The Guidance - By Marley Gibson Page 0,42

someone's in pain." She glances over at me, and it's all I can do not to laugh my ass off at this little performance. Someone should call Mrs. Rachupka, our drama teacher, right away and have her recast the fall play.

"Let her sit," Farah almost orders Celia.

"Take a load off," Celia says.

Courtney sits on the bench and continues to feign her psychic senses. I can see into her thoughts, and she's laughing and thinking what a genius she is, pulling this off like she's doing. Suddenly, she reaches her hand over and puts it on my arm, her face full of emotion.

What is this girl on?

"I'm so sorry to hear that Jason broke up with you."

Taylor slams her hands onto the table. Part of our gag. "He what? How dare he!"

Courtney closes her eyes and sways a bit. "My sensitivities are telling me that ... that ... he's coming back to me. That he thinks we're meant to be together."

Wow, she should try out for a soap opera.

She goes on a bit more about destiny and her spirit guide directing her, and I just can't hold it in any longer. Especially now that Becca's appeared at the table and looks like she wants to take out Courtney's kneecaps.

I can't help it, and I burst out laughing.

Courtney stares at me with disbelief. "What is so damn funny, Ghost Girl?"

Between gasps, I point and say, "You ... are!"

And before I can get control of my laughter, Jason sits down with his Mountain Dew and bag of Doritos. "Kendall, are you all right?"

"Jason?" Courtney asks, very confused.

Celia's own giggles harmonize with mine, and next thing I know, Taylor's laughing too. We're all losing it.

"What's going on here?Y'all get some funny brownies from the counter?" Jason asks. "Where's mine? Why wasn't I invited to this party?"

About to fall over, Celia gets out, "You didn't tell him? Oh my God!"

Jason's blue eyes dart from Celia to me, then over to Courtney. "Tell me what?"

"You did break up with her, didn't you, Jason?" Courtney asks quite loudly. "You're coming back to me, right?"

Jason looks horrified, like he sucked on a lemon for ten minutes. "Are you kidding me? What planet do you live on, Courtney?" He puts his arm around me. "I'm with Kendall, and you just need to get over it."

"But you broke up!"

He looks at me with a start. "We did? When?"

Becca jumps in. "Yeah? Where'd you hear that? Your psychic intuitions?"

Courtney cranes her neck over at her posse, which has conveniently disappeared. "Oooo, I'm going to get her," she mutters.

"Get who? Your spirit guide?" Celia asks.

"I'm sorry, Courtney," I say. I honestly feel bad for the girl, even if she brought all of this on herself. I still live by the golden rule and I'm not exactly sure we should have done this. I only meant to show her that she can't play these games and needs to grow up. "It was a setup."

"A what?"

"Look, Courtney, you and I both know that you're not psychic. You call me a fake and a crazy person, yet you start acting like you have the same gift I do. It's not something to be mocked or joked about. This is serious business. And you're nothing but a phony. Now, can we bury the friggin' hatchet once and for all?"

Courtney's face turns bright red, and I think her head is going to explode like a Warner Brothers cartoon character's.

A stream of vulgarities and colorful adjectives spew from Courtney, as if she's possessed by pure anger. She points a finger at me and Jason as we sit here.

"You will rue the day you ever crossed me, Ghost Girl. Mark my words."

And with that, she flies out of the cafeteria.

I look around the table and let out a sigh. "I don't know whether to laugh some more or be scared."

"With Courtney?" Jason says. "Be afraid. Be very afraid."

Great.

Chapter Eleven

Tonight is Stephanie Crawford's Halloween bash at her sick—in a good way—mansion. It might actually be bigger than Celia's Mega-Mart-sponsored palace.

I climb the steps leading up to the porch and press the doorbell, which rings out a breezy, chiming welcome. I half expect a butler to open the door and announce us.

"Come on in!" Miss Evelyn says, a big bowl of Lindt chocolates tucked under her arm. "Don't y'all look adorable?"

I glance down at my getup. I'm wearing a pretty traditional fortuneteller outfit; you know, long, colorful flowy dress, lots of bracelets and rings, and thick makeup. Taylor did this crazy