Kendall & Me [discontinued]

04 | Powder Me Up

“So, how was your play date?”

I barely even registered Elijah’s playful taunt as I picked at the food on my tray.  I wasn’t even really quite sure what I was eating.  It kind of looked like Chinese pie, but I couldn’t really be sure.  If I’d been paying attention to what the kitchen lady had been saying when I ordered my food, I’d probably have some idea as to what was on my tray.  But, unfortunately, my mind was elsewhere.

Unfortunately was such an understatement.

“Oh it was delightful,” Diana cooed.  “So much better without you there.”

My eyes flicked in Elijah’s direction as he scowled at Diana and flicked some of his water at her.  She let out a small shriek, and he guffawed.  This would be the part where I laughed, too, amused by how immature my friends were being.  But how could I laugh when my dead sister was running out of time and I had to get my ex-best friend to admit to killing her.

Wasn’t this whole situation just delightful?

The fact that Ashlynn killed my sister . . . I couldn’t believe it.  Well, I did believe it, but I didn’t want to believe it.  Ashlynn had been there for me after Kendall died.  She’d stuck by me and fended off the occasional bully that would tease me about being sister-less.  To think that all this time she was the reason for all of this, that she herself was a bully . . . it made my stomach knot. 

“Oh yeah I bet,” Elijah snickered.  “Please, tell me.  Did you guys have a girly pillow fight?  Did you gossip about your non-existent love lives?”

Diana smacked Elijah upside the head.  Elijah made a noise of pain in his throat and smacked her back.  “Wow, Eli, who knew that you could be so harsh?” Diana mused.  “I prefer to think of my love life as adventurous.  You know, you never when it’s going to pop out of nowhere and find you.  It’s exciting.”

Elijah rolled his eyes.  “So it’s non-existent.”

Diana gave him a flat look.  “Why are we friends with you again?”

“Because I’m awesome,” Elijah said simply.  “Right, Iz?”

It took a moment to register that his words were directed at me.  I blinked, biting my lip before nodding.  “Um,” I mumbled.  I took a moment to clear my throat before continuing.  “Yeah, um, definitely.”

Elijah and Diana both stared at me.  I swallowed, knowing full-well that I was about to be questioned extensively.  Iz, what’s wrong? Isabel, are you okay?  Isabel, you’re acting strange.  What’s going on with you?  And I wouldn’t be able to answer them.  I mean, of course I couldn’t.  To them ghosts weren’t real.  They were just Hollywood creations.  If I mentioned Kendall they would just go to my parents.  And if they went to my parents?  Well, if they went to my parents Kendall would be screwed.

I was not going to ruin this for Kendall.  I refused.

“Iz, what’s going on with you?” Diana demanded.  “You’re acting like you’ve walked into the world of the undead.”

“Yeah, you’re really pale.”  Elijah tilted his head to the side.  “Are you sick?”

“She was like this yesterday, too.”  There was a true edge of concern in Diana’s voice and in the tilt of her eyebrows as she stared me down.  “Babe, what’s wrong?  Seriously?”

I shrugged, pushing my tray away from me and crossing my arms over my chest.  I knew that that wasn’t really going to help the situation any, but I couldn’t bring myself to eat anymore.  “I just—I don’t feel good,” I lied.  Well, maybe it wasn’t a lie.  I didn’t feel good.  I felt utterly betrayed and torn.  Didn’t that count as not feeling good?  It should have.  “I’m sorry.  I’ll—Jesus!”