Free Indelible by Lani Woodland

top of my head. “Just stay here with me for a while. I’m not ready to go back into my body yet.”
    I leaned my head against his chest and we stared up into the sky. “That I can do.”
    v
    “So, Yara brings Brent home to meet her parents, and he ends up in the E.R.,” Cherie summarized to Audrey while we headed toward the administration building. It had been over a week since that day, but Cherie and Steve took every opportunity to share the story with anyone they saw. Audrey had been busy on the school activities committee, and had missed out on hearing the full version until now. The “Back to School” events had taken over her life and none of us had seen her for more than two minutes at a time until now.
    “See, when you say it like that, it just sounds bad,” I said.
    “I’ve already heard snippets of the story,” Audrey managed between giggles, “but it was nowhere near as funny as hearing Cherie tell it.”
    “Which is amazing, considering she wasn’t even there,” I said.
    Cherie waved away my playful jab. “I can’t help that I’m a good story teller.”
    Once Audrey had stopped laughing she asked, “So, Brent has a peanut allergy?”
    “Yep. It’s weird. He had a peanut butter sandwich the day before the attack and was fine.” I pulled my backpack higher on my shoulders. “Years ago, when they found out his brother was allergic, Brent got tested and it was negative.”
    “Do allergies usually change that fast?” Audrey asked.
    I shrugged.
    “Then do they know what triggered it?”
    I grimaced as I waited for Cherie’s punch line.
    “My theory is, he was allergic to meeting Yara’s parents. Or her dad’s sword. The peanut thing is just a coincidence.”
    “And there it is,” I said, wishing I had a quarter for every time I’d heard it.
    Cherie came to a stop. “Look. The guys beat us here.”
    Brent and Steve lounged on the steps of the administration building, waiting for us, so we could pick up our internship assignments as a group. Their backpacks were tossed next to them and they’d sprawled across the stairs, giving the impression that the stone steps were made of the softest feathers. The life-sized bronze statue of Christopher Pendrell, on a pedestal in the middle of the steps, cast a shadow over them. It had stood there since the school opened, except for the time it was being repaired from a senior prank gone wrong.
    Remembering DJ’s story about the Pendrell family, I paid closer attention to the statue as we approached. Last year I’d never bothered to study his face, but sure enough, it matched the painting at the alumni house.
    Audrey pushed up the sleeve of her uniform’s black sweater. “I can’t get over the fact you were attacked by a ghost at the internship party! Did you see Sophia again?” Cherie had told her about the ghost before jumping into the story about Brent’s allergy attack.
    “No, Cherie and I took Vovó there last weekend, but we couldn’t find her. She was either hiding out or had already moved on. I’m hoping she passed over once she didn’t have to guard the compartment anymore.”
    Audrey cast a look at my bruised wrist. “I hope so. She sounds awful.” She clutched her folder closer to her chest. “How about that guy, DJ?”
    “No sign of him either.” I had to stop myself from grinding my teeth together when I thought about the wasted trip to the alumni house and the fruitless hours I’d spent scouring campus for DJ. His little mind game at the party had worked. I couldn’t stop thinking about those pictures and the message on the back. “I’ve checked out the school clubs. I’ve looked for him in the commons building and the cafeteria, everywhere. I’m not sure he goes to school here.”
    “It’s disappointing,” Cherie said with a sigh. “A week ago we had a cryptic stranger, and a ghost. And now? Nothing. We’ve got no leads on the guy and the ghost has vanished.” She let out a huff of air that lifted her bangs