Check out Bosy_elselhdar's books: "Daniel and Bella," "Mr. Wrong is Mr. Right," and "Casanova, Shoot my Heart."
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It was a little after 8:00 pm, a few hours after the "fantastical" happenings at school when Nora called Edison.
"Hey, what's up?"
"I can't do this anymore..." the words were jumbled in a sob.
"Slow down, I can't understand you. Take a deep breath."
Nora took a deep breath and let it out in a huff.
"Talk to me." Edison's calm voice washed over her in a warm wave.
"They arrested dad, but only for a night unless mom presses charges. Mom had an ice pack on her face. Again. Did you hear me, Edison, I said, again."
"I'll be right there."
"No," she sighed. "I'll be fine. Besides, Aunt Lianne is here."
Nora studied the shiny blue polish on her fingernails and wondered how pathetic she sounded.
"I'll pick you up. Okay?"
"I guess so, but am I interrupting anything?" She sniffled. Yuck, I must sound gross, she thought, as she dabbed at her nose with a tissue.
"No, you goof. See you in five minutes."
"Thanks."
"What are friends for?"
Click.
Nora glanced at herself in the full-length mirror next to her dresser. She smoothed her red, long-sleeved t-shirt and dabbed some cover-up on her face. Then she slung her cross-body purse around her waist, grabbed her jacket, and went downstairs.
Her aunt was in the kitchen making coffee.
"Hi, sweetie," her aunt said.
"Hi. I'm hanging out with a friend for a while."
"Which friend?"
"Edison," Nora answered as she put on her jacket.
"Alright," Aunt Lianne said, relaxing a bit. She trusted and liked Edison. "Don't come home too late, though."
"I won't."
She came around from behind the counter and hugged Nora. Nora let her but felt awkward even though she liked her aunt. Lianne let her go.
"I'm so sorry for what my brother has done," she said.
Nora glanced away from her aunt's sad face.
"I know."
"I'm always here for you if you ever need to talk. You know that right?"
"Yes, and thanks. It means a lot."
A few moments later, Nora stepped outside into the cool night air. She pulled on her jacket and glanced around the quiet street. When she spotted Edison's Nissan, she started walking toward it.
"Sorry for the hassle," she mumbled as she got into the passenger seat.
"It's never a hassle, silly. Do you want to go anywhere or just hang out at the house?"
"I don't know what else we can do this late except go eat but I'm not hungry. Are you?"
Edison shook his head.
"We can go to your place. Are your parents asleep?"
"They aren't home. Remember I mentioned that they were going to my great uncle's funeral service in New York? They'll be back on Sunday.
"No, you never mentioned it."
"I'm sure I did. I mean, at least I thought I did." He wrinkled his brow for a moment.
"You've been the absent-minded professor, lately," she joked. "Don't forget my birthday which is coming up in a couple of months..." she teased.
"Since when have I ever forgotten your birthday?" he smiled at her.
He had the greatest smile. It was just a fraction crooked on one side but very sexy. And his eyes twinkled behind his glasses. Jeez, Nora, get a grip. You've been best friends since the second grade. Don't mess it up.
"Since never," she grinned, feeling better than she had all night.
Later That Night:
Nora was snuggled up in a throw blanket next to Edison on the large sofa. A bowl of half-eaten popcorn and two Cokes sat on the coffee table.
They had just finished watching the movie "Alien," one of Nora's favorites.
She stretched, closing her eyes a moment. She felt something wet on her face. She opened her eyes to find Sparky, a black, miniature Dachshund, looking back at her with his loving eyes.
"Sweet but gross, Sparks!" she laughed. Sparks was her nickname for him because he had a fiery personality. Sparky wagged his tail and settled between them once more. As Edison pet Sparky, his hand touched Nora's. They both felt a tingling sensation. Nora pulled hers away embarrassed.
"Hey, can we talk about what happened to Carter and Alex the other day?" she asked, trying to sound casual.
"Later, okay?"
"Yeah, sure," Nora answered, wondering why he was shutting her out. It felt like he knew something that she didn't. Her phone rang and she picked it up from the coffee table.
She picked it up. "Hello?"
Edison watched her.
"Okay. Yeah, I'm alright. Is he okay? I'll see you tomorrow afternoon. Love you too. Bye."
Nora clicked a button and set down her phone.
"My aunt has to leave for the night. My cousin was caught drinking and puked all over my uncle when he was confronted."
"Oh, wow," Edison laughed.
Sparky started to snore.
"You're welcome to stay the night here. I mean if you want to," Edison said.
"I haven't stayed the night here since we were little. Anyway, I think I can handle being alone for one night."
"I know you can. I just meant that I'd feel better if you stayed here. I could go to your house and stay but Sparky needs looking after."
Nora bent her head.
Instantly Edison knew she was crying again. He gently moved Sparky to the other side of the couch and put his arm around Nora.
Damn, Nora thought. I'm such a baby. Why am I crying again...
"Just stay here tonight. It will help keep your mind off things. I'll sleep on the sofa."
"I feel weird."
"Whatever for?" Edison rubbed her back. "Sit tight. I'm going to fix up my room for you." He cleared the dishes from the coffee table.
"Thanks, Edison."
"No problem. Be back."
Sparky lay on his back, his little paws in the air, still snoring.
Half an hour later, Nora was tucked into Edison's queen size bed. He had changed the sheets and the scent of Febreze hung in the air. There was a small lamp on the nightstand with a digital clock and a stack of books.
"You're an awesome friend," she smiled at him.
"As are you," he said as he grabbed some clothes from the closet. He paused at the door.
"Get me if you need anything at all."
"I think I'll just sleep, but thanks."
"See you in the morning then," he closed the door.
She switched off the lamp, and as she laid her head on his pillow and pulled the soft comforter tightly around her, her thoughts wandered to Edison sleeping on the sofa. The thoughts drifted into a dream of him asking her on a real date.
She woke up a few hours later and glanced at the clock. Its numbers glowed 3:00. Strange, she thought. She was usually a sound sleeper. She pulled herself from the warm bed with a sigh as she realized she needed to use the bathroom. A few minutes later she washed her hands and glanced up into the mirror.
A stranger stared back at her in the reflection. She had long, dark hair, with a silver streak going down the side. It was her intense eyes and the slow, curving smile that made Nora scream.
Downstairs, Edison heard the scream and dropped the book he had been reading. He bounded up the stairs with Sparky close behind him. He opened the door to his room but found the bed empty. Then he noticed the closed bathroom door.
"Nora!" He banged on the door.
Nora unlocked the door and stood in front of him, wearing a pair of his sweatpants and t-shirt. Her hair was tangled, her eyes wide with shock, but most concerning was the scratch on her right arm. It looked like someone had dragged three nails down her skin.
Everything felt fuzzy as Nora tried to process what she had seen. Was it real? It had to have been because she'd felt it. She had just been standing there, staring at the apparition, when her arm began to burn.
Sparky's yipping seemed to pull Nora out of her shock a little. He started to growl, circling their feet.
Edison gingerly examined her arm. "What happened?"
"I think your house is haunted."
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