Too Young (The Jewel Project #1)

Chapter 28.1 - Ghosts

"Billy, I want you to go get Alice there," Sam said. "I don't care how you do it. Trick her with candy if you have to."

Jessie threw a worried look at Sam and Kyle, detached herself from Tom's arms and followed Billy towards the tent.

Kyle looked from Sam and Tom to Angie and Christine, mumbled something about checking on Kay and limped out of sight.

Sam glanced at the two girls standing at a decent distance from them, appearing thoroughly confused, then turned away, clutching his head in his hands. It only then sunk in what Jessie's words meant. Jimmy was dying and he couldn't do anything about it.

"Oh, please explode, dear head," he mumbled.

Christine stepped towards him and put her hand on his shoulder. "I have no idea what's going on. You coming back from the dead is... shocking, to say the least. But it's you. Your head is always ready to explode because you think too much. You're my Sam."

Sam pulled her into a hug, burying his face in her hair. Her chocolaty smell calmed him down. "You're the only one who can make me feel better in moments like this." He kissed the top of her head. "You're like a ray of sunlight."

Christine pulled her head back, smiled and wiped some of the fluorescence off his face. "Let's let the doctors work their miracles. I want to know how come you're alive...and shiny."

*

Tom watched Sam and Christine walk away, his twin's arm wrapped around her. He and Angie were alone now, yet she kept her distance. He marched to her, put his arms around her and kissed the crook of her neck.

"Whoa, where did this come from?" She put her hands on his chest to put some distance between them.

"Why? Don't you like it?"

Angie's eyes widened and her arms fell slack. She shook her head and put both hands on his face. "You're different. I feel as if I'm cheating on you." She smiled, but her face dropped the following second. "Okay, not anymore. Hands off butt, mister."

"Are you sure?" he asked cheekily, but moved his hands up her back.

"Look, before we get all comfy-cozy, I need some answers." She pulled out of his arms. "It's been hard for me to get used to the idea that you're gone. This is hard to take in." She eyed him from head to foot. "How come you glow in the dark?"

"Oh, this." Tom wiped his face. "We found the stuff in Snitch Gravel's base. I thought we could use it to scare them. It shouldn't freak you."

"Well, it does. Take it off." Her commanding tone made him laugh. He stopped when he realized that it was nothing but a coping mechanism. Angie wasn't comfortable.

He took her hands and led them to his face. "Help me take it off."

Angie bit her lip, but began wiping the fluorescence off his face with gently moves. It felt more as if she was caressing him. His blood boiled and he flexed his fingers, trying not to grab her. She'd shown she didn't want him that close yet.

She finished his face and started stroking his neck, his shoulders, his chest and back. The fluorescence refused to leave the fabric of his t-shirt, but she persisted. Come on! She can't be doing this innocently. He took her hands and wrapped them around his waist, pulling her against him and not letting her wrists go. "Angie, I'm here and I'm not going anywhere. That's what you have to get used to. I know I've been an idiot towards you, getting jealous and everything."

Her arms tightened around his waist. "You were jealous?"

Tom huffed. "Duh! I'm really sorry for acting up, baby."