so complicated. Granted, I never had a guy friend as hot as Daemon. This was uncharted territory to me and without a clue how to navigate it.

Emily had loaned me a couple of outfits in preparation for the party. They had very little material but fit Lucy’s description on what I should wear. I tugged on a leather mini skirt and lace halter-top. Checking myself out in the mirror, I cringed. There was no way in hell my mom would let me out of the house wearing this. Problem was, none of the other outfits she loaned me were any better. I’d have to change at Emily’s before we left for Brandon’s party. Between the tiny outfit and Lucy doing my makeup, there was no doubt I would be transformed into Sky 2.0. Tugging my sweater over my head, I slipped on a pair of boots and shoved everything else into a backpack. After a quick glance around my room to ensure I didn’t leave anything behind, I turned off the lights and closed my bedroom door. My mom and Laura were in the entry hall when I came downstairs. Following the disastrous dinner, my mom walked on eggshells around me as if I was a highly overcharged emotional teenager.

“Hey sweetie, where are you off to?” she asked

I adjusted the backpack strap. “I’m going over to Emily’s house.”

“Are you staying the night?” Laura inquired.

My eyes rolled at the round of questions. Since Laura started staying at the house, I might as well have two mothers. “Yes, I am staying the night. I’ll be back in the morning.”

My mom dangled her car keys off her finger. “Do you want a ride? Laura and I were about to leave to go see a movie. We can drop you off on the way there.”

“I’m fine. Emily’s house is only a couple of blocks down the street.” I stepped around them. “I’ll see you guys in the morning. Have fun at the movie.”

Their chorus of goodbyes was drowned out by the sound of the door slamming shut. Last time I had walked alone at night, it didn’t end well so I kept my hand firmly around a can of mace in my pocket. Who knows if the potent formula actually worked against zombies? I hit the sidewalk and stopped. Looking in the opposite direction of Emily’s house, a sudden need to visit the graveyard made my feet itch. Emily would be pissed if I didn’t show up at Lucy’s house but what if Daemon was in danger? I had to at least check to see if he was at the graveyard. And if he wasn’t… I don’t know. I hadn’t thought that far ahead yet.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and dialed Emily’s number. She answered after the fifth ring. “Emily, I’m sorry but something came up.”