Awry

17

By the time Laura returned home from her trip, Scarlet had almost overcome her frustration with the boys about the Head Ghost.

Almost.

She still thought they were being over-protective, but she had stopped begging for their help. For now.

“Welcome home!” Scarlet gave Laura a big hug the moment she walked in the front door with her luggage. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed Laura as she wrapped her arms around her guardian.

Laura’s red hair brushed against Scarlet’s nose as they embraced. She smelled good. Like coffee and cinnamon.

Laura laughed, probably caught off-guard by Scarlet’s affection. The two didn’t touch very often.

“It’s good to see you, too.” Laura pulled back with a smile, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Why are you so chipper?”

Because I died, and now I’m alive.

Scarlet shrugged. “I’m just happy you’re home.”

Laura looked at Scarlet for a moment, examining her face. Or was she examining her eyes?

“What?” Scarlet asked, afraid her eyes were glowing.

When the immortal blood inside Scarlet’s heart began to weaken her, Scarlet’s eyes would flash and glow neon blue. A sure sign that death was close.

Laura smiled and shook her head. “Nothing. I just missed you. What happened while I was gone?”

“What do you mean?” Did Laura somehow know about Scarlet’s bloody death? Did Laura know about the Scarlet’s eyes? Did Laura know—

“How was winter formal?” Laura smiled warmly.

Wow, Scarlet. Paranoid much?

Scarlet took a deep breath. “Ah, you know. Uneventful. Heather dressed me in a poofy skirt with a black top that felt more like a torture device than a corset.”

Laura smirked. “Sounds beautiful.” She stepped out of her tall red heels, and kicked them to the side.

“If beauty is misery then, yes, it was beautiful.”

Laura sighed happily. “Beauty is always misery.”

Scarlet smirked. “Then I’ll pass on beauty.”

“Too late,” Laura kissed her cheek, “you’re already beautiful.” Laura shuffled all her bags inside and shut the door behind her. “So, how are things going with Gabriel?” Her eyes sharpened for the briefest of moments and Scarlet hesitated.

Why was she hesitating?

Act normal, act normal.

Don’t act like a cursed, sometimes-dead girl.

Scarlet cleared her throat. “Good. Things are good.” Talking about Gabriel with Laura seemed dangerous.

She didn’t want to accidently say something like, my boyfriend is immortal! Or I missed winter formal because I had an arrow sticking out of my back and protruding arrows make dancing difficult.

Smiling, Scarlet changed the subject. “So now that you’re home, what should we do? Movies? Dinner? Shopping?”

Laura grinned. “All of the above.”

“Perfect!” Scarlet reached for one of Laura’s suitcases. “I’ll help you unpack and then we’ll get going.”

With a plastered smile, Laura yanked the suitcase back out of Scarlet’s hand. “I’ll take that.”

Scarlet blinked. “Oh…okay. Sorry.”

“Why don’t you look up movie times while I get ready?” Laura’s smile warmed a little, but still looked strained.

Scarlet nodded. “Yeah. Okay.” She watched Laura climb the stairs, clutching the suitcase in her hand.

Weird.