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“And now the demon hybrid things can track you, because we brought you out in a messy way.”
He nods. “That. Yes. But also…this is going to sound really weird but…I’m nothing without you now.”
I try to shake some sense into my head because there is none to be found. “What? Are you being like…sentimental with me?”
“No. I mean, you’re keeping me here, Ada. I didn’t know until I talked to Jacob. But in so many ways I’m a fucking ghost. You were right. I’m Bruce Willis.”
This is nuts. “You can’t be! We’ve been out and about. Remember the lady in the park, she was checking you out. And when we went shopping, the sales lady was having a full on conversation with you. I was there. I saw. You’re not a fucking ghost.”
“I’m only here because I’m with you. Don’t you see?”
“No. I really don’t.”
He comes over to me and puts his hands on my shoulders, gazing intently at me. “Your energy is what pulled me out. Your energy is what’s keeping me here. I was dead, Ada. Now I’m not. As long as you’re with me, or near me, I’m alive. When you’re not here, I fade away. Believe me, we’ve all seen it.”
I can barely swallow. “What are you talking about? I have to be…with you?”
He sighs. “Not like…that. You just have to be near me and often. Those two days I didn’t see you when you went to your uncle’s for the weekend? That’s when I started to fade. Even Dawn and Sage noticed.”
“Oh my god,” I say, pressing my hand to my chest. “Like Michael J. Fox in Back to the Future.”
“If you could stop using movie references as examples for my life, that would be really helpful.”
“This is crazy, Max. Like fucking batshit crazy insane.”
“I know, but Jacob did warn you.”
I pull out of his grasp and hit him on his arm. “He did not! I didn’t even talk to him. Perry told me what was happening and that you needed help. How was I supposed to know the side effects? I wanted to help.”
“And you did help and I’m grateful. But, unfortunately, these are the consequences of rushing in.”
“I rushed in because it’s what I do,” I sneer, jabbing a finger into his very hard chest.
He gently wraps his fingers around mine and holds it there. “You’re allowed to be upset. Don’t worry, this won’t change anything.”
“I have to hang around you!”
“I’m training you anyway.”
“But what happens when you’re not? What happens if I go away again? You’re going to fade away. You’ll disappear. You’ll become a ghost.”
“And then I’ll come back when I see you again. It’s not the end of the world.”
But it is. It’s the end of his world and whatever he had planned for himself. It’s the end of the life he wanted. His second chance.
Oh my god. How the fuck is this supposed to work with Rose?
As if he knows what I’m thinking, he lets go of my finger and sighs. “Things will get complicated, I know. But that’s my problem. Not yours. It doesn’t matter what Jacob says, you’re not responsible for me. You don’t have a duty to me, and I expect nothing from you in return. You’ve done enough.” He takes in a deep breath and winces. “It’s just, I have a favor to ask you.”
“What?” I whisper.
“I need to go to New Orleans. I’m getting a car. Going to drive there. I don’t have ID so I can’t fly. I need you to come with me, for obvious reasons.”
“I…” I shake my head. “I would, but I can’t. I have school.”
“Don’t worry about that.”
“What do you mean don’t worry about it?” I exclaim. “Contrary to what it seems like, I have a life outside of this bullshit.” I wave my arms around. “I like school. I care about it. I can’t miss it. It keeps me normal.”
“You’ll be fine. Jacob will take care of it.”
“What, like a mob boss? He going to blackmail my teachers? Believe me, there’s no one more fierce than fashion school teachers. Haven’t you seen Project Runway?”
“Just trust me.”
“No!” I cry out. “I’m sick and tired of being in the dark when it comes to that man and his mysterious ways. Tell me how on earth Jacob is going to make missing weeks of school okay?”
“Fine,” Max says. “He can manipulate things. Reality.”
I stare at him, blinking. “What the hell does that mean?”
“He could change your grades. Or make it seem like you were in class the whole time.”
My eyes feel like they’re going to pop out of my head. “He can change my grades? What else can he do? Does everyone know this?”
He shakes his head. “No. Well I do.”
“Did Jay?”
“You know I never met Jay, right?”
“Did Jay?” I repeat.
Max stares at me for a moment, weighing it. Then he nods. “Yes. He would have known. Of course.”
