Page 132 of One Killer Night

I grin as I pull myself from my thoughts. “No, I’m good. I’m better off here with locks on the door.”

She points to the nonhaunted television that was delivered along with my new bunk. “And with all the reality TV I know you’re going to watch.”

I shrug because she’s correct. I may even try and find some cheesy Christmas movies to counteract all the terror I’ve been inundated with.

She laughs, then trades out her red lipstick for black eyeliner. “I’m telling you, he’s harmless. I think he likes you is all.”

Harmless. He said the same, but I’ve learned that my gut is smarter than me, and this time I’m listening with both ears. Not that I could ever be some kind of monster who would ever “out-of-sight, out-of-mind” someone I was in love with a week after breaking up.

I may technically be back on the market, but I’m also not, because there isn’t a guy on this planet, in any respite of time, who could make me want to give up even my grief to live without Noah.

I’d literally rather be miserable with his memory than be happy in his absence. That’s how incurable the disease of heartache is.

But I’m not admitting that to anyone, including my sister.

I fluff my pillow. “Well, if he does like me, let me make it clear: (a) It’s a hard pass from me. The hardest. And (b): Creeping women out is a weird way to flirt, so again, pass, forever.”

“Agreed,” she chuckles as she turns around for my approval, so I clap.

“Thank you ...” She grins. “It was difficult to make my skin look translucent with only cheap drugstore powder, but in the end, I’m not like other artists; I’m a cool artist.”

I giggle and snuggle under my blanket, hating the mention of a drugstore, because yet again my mind is wandering to where it shouldn’t.

“Hey, not to beat a dead horse, but look on the bright side.” She grabs a name badge off the console table and scribbles something on it. “Even if you’re not shopping, you can say you still got it.”

I scowl, then use the remote to turn on the TV. “Gross. Take it back—I don’t want it.”

Evie walks across the room and sits on my bed. “Hey, I know we didn’t talk about it all day, and we’re joking about guys who like you, but I know today is hard. I love you, so if you want me to stay and watch shitty shows and eat junk food, I will.”

I smile genuinely but shake my head. “No. Go be with your people. This is the best day of your life ... We both know that.”

She laughs and shoves my body before she stands and talks like a vampire from old movies. “Thank you, I promise to have a fangtastic time.”

“Booo,” I yell as she walks toward the door. “Terrible pun. Awful.”

I pretend not to notice the way she second-guesses herself, giving me one last look before leaving, and then I’m alone. But truthfully, I’m not fit for consumption, so this is exactly where I should be for the night.

A heavy breath leaves my chest as I adjust my pillow again before I remember that I didn’t lock the damn door. And I learned my lesson with that, so I throw off my blanket and start toward it, catching my sister’s forgotten name badge out of the corner of my eye. The one she scribbled something on. It makes me grin because they must’ve told everyone to write down their favorite scary movie. She’s written two:The Birds + my sister’s life.

I laugh, swiping it up as I make my way to the front door and swing it open. I’m going to try and catch her. She couldn’t have gotten too far.

But the moment it opens, a hand covers my mouth, and I’m pushed back inside.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Camp Weonoke—thirty-two years prior

To Mine,

We’re ’til fucking death.

—Billy

Sonny stormed into Billy’s room. She was angry and yelling. “Stop writing these. Stop giving them to me.”

Billy stood in the middle of the room in those familiar navy work pants while rubbing a towel over his head to dry his inky-black hair from the shower.

“You made a promise,” he said, not looking at her.