Falling for the Ghost of You by Nicole Christie Page B

scolding myself, I focus on the movie, and not on the gorgeous guy sitting next to me in the dark.  I tuck my legs under me, and prepare to be terrified.
    Okay, so the movie is about this family who moves into a creepy old house.  Strange things begin to happen, culminati ng in the disappearance of their six month old baby.  The teenage daughter does some research and discovers the house belonged to a satanic cult leader.  Rumor has it that he built the house using the blood and bones of his followers.
    The story's been done before, but the special effects are awe some.  There are plenty of jump-worthy moments— especially when the girl gets sucked into another dimension in the house to find her baby brother.
    It's totally creepy.  I keep thinking there is something lurking behind the couch, waiting to claw my brain out.  I want to turn the light on, but I can't, no t after I made a big deal about how brave I supposedly was.
    I look at him out of the corner of my eye.  He appears engrossed i n the movie, smiling a little—e ven at the scary parts.
    If he were my boyfriend, he'd have his arm around me, and I wouldn't be scared at all.
    Ugh, get those thoughts out of your head, Violet!
    I was doing so good—u p until the end.  The girl and her brother had just returned from the evil dimension, and was safe back home.  I totally didn't see it coming when bloody hands suddenly popped out of the wall and yanked her backwards, back into their dimension.
    So I jump and scream a little, pressing back into the couch.  Zane turns to look at me, eyebrows raised.
    “You okay, Violet?” he asks with a teasing grin.
    “I’m fine,” I say quickly, standing up.  "I just thought I saw a spider."
    "A spider, huh?"
    There's a sudden chirping noise, making me jump again.  Zane checks his phone.   He frowns down at it, then tosses it on the cushion beside him.
    "Wow," I say, eager to change the subject.  "That's the first time I've seen you with a phone.  I just realize d , that's weird."
    "Why is that weird?" he asks, running his hands through his hair.
    I shrug.  "Because of your job, and your, uh, extremely active social life."
    "Yeah, well, I hate the damn thing," he mutters, sounding annoyed.  "I usually have it turned off."
    "Huh."
    Zane leans over and flicks on the lamp, bathing the couch in light.  "Well, what about you?  Most teenagers are glued to their phones, but I rarely see you on yours."
    "I only ever talk to my friend, Lauren, or my mom," I reply.  Then I smack myself in the forehead.  "And now you think I'm a real loser."
    Zane laughs.  He stands up and looks down at me with his gorgeous dark eyes.  "I think you're beautiful and funny, and if I didn't have to be somewhere tonight, I'd make you watch another scary movie with me just so I can watch you pretend you're not scared."
    I stare up at him, speechless.  He thinks I'm beautiful?!
    We stand there for a breathless minute.  The eerie soundtrack of the movie plays in the background. I am desperate to say something — anything — t o break the sudden tension.
    Finally, Zane looks away, shaking his head a little, as if to clear a thought away.  He grabs his phone and our plates and goes into the kitchen to put them in the sink.   The plates, not his phone.
    "You gonna be okay alone?" he asks before he heads into his room.  "You look a little spooked."
    I scowl at him.  "I'm not a little kid."
    H e only smiles at me over his shoulder before he disappears into his room.
    In a daze, I turn off the lamp and the television , then I go straight to my room.  I do a swan dive onto my bed.
    I can't stop smiling.  I replay our day together in my head, especially the really good parts.  I can't believe we spent the day with him— complete with the awkward is-he-gonna-kiss-me moment at the end.
    Knowing he's right across the hall from me makes me feel restless, giddy.  There's a funny fluttering in the pit of my stomach that only grows when I