Jordan dropped us off and Cross snuck inside with me. He slept on the floor of my room. He was gone when I woke this morning—my head pounding and my ribs sore—and I knew it hadn’t been a ghost that turned my alarm clock off.
I had to bite my lip to keep from crying as I made my way to the bathroom. I hadn’t wanted to take a painkiller again—I didn’t like my foggy thoughts—but I needed it this morning. I was sore, and I hated that.
This confirmed my plan to stay home from school for the day, and I found Heather in the kitchen when I padded out of the bathroom. She was dressed, grabbing some coffee. When she saw me, she nearly dropped the coffee pot.
“You stayed home today!”
I paused, the fleeting thought that I was in trouble fading once she broke into a wide smile. She came over, her a
