“I’d forgotten how well you can pull off the crazy bad-ass look.”
Gee burst into a cackle of laughter. “You said ass,” Gee announced rather loudly causing me to wince a little. “My little princess is getting some bite to her.”
Rolling my eyes I glanced past Gee to see Miranda standing by her locker with Wyatt watching me with a horrified expression on her face. She’d remember Gee from the crazy house. Crap. I hadn’t thought of that.
“Um, my friend Miranda saw you... ya know before. What am I going to tell her?”
Gee followed my gaze and then waved at my friends as if they were long lost buddies of hers. “She isn’t staring at me with her mouth hung open because she remembers me Pay-gan. She’s gawking because I don’t fit the profile you normally hang with.”
I started to respond and decided not to. Gee was right. My friends didn’t have piercings on their face, or wear short miniskirts with tall black army boots. Or deck themselves out in black nail polish and lipstick. Gee was definitely going to draw attention.
“So, she doesn’t remember you from the mental house?”
Gee shook her head, “Nope, Dank took care of that.”
With a sigh of relief I made my way over to Miranda. I wasn’t up for telling more lies today. I was glad I wouldn’t have to come up with something to appease Miranda’s questions. Although, I was going to have to find a way to get Miranda to stop gaping at Gee like she had a third eyeball. Gee was really cute all dressed up like a rebel. Sure she was gorgeous when she was all transporty but she pulled this look off well too.
“Miranda, Wyatt, this is my friend Gee,” then I was stumped. I hadn’t thought that far.
Miranda’s horrified slightly confused gaze shifted from me to Gee lingering just a little longer on Gee.
“Gee?” Miranda asked
“Yep, Gee. Look your friend can already say my name. Isn’t she a bright one?” Gee teased, obviously eating up the uncomfortable gawking. I elbowed her hard in the ribs and shot a warning glare at her.
“Gee is a friend of mine from out of town. Her uh, Dad is a friend of my Mom and she’s staying with me for a few weeks,” I stumbled all over my words. If they believed me, then it would be a miracle.
“If this fascinating introduction is over, I’m going to go find a vending machine. I need a Coke and a Snickers since you rushed me out of the house before breakfast,” Gee announced then headed off in what appeared to be the direction of the Teacher’s Lounge. Surely she wouldn’t. No, she probably would and was going to.
“So she has to live with you? Like in your house? Please tell me you lock your doors because she looks insane. Maybe you should just sleep with your mother. I mean, honestly Pagan, she has probably been in jail or,” Miranda gasped and covered her mouth, “I bet she has. Ohmygod I so bet that is why she’s here! What did she do? That is so unsafe--”
“Miranda, calm down,” I interrupted her babbling and grabbed her arm. “She hasn’t been in jail. She’s harmless. She just likes to draw attention. Now stop making up insane scenarios and relax.”
“She’s kind of funky looking,” Wyatt piped up. I shot him a “shut up” glare and hooked my arm in Miranda’s.
“She’s eccentric but she’s fun. You’ll love her once you get over her appearance and colorful language.”
“Colorful language? Oh no, she curses a lot?”
I nodded, “Yep and it’s amusing. She could put a sailor to shame.”
“I like her already,” Wyatt said glancing back to the corner where Gee had walked around. “You don’t think she’s going to the Teacher’s Lounge do you? Because that’s the only vending machine that way.”
I sighed and tugged Miranda toward our first period class. “That’s probably exactly where she’s going.”
“That’s just badass,” Wyatt replied in awe, then a very loud “umph, ow baby,” followed. Miranda had gone for his ribs with her pointy little elbow.
I laughed for the first time all morning before I remembered Leif and the mark on my soul. My smile quickly faded.
Chapter Six
Dank
“You know, I’ve been thinking,” Gee said as she appeared beside me. I walked through the desert taking the souls from fallen soldiers. I hated wars. They took up a lot of my time.
“Ooo, you missed one,” Gee pointed to the soul standing beside the body he’d once inhabited.