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T hings happen fast. The next few days are a blur, and then I’m once again behind Jake’s broad shoulders, but he’s in the driver’s seat of Ellis’ Corvette. Just this once, she wanted to sit in the back, so she could sit with me. Ryker’s riding shotgun, and Ryker and Ellis hold hands between the seats. It’s adorable. It reminds me I’m making the right decision .

“What are you going to major in?” Ellis asks, frowning. “Have you even thought about it ?”

I shake my head. “Maybe Accounting? Like Mom ?”

The little line between her eyes deepens. Accounting. It sounds ridiculous, after all we’ve seen, but she doesn’t say anything. She’s trying to be A Good Sister and support me, but I can tell this has all moved too fast for her .

We used to argue about where we were going to college. We weren’t going to live in the same dorm room—we’re twins, but we aren’t that crazy about it—but we did want to be near each other .

Now destiny has swept my sister off her feet. Our path isn’t the same anymore .

“Do you wish you were coming with me?” I ask. “Even a little bit ?”

“I’m sure I’ll get my chance to go undercover one day,” she says, a smile playing around her lips. “I hear lots of colleges are haunted. And vamp nests love college towns .”

I shake my head. “Nope. There are not going to be any vamps or geists or what-have-you at Kensey State. I won’t allow it .”

“Well, if you do run into any ghosts, let us know and we’ll come for a visit.” Ryker twists in the seat to look at me, but then his bright green eyes move on to Ellis. “We’ll come for lots of visits .”

“I know.” She flashes him a smile, squeezing his hand. “You won’t be that far away, Ash. We’ll be here in a blink if you need us .”

“I won’t,” I say gently. “But thank you .”

Even though she’s smiling, the crinkle between her eyebrows lingers, as if she’s still troubled .

“I can take care of myself,” I remind her. “I did in the Far .”

“I know.” But she isn’t convinced. “You’ve always been able to take care of yourself, even before the Far. From drunken frat boys to demons, I’m sure you’ll be able to handle anything that comes up .”

“Ellis!” I exclaim. She’s driving me crazy. “I’m not going to college in Sunnydale. Give me a break !”

“I’m just saying. You’ll fit into college no problem .”

“I wasn’t worried about that,” I say drily, “until you brought up the possibility I wouldn’t .”

She pulls a face. “I’m trying, Ash. I just don’t like the idea…I like knowing where you and Mom are, that you’re safe …”

“You didn’t have to be the one who worried over everyone,” Jake says from the front seat, his English accent clipped. “Of course it’s going to be hard on Ellis .”

“Don’t gang up on me,” I warn him. “It’s hard enough being the sixth wheel around here .”

“You need a harem of your own,” Ellis says sprightly .

“I’m not ganging up on you,” Jake says. “Lord knows I don’t take Ellis’ side if I can help it .”

“Hard pass on the harem,” I say. “No offense. One man is drama enough .”

Ellis rolls her eyes. “You don’t know what you’re missing .”

I shake my head. “I’m going to focus on my studies. No boys, no ghosts, and no demons. Just lots of time in the library .”

“Really?” Ryker smiles slightly, but his green eyes are kind. “You’ve come awfully close to death. I wouldn’t be surprised if you wanted to live a little .”

I cross my heart and then hold up my fingers in the Girl Scout oath for good measure. “I intend to stay far, far away from trouble .”

“Good luck,” Ryker says. “You’re a Landon girl, after all. We’ll see how it goes .”

I lean forward to punch his shoulder. “Will you stop? Ellis is barely holding it together. You’re supposed to make her feel better .”

There’s a twinkle in his green eyes when he twists in his seat. “Your sister is as tough as you are, Ellis. You know that .”

“I do,” she says .

But she’s still frowning .

I’m not sure I believe it either, to be honest. I changed in the Far, but I’m not quite sure what I changed into. I’m not sure who I am now that I’ve come back .

It’ll be easier to understand with some space from my sister, the person who used to know me best .

Less than an hour later, we pull into the crowded traffic circle that surrounds the wedge, a half-oval of greenery between this group of dorms and the academic buildings. With their massive stone staircases and four-story brick facades, the four residence halls remind me of something out of a movie. My chest squeezes with anxiety, or excitement, or both. As soon as Jake has double parked, I throw my car door open and bound out into the warm autumn afternoon .

“We’ll unload, you go check in,” Jake says, which was my plan anyway, but I swear Ellis’ men are recreationally bossy .

“You do that.” I leave him pulling a laundry basket of my folded sheets and blankets out of the trunk while I head off to the registration table in front of the dorms. There’s a small queue of students there, waiting for a couple of RAs to sign them in and hand over manila envelopes with their keys .

“So, third floor? Great, thank you.” It’s a familiar voice, low and warm and sexy, coming from a few students in front of me .

I step out to one side, craning my head to get a better look, and catch a glimpse of the back of a tall, broad-shouldered but slender boy in a navy sweatshirt. Before I can place him, I remember that I’m not supposed to run into anyone I know. I melt back into the line .

It’s going to be hard to explain the whole dead-and-buried thing. I looked the other day at the memorial page online where my friends—and some enemies—from high school talked about how much they miss me and shared funny memories. A few of the memories made me smile, and then I’d felt sick to my stomach about everything that was lost, and I’d clicked away. I could never get back the year I’d spent in the Far, as the world went on without me .

The boy passes by me, headed toward his car. His long brown hair is tucked behind his ears, and he has a square-jawed, handsome face. Jaxon Carter .

Of all the boys who could have been here at Kensey State, it had to be Jax? My best friend from second grade on? We’d grown apart in high school. No, that wasn’t quite right. He’d had a crush on me, and I hadn’t felt the same way, and the awkwardness had come between us .

But Jax has filled out since high school. And I’ve missed him. My gaze follows him as he heads toward a white Honda parked at the end of the circle .

“Can I help you? Name and driver’s license, please.” The RA waves to get my attention, and I jerk my gaze to her abruptly, feeling my cheeks flush. I hope Jake, Ryker, and Ellis didn’t see that; after my no boys, no drama speech in the car, I’ll never hear the end of it .

“Yes, thank you. Ashley Landon.” I say softly. I glance toward Jax, but he hasn’t heard me. Maybe he’s not in my dorm. Maybe this is not the colossal disaster I think it is. It’s a big campus .

She frowns at me and leans forward. “ What’s that ?”

“Ashley Landon.” I give in and say it louder as I hold out my driver’s license .

“Third floor,” she says, handing me a key. “Right behind you. You can head into the lobby to get your student ID .”

Another line. Awesome .

I take my envelope and turn .

Jax looms in front of me, waiting for me to notice him. He must have doubled back from the car. Did it take him a second to place my voice too, since I’m a ghost from his past ?

His eyes widen as they meet mine . “ Ash ?”

“In the flesh.” Well, fuck, but there’s no hiding it now .

When he wraps me in a tight hug, my arms close around his waist automatically. I’m enveloped by his boy scent, Axe body spray and his own spicy, pleasant musk. It’s a scent that takes me right back to lying on his bed, doing homework with him and flirting, even though we never did anything about it .

“I can’t believe it,” he says, and his voice breaks. He clears his throat as he pulls back, gripping my shoulders. “How have you been ?”

I crinkle my nose. “It’s complicated .”

“I’m sure it is .”

“You can’t tell anyone I’m here,” I beg. “I’ll explain everything. Later .”

Somehow .

“Okay.” He holds up his pinkie finger .

Just like that. It’s that easy, falling back into my friendship with Jax. He’s not just the tall, handsome boy in front of me; he’s also the freckle-faced kid who has known me all my life. He used to pinkie-swear to keep my secrets when I was up to no good .

I hook my pinkie finger around his. Just touching him sending sparks flying through my stomach. “I’ve missed you .”

The smallest cocky smile curves his lips. “You better have .”

“Hi.” Ryker comes up beside me, his eyes flickering curiously between Jax and me .

“Hi,” I say. “Uh, this is my sister’s boyfriend, Ryker. And this is an old friend of mine , Jax .”

“Sister’s boyfriend,” Jax says, relief evident in his voice as he sticks out his hand. “And how is Ellis doing, anyway? She just kind of dropped off the face of the earth a year or so ago .”

“She’s been working a lot.” God, I don’t know how I’m going to spin all these lies. But luckily, Jax’s dad calls from the car. I’m saved, for the time being, as we all work to unload our cars into the dorms .

After Ryker sets a box of my books on the desk in my new room, he leans in to me conspiratorially. I expect him to warn me that Jax is a danger .

He says, “You’ve got this, Ash. It might take you some time to get your bearings, but you’re going to be awesome here. College is going to be awesome .”

I can’t resist the smile that tugs at my lips. “I know why my sister likes you so much .”

“It’s not just my good looks?” He raises an eyebrow .

“Sorry, but your personality is solid too .”

The conversation has lightened my mood. I head back out into the hall, to grab the last box and tell Jake he can move the car .

There are ashy footprints tracked across the linoleum floor. I glance across the bustling hallway and catch a glimpse of a translucent, shimmering girl with her backpack over her shoulder, someone who doesn’t quite fit in with the figures bustling around her .

Her shoulder should bump into a boy carrying a box, but he moves forward without noticing. When I look down at the footprint, it’s gone .

She disappears into the crowd, but I don’t see her turn the corner as the hall clears. She’s just gone .

I’m pretty sure my new dorm is haunted .

And there’s no way I’m going to tell Ms. Overprotective about it .

Can’t a girl get a break from the supernatural ?