Nightshade: Kiss of Death (Book #1)

Chapter 3; True Gazes

I was pulled abruptly from my dream by the sound of a car horn blaring from the window to my left, and sat up with a jolt. I looked at the time on my phone and groaned. Oh come on. Swinging my legs over the side of my bed I angrily rushed to open up the window. 

"It's seven in the morning. On a Saturday! What are you doing here this early?" 

Of course Mads would show up at this unforgiving hour on a weekend, he gets up at the crack of dawn practically everyday. I see him lean onto the drivers side of the car and wiggle his finders in greeting.

"We have a lot to do today Ms. Carson, so hurry up and get your lazy ass out here!" He yells back. 

Letting out an annoyed huff I turned from my window after flipping him the bird.

"Love you too sweetheart!" He called out in response, making me cringe at the stupid pet name.

I quickly threw on a pair of black skinny jeans, black Vans, and a random top from my closet before brushing my hair and teeth in the bathroom. Then I applied some light eyeliner and mascara before grabbing my bag and heading out the door. Mads always complained about me wearing makeup, which always led to the same argument everyday. 

"I still don't understand why you wear that crap," he'd say while pulling a face.

Then I'd spend the next fifteen or so minutes repeating, "Because I like it," or "Because I want to." Eventually he'd give in and ignore me for a good few minutes before he cracked and had to tell me about something that happened during practice of which ever sport he was playing at that time.

 I opened the passenger door and threw my messenger bag at Mads' head before climbing in myself afterward. "Do you know how early it is? I mean honestly Mads the least you could do was call or text me before you decided to wake up the whole neighborhood with your car."

"Uh, I did call you. Like three times. And I texted you last night when I got home," He gave me a curious glance. 

I quickly pulled out my phone and sighed. Three missed calls and two text messages filled the top left corner of the screen. I turned to him and gave an apologetic look. He held up his hand before any words could make their way out of my mouth and grinned.

"I know, I know. You've been tired, and cranky, and melodramatic lately," he paused at my expression gone annoyed. "But luckily for you, your best buddy Mads is going to buy you a hot chocolate and breakfast at the Lumberjack before we look for ghost girl's boyfriend."

I smiled at his offer before rolling my eyes and looking at the passing houses. I've never liked coffee so anytime we go to our favorite dinner he buys me a hot chocolate with extra whipped cream. At first he kept badgering me about what kind of human doesn't like/ need coffee (apparently coffee is a necessity in order to function properly). Of course I would give the appropriate,  "A dead one." Not that being a Nightshade had anything to do with my dislike of coffee. The smell was fine, even pleasant actually. The taste however made me want to throw up. Repeatedly.

"You know the way to my heart White, I'll give you that"

He laughed and put the car in the next gear, "Always have, always will Viv."

                                                              ***

I played with the silver wear that was rolled up in a napkin as Mads finished ordering his Lumberjack Special (not before shooting a flirty wink at the waitress). The lumberjack was a small dinner just on the outskirts of the town with dark blue walls and gold trim around the windows. Booths lined three of the walls and a bar sat right smack in the middle of it all with a wooden sign that said "Welcome to the House of the Best Burgers in all of the U.S".