Chapter Five (Part Two) --Tripped Up
Don't get tripped up! Here's another chapter heading your way. Romance, robbery, and mystery coming your way. Hope you like it!
I scanned the hallway looking for other students—nothing but an empty corridor. I released my hold on the ghostly plane and welcomed the warmth of the world back into my fingertips. My weight filled my sneakers and pressed into the floor.
The distinct taste of wood lingered in my mouth making me grimace in disgust. Things from the physical realm tended to leave a residue on me in astral form when I passed through them, and the flavor of old door left me wanting to scrub it from my tongue with a wire brush. That'd have to wait. I turned the handle and shoved it open with my hip.
Maggie shut the book and dropped her hand behind the flare of her skirt trying to hide my father's notes from sight.
Tammy stepped past Mags further blocking my view of the journal. The pinkness of her coordinating outfit was hard to ignore. I felt like I was standing in front of a gigantic stick of bubble gum.
"Thought you had class," Tammy said with an air of chipperness that'd rival even the peppiest cheerleader.
Obviously, thief. I narrowed my eyes and closed the door. "And I thought you two had better things to do with your time than stealing my stuff." I glanced at Tammy and back to Mags. "I guess we were both wrong."
Maggie rolled her eyes and shoved the shoe box under my bed with her foot. "Please, as if I'd bother with any of your trash."
Uh-huh, right. "You know what they say, one man's garbage is another man's treasure. Just in this case, I hadn't quite discarded the book yet."
Maggie brushed past Tammy and raised her hands in the air. "Book? Like I said, I'm not interested in your crap. And I certainly don't have anything of yours."
"Oh, please." Jake let out a groan and shook his head. "That's only true because she passed it to Tammy."
Tammy with a hand behind her backed up like she intended to head to her side of the room. But before she even passed the footboard, Jake hopped off my bed and stuck his leg out behind her. Her right foot drifted through his leg like he wasn't even there. He squinted his eyes shut and held his breath. The light overhead sparked, flickering on and off. When she lifted her left foot, it caught Jake's leg, and she flew backward screaming through the air onto her butt. Her hand smacked the floor, and my book bounced free of her grasp, landing open at my feet.
Way to go Jake! I cheered silently in my head. I swooped down and plucked the journal from the ground, holding it to my chest.
"Tessa!" Tammy whimpered and rubbed her backside. "You tripped me."
Maggie stared at the burnt out light for a moment and then turned her attention to Tammy.
"Don't blame me because you're a clumsy thief." I held back a smirk. "Besides, if I had done it, you'd really be hurt."
Tammy's mouth dropped open. "You wouldn't dare."
"Try stealing my book again and find out," I answered in a confident tone waving the journal in front of her.
"I didn't take your crappy book." Tammy got to her feet and dusted herself off. "It must have been your stupid book I tripped over."
Really? You tripped over it. Please. Last time I checked the mirror, the word gullible wasn't stamped on my forehead. "You two are searching for scraps on Jake. I'm not an idiot. So you can cut the—"
Maggie scoffed and held her hand to her chest. "Take advantage of Jake's death? How can you even suggest we'd do such a thing?"
Tammy flipped her blonde curls over her shoulder. "And I thought she respected us enough to know we'd tell her the truth."
"Tell you what..." I crossed my arms. "When you say something honest, I'll consider the respect thing."
Tammy's brow scrunched, and she turned to Mags. "Did she just call us liars?"
"Yeah, she did." Maggie grabbed Tammy's arm. "Come on. I think our roommate needs some alone time."
Tammy pursed her lips and turned on her heels so hard her hair fanned through the air. She snatched the handle and slammed the door behind her, leaving it to rattle in the frame.
My arm tingled and the air cooled next to me, without even looking, I knew Jake stood there staring at the door with me.
"Are they always like that?"
"Usually, they pretend I don't exist." I tossed the book on the bed. "Which for obvious reasons, I've never complained about. It's actually preferable to dealing with them."
"They make Cinderella's stepsisters look down right pleasant."
I chuckled and let the weight of the physical world drift from my bones carrying me back to where I could feel Jake's touch.
Biting my lower lip, I averted my gaze to the spot on the floor where Tammy landed. "I guess girls fall for you where ever you go, huh?"
"Not that I've noticed, but I'm pretty sure Tammy doesn't count." Jake directed my chin upward with his fingers until I met his gaze. "Besides there's only one girl I'm interested in."
He took a step closer and wrapped his arms around me until my chest flattened against him. He lowered his lips slowly to mine. The air thinned between us and my legs weakened with the tenderness of his kiss warming my lips. I wanted more, but he lifted his mouth from mine, and his eyes fluttered open, sparkling with warmth.
"So, you never answered me," he whispered.
Being this close to him made me light headed. "Hmm? What question?"
"The one about me not wanting to be friends. I want to know everything about you." He licked his lips and threaded his fingers with mine. "You know, as my girlfriend."
I didn't even know what to say. Jake wanted me to be his girlfriend? My hands went clammy and my throat dry. Date a ghost? Was that even possible?
"I..." my voice trailed off.
He squeezed my hand. "I know there will be a few challenges to us being together."
I burst out laughing. "More like a few dozen."
Jake hung his head, and his shoulders slumped.
"Hey..." I peeked under his downcast gaze and glanced at him beneath my lashes. "I didn't say I wasn't willing to try."
He lifted his sight to meet mine with his nose scrunched. "You didn't say you would either."
"Jake... I didn't mean to laugh." I brushed a lock of his hair from his eyes. "But you're right. This has to be the most unconventional relationship ever."
A smile grew across his face. "Has to be? Is that a yes?"
"What did you think I'd say? I don't kiss every guy at this school." The history of my kissing anyone equaled the grand sum of zero, but I certainly wasn't telling him that.
I tugged his hand and led him to take a seat on the bed beside me. "I'm not sure how we're going to make it work, but—"
"Who says we have to know all the answers right now? We'll figure it out." He reached behind us, picked up the journal and passed it to me. "Maybe there's some answers in there?" He tapped the cover.
The book weighed heavy in my hands. If there were answers in it, I couldn't imagine they led to us staying together.
"Right, the book," I said trying to hide how much I still didn't want to open it.
"Oh, I almost forgot. I was on my way to tell you what I found until I ran into Matt drooling over your outstretched hand."
"Again, not interested in him."
Jake shoved me sideways slightly with his shoulder. "I know, but that doesn't mean I won't tease you."
"Oh, you know now, do you?"
"Yup."
Why the change in confidence? "And what makes you so certain I'm not just hiding my feelings for him?"
The corner of his lips turned up into a smirk. "You can't resist me."
"Can too."
"Nooo, you can't," he said drawing out his words.
"Can."
He flipped me onto my back and straddled me. His lips hovering a breath above mine. "Then just try not to kiss me back."
"Easy," I replied, trying to ignore the proximity of his lips.
I grabbed a fistful of my blankets and twisted them in my hands. I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping that blocking Jake from sight would make it easier to prove him wrong.
He brushed his lips over mine, and my resolve was already melting. When his mouth claimed mine, my breath hitched. The wetness of his tongue parted my lips and the next thing I knew I was dragging him closer kissing him back.
Jake lifted from our kiss, and a grin spread across his face. "Told you." He flopped on to his back next to me. "I knew you couldn't resist my superpowers."
"Kissing is not a superpower."
"Are you sure?" He propped himself up on one arm and dusted my neck with his fingers. "Maybe you should come here and test my theory further."
Shivers radiated down my shoulders, and I licked my lips. He might not have superpowers, but his kisses definitely held some magical power over me. "Better not, I might never get to class."
He let out a soft chuckle like he knew he'd won. I gave him a shove, and he laughed harder.
"Just because I lack willpower, doesn't mean you have super kissing powers." I rolled over onto my side, hoping to change the subject. "So, what did you find in Kennedy's office?"
Jake scooted closer and whispered in my ear, "Not what— who."
"Who then?" I asked, trying to ignore the warmth of his chest against mine.
"Officer McCormick." Jake wet my ear with tiny kisses. "He strolled in and relaxed into an empty chair in front of Kennedy's desk."
I took a deep breath and let it out, trying to ignore the urge to lift my lips to his. Come on Tessa, willpower. "Let me guess, Kennedy, showed up too."
"Uh-huh," he mumbled caressing my neck with kisses.
Now even my toes were tingling, desire consuming my thoughts. Focus. I let out a long drawn out breath. He has no effect on me, I chanted in my head.
"What did they..."
He lifted his mouth from my neck and blew softly along his wet trail of kisses.
I quivered, bit my lip and scrunched my eyes shut. No effect, I chanted again.
"Did they say anything important?" I blurted, my words sounding hurried and out of breath.
He chuckled and nuzzled my ear. "Yup."
When he stopped kissing me, I opened my eyes to gaze into his aqua eyes hovering above me. God, he's hot. His lips, so close. Damn willpower. I thrust my mouth to his and claimed his kiss. Beyond the passion of our embrace, I could feel an invisible connection linking us together. But before I could explore it, his tongue traced mine, tormenting me further. I'd happily drowned in his kisses all day if I didn't need to breathe.
"Air..." I panted, trying to catch my breath, fanning myself. "I don't know if kissing is a superpower, but yours are certainly my kryptonite."
I flopped back on the bed making it bounce from my weight. "What did they say? You know, Kennedy and that officer guy."
He brushed a lock of hair from my eyes. "That the sword's gone missing from the police evidence locker."
I pushed up to my elbows. "It what?"
"Disappeared." Jake pulled his legs into a cross-legged position next to me. "The police have no idea how, but it's gone."
"But why tell Kennedy?"
Jake shrugged and pulled at a thread on the flowered bedspread. "I don't know. But they talked like they knew each other really well. And..." Jake hesitated for a moment like he was looking for the right words. "They mentioned your father and how you might know more than you were saying."
***
TWINKLE that voting star and make an author proud! Thanks for reading. MORE coming soon. Hugs all. LOVE to hear what you think of Tessa and Jake. :)
Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: Truyen247.Pro