“We are total clichés living the high school dream,” Liv mutters just before she takes a big chug of her coffee. “Who the hell is in charge of this nightmare anyway?”
That would be yearbook editor Elaine Kingston. She’s barely five feet tall, but she is a powerhouse of organizational skills and a take-no-bullshit attitude.
And she is nowhere to be seen.
“Don’t tell me we’re going to have to take over this project.” I’m still half-asleep, and it feels like no amount of Starbucks coffee is going to get me going. I didn’t sleep that great. Kept having weird nightmares with Tuttle in the starring role. The last one was the worst. Would you like to hear about it? I know people telling you their dreams can be kind of boring, but this is a good one.
I promise.
I’m at the Halloween carnival, and I’m wandering lost among the rows of games and food booths. There are all of these familiar faces, but not one of them is a real friend. I finally spot Tuttle, and when I run up to him, he grabs hold of me and kisses me. Right in front of everyone, and they all start cheering.
But when I pull away, it’s not Jordan holding me any longer—it’s Eli. He has this evil grin on his face and then he starts laughing at me. They all start laughing. It’s all I can hear, the echo of their laughter as I try to struggle out of Eli’s arms. He’s holding on too tight, though, and I can’t get away. No matter how hard I struggle, I can’t get away…
And then I woke up, a sweaty, trembling mess. I glanced at the clock, saw that it was five a.m.—we stumbled into bed around one—and I couldn’t go back to sleep.
Yeah. That nightmare is still clinging to me.
“Hey girls!” Elaine’s perky voice breaks through my thoughts and I’m so relieved she’s here, I almost hug her.
“You’re late, Elaine. Sure you’re feeling okay?” Liv teases.
“I’ve been here since eight,” Elaine says with a scowl. She’s holding a clipboard and there’s a pen stuck behind her right ear. She’s wearing a black T-shirt with a witch on a broom on the front and it says, Yes, I can drive a stick.
“Nice shirt,” I tell her.
The scowl disappears and she smiles. “Thanks, Amanda. How long are you girls staying today?”
“I’m here as long as you need me, though I have to drive Amanda to work,” Livvy answers.
“I have to leave around 10:45,” I tell Elaine.
“Less than two hours for you, then. Hmm.” She grabs the pen and taps it against her lips. It’s black with tiny orange pumpkins scattered all over it. Girl has some serious Halloween spirit going on. “I’m going to have the boys start hanging the black tarps right away. Help direct them and then come see me when you’re done.”
She bustles off to go boss someone else around.
“Let’s go, soldier.” Liv snaps her fingers, and we’re off.
Surprisingly, the haunted house is really coming together by the time Livvy and I leave so she can drive me to work. The yearbook staff is huge and almost everyone is there to help out. Under the efficient command of our leader, we are seriously getting stuff done.
It’s the perfect distraction I need, after what happened last night with Eli and Tuttle. I’m kept busy at the cafeteria, and by the time Livvy’s dropping me off at the shopping center, I feel pretty good. When I walk into Yo Town, I’m happy to see it’s busy there, too. Sonja is in the back working at her computer, and she calls me into her office when she sees me pass by.
“Have a seat.” She waves at the chair on the other side of her desk.
I settle in, trying to fight the unease that threatens to grab me. “Everything okay?” I ask.
“Everything’s fine. You’re doing a tremendous job, Amanda. I’m so glad we have you as an employee. You’re such a hard worker and you never complain.” She shoots me a sympathetic look. “But I’m afraid I’m going to have to cut your hours after November 15th.”
Blake warned me this was coming, and now the moment is here. “By how much?”
“Well, currently I schedule you anywhere from twelve to fifteen hours a week. After the fifteenth, though, I’m probably not going to be able to give you any more than ten hours a week.” She gives me a bleak smile. “I know that’s not much, and I’m so sorry I have to do this. But business slows way down once the cold weather is upon us, and we’re pretty much there.”
It’s a clear, sunny day, but it’s brisk outside. Everyone’s over frozen yogurt, I guess. “I get it. I do.”
“If you need to find more hours elsewhere, I completely understand, but if we get to keep you through the winter, that would be great too. Just know I will respect your decision no matter what.”