Evermore - Alyson Noel [97]
She shakes her head and plops onto my bed. “For your information, I’ve been trying to get through to you for days. I thought you lost your ability to see me and I was totally starting to freak!”
“I did lose my ability. But only because I started drinking—heavily. And then I got expelled.” I shake my head. “It was a mess.”
“I know.” She nods, brows knit with concern. “I was watching the whole time, jumping up and down in front of you, yelling and screaming and clapping my hands, anything to try to get through to you, but you were too whacked to see me. Remember that one time, when the bottle flew out of your hand?” She smiles and curtsies before me. “That was me. And you’re lucky I didn’t conk you over the head with it instead. So, what the heck happened?”
I shrug and gaze down at the ground, knowing I owe her an answer, a valid explanation to ease her concern, but not sure where to begin. “Well, it’s like, all that random energy just became so overwhelming, I couldn’t take it anymore. And when I realized how alcohol shielded me from it, I guess I just wanted to keep that good feeling going, I didn’t want to go back to the way I was before.”
“And now?”
“And now—” I hesitate, looking at her. “And now I’m right back where I started. Sober and miserable.” I laugh.
“Ever—” She pauses, averting her gaze before looking at me. “Please don’t get mad, but I think you should go see Ava.” And when I start to balk, she raises her hand and says, “Just hear me out, okay? I really think she can help you. In fact I know she can help you. She’s been trying to help you but you won’t let her. But now, well, it’s pretty clear that you’re running out of options. I mean, you can either start drinking again, hide in your room for the rest of your life, or go see Ava. Pretty much a no-brainer, don’t you think?”
I shake my head despite all the pounding, then I look at her and say, “Listen, I know you’re all enamored with her, and fine, whatever, that’s your choice. But she’s got nothing for me, so please just—just give it a rest already, would you?”
Riley shakes her head. “You’re wrong. Ava can help you. Besides, what could it hurt for you to give her a call?”
I sit there, kicking my bed frame and staring at the ground, thinking the only thing Ava’s ever done for me is make my life even worse than it is. And when I finally look at Riley again, I notice how she’s ditched the Halloween costumes for the jeans, T-shirt, and Converse sneakers of a normal twelve-year-old kid, but she’s also turned filmy, translucent, and practically see-through.
“What happened with Damen? That day you went to his house? Are you still together?” she asks.
But I don’t want to talk about Damen, I wouldn’t even know where to begin. Besides, I know she’s just trying to shift the attention from herself and her lucent appearance. “What’s going on?” I ask, my voice rising, frantic. “Why are you fading like that?”
But she just looks at me and shakes her head. “I don’t have much time.”
“What do you mean—you don’t have much time? You’re coming back, right?” I shout, panicking as she waves good-bye and disappears from sight, leaving Ava’s crumpled-up card in her place.
thirty-three
Before I can even shift into park, she’s at the front door, waiting.
Either she really is psychic, or she’s been standing there since we hung up.
But when I see the concern on her face, I feel guilty for thinking it.
“Ever, welcome,” she says, smiling as she ushers me up the front steps and into a nicely decorated living room.
I gaze all around, taking in the framed photos, the elaborate coffee table books, the matching sofa and chairs, amazed by how normal it is.
“You were expecting purple walls and crystal balls?” She laughs, motioning for me to follow her into a bright sunny kitchen with beige stone floors, stainless steel appliances, and a sunlit skylight overhead. “I’ll make us some tea,” she says, setting the water to boil and offering me a seat at the table.
I watch as she busies herself,