See Me Read Free

my room, I slid my purse strap over my shoulder, reached for the light switch, and took one last glance over my shoulder.
    The pointer’s circular window now covered the word “NO.” My breath caught in my throat. My heart pounded and pins pricked along my arms. The pointer had been in the center of the board a moment ago. I’d just seen it. I stared at the word encased by the plastic circle.
    NO.
    How had the pointer moved to the word “NO” all by itself? My brain searched for a logical explanation. Brynne must’ve kicked the board when she got up. Yeah, that had to be it.
    I flipped off the lights and pulled my door shut.
    It wasn’t like the spirit world cared about me or whether my date was going to kiss me. It’s doubtful there even was a spirit world.
    Unfortunately, those thoughts didn’t ease the distinct feeling I had that someone was watching me.
    ****
    After an embarrassing Q and A session from my parents on where Alex planned to take me (the movies) and what time he planned to have me home (before midnight), he and I were finally on my front porch. Alone at last.
    “You look nice,” he said, then reached for my hand.
    “Thanks.” My heart skipped a beat when his fingers laced through mine. I couldn’t help noticing that he looked extremely gorgeous himself with his thick head of blond hair styled up in front, a black long-sleeved shirt that fit snugly over his broad shoulders, and a shy half-smile meant solely for me. Wow. After fantasizing about him so long, it was hard to believe this was actually real.
    We were ambling down the cement path toward his black sports car parked at the curb when I spotted movement behind the rear tinted windows. What the . . .? Every muscle in my body tightened. Maybe my mind had fabricated the “being watched” feeling, but there’s no way I was imagining the outline of a figure in the backseat of Alex’s car. I stopped in my tracks and threw my hand over my mouth to stifle a scream.
    Could that really be one of Nicole’s “friendly” spirits?
    My eyes bugged and I tightened my grip on Alex’s hand, chills skittering down my spine. “Something’s in the backseat of your car. No joke.”
    “Right.” He tugged me along toward his car and then released my hand to fumble with his keys. “That’s just Todd and Josh. They’ve been wanting to see this movie too, so I said they could come.”
    Relief washed over me that it wasn’t a ghost, but my forehead wrinkled as he opened the front passenger door so I could get in. I gaped up at him. “You brought your friends along?”
    He shrugged like he didn’t see what the big deal was. “Yeah. They’re cool, huh?”
    I stared at him, debating what to make of this. I’d thought he’d asked me out to spend time with me, not to hang out as one of the guys. Then Alex did that swoon-worthy half-smile thing and I decided that, even with a few tag alongs, all hope of a relationship wasn’t lost. “Sure. It’s fine.”
    I slipped into the front passenger seat and he closed the door behind me. Todd and Josh mumbled greetings as I pulled my seatbelt across my chest. “Hi, guys,” I said, trying to sound perky and not like I thought it was (totally) weird they’d want to come on our date.
    “Hi,” Todd said.
    Josh patted my shoulder. “Hey, Amy.”
    Okay, it’s not like spending Friday night with three of the hottest guys in school should be considered a drag, exactly. But I did want a real date. Ending with a kiss like the Ouija board promised. And, hello? If you’re interested in someone, you don’t bring your buddies with you. Right? If only there were a sly way to text Brynne to get her thoughts.
    Shoot, if I’d known this was a group thing, I could’ve brought her and Nicole along, too. Nicole would’ve been ecstatic since she had a thing for Todd lately.
    I watched Alex climb behind the wheel, then my arm prickled, causing the hairs on my right forearm to stand at attention. Heat radiated across my