Free I Spy Dead People by Jennifer Fischetto

about the failing print publications."
    I smile, no longer concentrating on his words. He has the warmest brown eyes I've ever seen. And that dimple…I pray he smiles so I can see it.
    "Something wrong?"
    His words catch me off guard. I was staring at his mouth. Gosh, why do I keep embarrassing myself? "No, why?"
    "You have a goofy look on your face."
    "Oh, no reason."
    We just stare at each other. I watch his eyes. They travel from mine to my mouth, and I get that tingly feeling in the pit of my stomach.
    He leans forward. I know he's going to kiss me, and I almost burst out with laughter. Ohmigod, this is my moment. My first kiss. And not just any kiss but with Troy, an older, super cute boy. I've daydreamed about this a lot in the last couple of years, but part of me figured I'd be in college before a boy noticed me. You know, like the 40-Year-Old Virgin .
    His breath smells of onion dip and greasy chips, but I don't care. Right now, that smells perfect.
    I lean forward and shut my eyes.
    Dad's office door opens.
    I open my eyes and spring back, bumping into a chair. Its legs scrape against the linoleum, and I sink into it, trying to look as nonchalant as possible.
    Troy runs a hand through his hair and sits across from me. He stuffs a chip with a lump of dip into his mouth. His gaze jumps from me to the food to the floor. He's nervous. He's a smart guy.
    Dad walks in and frowns.
    Oh God, he knows. He's never going to let Troy come near me again.
    "Where's Kinley?"
    Speaking around the lump in my throat is difficult. "She had to go home. Her curfew is eight o'clock."
    "Wow," Dad and Troy say in unison.
    Dad points his finger at me. "And you think I'm strict. I need to run up to Staples. I think I saw one off the highway."
    Troy turns in his seat. "Yeah, it's by the movie theatre, in the next town."
    "Thanks. But that means it's time for your guest to leave, Piper."
    Oh gosh. How medieval. What does he think we'll do?
    Troy glances at me and winks before he stands. Oh right. That.
    I walk him to the door. "Thanks for your help."
    "If you have any more questions, text me. Or call. We can talk about it." He lingers for a second, staring at my face.
    Dad's a few feet behind me so there's no way to steal that kiss now. It'll have to wait until another time. We say bye. He waves to my dad and then takes off. It sucks we were interrupted, but it's cool I wasn't imaging things. He really was going to kiss me. That means Kinley was right. I have to call her.
    I run into the kitchen, grab my notebook and pen, throw the dip into the fridge, then turn off the light and race upstairs. I jump onto my bed when Dad yells up that he'll only be a bit.
    I'm dialing Kinley as the interior garage door shuts.
    "What happened?" she whispers into my ear.
    I tell her every single detail.
    "See, I told you."
    I giggle. "Yeah, you were right. Now we just need to find a moment alone."
    A car alarm starts beeping down the street. Not only do I hear it through my window, but it sounds through the phone too, like in obnoxious stereo.
    "What about tomorrow at the fireworks show?"
    "Maybe."
    The alarm still blasts. A dog joins in and barks at it.
    "Gosh, can't someone turn it off?" Kinley says.
    "You'd think they'd be annoyed too." I get up and walk to my window. The sun is setting. It'll be dark soon. I peer out and hope to see flashing lights, but the offending car must be farther down the block because I don't see anything.
    Suddenly a loud bang echoes from downstairs.

CHAPTER TEN
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    I flinch and call out, "Dad?"
    I pull the phone away from my ear to hear if he replies, but the car alarm is too loud. I know he's not home, or at least, I think I heard him leave, and his car was in the garage, so I can't tell from my window.
    "Kinley, let me call you back." I click the phone off and toss it onto my bed.
    I tiptoe into the hall and listen.
    "Dad?"
    Silence.
    Maybe it was something outside, and it just sounded like it was closer?
    I turn to go back