Page 3 of Fed By Fear

“Jenna has bad taste and so do you for being friends with her.” I pause, then add, “And so do I for letting you let your friends set me up with assholes.”

Amber smiles. “I’m going to keep trying. Your knight in shining armor is out there somewhere.” She singsongs the last word. Amber’s positivity makes me absolutely livid sometimes. It’s also the reason I’m drawn to her. She’s immune to my attempts to push her away and always worms her way closer. Despite my black-cat energy.

Amber also reminds me of someone from my childhood. Someone with blonde hair and bright eyes. But she’s gone, along with the rest of them.All dead.

The easy connection I’ve found with Amber catches me off guard. We haven’t known each other long. Just shy of a year. She was a friend of a friend’s when I needed a roommate. We’ve grown close, sisterly almost. Anyone I develop too close a relationship with ends up in a bad situation. That truth is a knife slicing through my gut. Our lease is up for renewal next month. It’s time for me to let her go.

Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I had never played that stupid game.

The ghost peering in our window is a reminder that there’s no going back to the way things were.Iput my handon that board.Ilet the game go on. IfIhad stopped… Well, there’s no point in obsessing over that again.

Trudging to my room, I unzip my boots and starfish on the bed. Retreating to my poster-covered sanctuary gives me space to think.

Amber knocks on my door before cracking it open.

“I brought you some spaghetti.”

I give her a bland look. “Your mystery pasta sauce?”

She purses her glossy lips. “It’s from a jar.”

That makes me grin. “Artificial dyes and preservatives that will last through a zombie apocalypse? Much safer than anything you’ve ever cooked from scratch.”

“You bitch. I gave you food poisoningone time.” Amber plops down at the foot of my bed.

“You’re right. I’m being unfair. One violent illness is hardly worth this level of mistrust.”

She half grins, then: “I’m sorry your date sucked.”

We both drop into a beat of silence.

I look at her, my snark and sarcasm all tucked away now. Just feeling vulnerable, and solemn, and letting her see it. “Your friends must not like him much if they set him up with me. Considering…” I wince.

Amber does her best not to fixate on my…talents…with ghosts, but the trail of death in my life can’t be ignored.

She grabs my shoulder, shoving the pasta my way. “You are not cursed. Those were all accidents.”

Shaking my head, I take the plate. “I don’t think I’m meant to date anyone.”

“That’s not true. I know you’re lonely…” She immediately bites her lip, looking as if she could take those words back.

She’s right though. For someone who’s never alone—I’m looking at you dead people—I am pitifully lonely. Whowants to get dragged into my mess of a life? Baggage for days and a possible death sentence alongside a smidge of sarcasm-coated love.

Spaghetti piles up as I twirl my fork against the plate. “A loner and a loser. It can’t be a coincidence that those two words are only one letter apart.”

“So are loner and boner, Gith. I wouldn’t overthink it.” She puffs out an exaggerated breath, sending the loose blond tendrils of her bangs fluttering.

“Well I suppose loner boner isn’t a terrible aesthetic to lean into.”

She claps her hands together. “Finally, a ray of positivity! Stop boohooing and get your shit together. It’s almost Halloween! That’s like your thing! Eat your pasta and stop bitching.”

The shrill ringing of my phone surprises us both. It’s Edwin. He only calls me for one thing this late.

Amber lifts a brow. “Secret spooky things?”

I nod. “Secret spooky things.”

Chapter 2