Moving On

Part 19

I really wish ghosts could use cell phones. I'd given my number to Sam's mom, but she hadn't offered hers in return, so I had no information. He was scheduled for a ten a.m. surgery and I'd done little more than stare at my own cell since around eleven, mentally urging it to notify me of a text for the last hour to no avail. It remained stubbornly blank, no matter how many times I powered it down and on again.

"Miss Davis?"

I glanced up in the loaded silence that followed the question, noting everyone in the class was staring at me. Crap. "I'm sorry, Mr. Cole. What was the question?"

"Perhaps if you weren't so busy checking your phone you could tell us what the Supreme Court decided in the Hazelwood case."

I lifted my chin as the snickers began. "I apologize. I was checking for news about my friend, Sam Baylor. He's in surgery right now and I'm worried about him." I cleared my throat and glanced down at my notes. "The Supreme Court decided that public school newspapers have a lower of First Amendment protection than other student expression."

"Thank you, Miss Davis. I hope your friend is okay, but you need to put away your cell phone during my class."

A few more snickers followed Mr. Cole's statement—it wasn't often a straight-A student like me was so publicly admonished by a teacher—but I'd gotten off easy. Mr. Cole was notorious for confiscating student's phones and making parents come pick them up. I slipped it into my backpack and wished I had an Apple watch so I could check my texts inconspicuously.

Government class lasted forever. I was out of my seat seconds before the bell rang, earning a frown from Mr. Cole, and headed down the hallway toward the cafeteria when I heard my name.

"Jonathon." He was leaning against the wall, blending in with a small group, looking for all the world like he was part of it. The others turned to stare at me when I said his name.

"Um, there's no Jonathon here." The speaker was a girl I'd never spoken to before. She looked young—maybe a freshman.

I smiled tightly as Jonathon laughed hysterically. "Sorry. My bad." I spun on my heel and walked away.

"Oh, don't be mad, Kylie. I have to have some fun." He fell into step beside me.

"Whatever," I muttered. I had bigger things on my mind than his entertainment.

"I see your little watchdog's not around today. What gives?"

"I sent him to be with Sam at the hospital." I checked my text messages as I walked. Nothing so far.

"It's really great he has you around to tell him what to do."

I stopped and glared at him. "Don't be such a dick, Jonathon." Worry over Sam was making me extra bitchy.

He simply smirked. "But I'm so good at it."

"Did you have a reason for torturing me today? I'm too busy to deal with your drama."

"God, cranky much? As it happens, I have an excellent reason for stopping you, but if you don't care about your little friend sobbing her eyes out—"

"Who are you talking about? Where?"

"That mousy little girl—Mandy, I think. She's in the old bathroom in D Hall. She seems to be pretty pissed at you, though, so I don't know if you should talk to her right now."

I sighed. "Oh, great. And it's Andi." I remembered her reaction when she saw Sam and I together at the party. I'd meant to call her the next day, but the accident had completely wiped it out of my mind. "I'd better see what I can do."