Free Vision of Shadows by Vincent Morrone

id. “He must like that place. Probably played there with his dog.”
    “Yeah, he did,” Payne said. Then the first bell rang , and we both realized we were late. “We better run. Meet you there after school?”
    I nodded. “See you then.”
    Payne smiled. “It’s a date.”
    “No , it’s not,” I said. I could feel my heartbeat quicken in both excitement and fear. “I don’t date.”
    Payne didn’t say anything. He just shot me that grin that melted my heart.
     
    * * * *
     
    Talk about having a day drag on and on. How was I supposed to pay attention to my math teacher talk about X equaling pi once you subtract the variable and multiply by the integer or something like that, while I knew that later I would go with Payne McKnight, alone, into the woods? I’d never used my abilities in front of anyone before. I’d never even admitted to anyone that I could see ghosts.
    At least math was my one reprieve from Maggie. She just wouldn’t leave me alone about Payne. She wanted details. How could I give her details? And why did a part of me want to? The bell rang, and I groaned. It was time to face Maggie and her romantic inquisition again. I swore this girl watched way too much Lifetime . 
    When the bell r ang, Maggie shot out of her classroom and took to my side. She leaned into my ear as if to tell me a secret.
    “Mrs. Ortiz is out,” she said. Mrs. Ortiz is our Spanish teacher. “I heard they got some guy who can’t even say ‘this is my pen’ in Spanish.”
    “Well, then he and I should have a lot in common,” I said.
    Maggie laughed. “Point is, we can sit in the back and talk. As long as we don’t become loud or disruptive, he’s okay with it, I’ve heard.”
    I sighed. “Shouldn’t we do our homework or study or something?”
    Maggie stopped dead in her tracks, looking like a puppy I had just kicked. She stared at me with those sad eyes. Did she think I didn’t know I was being played? Did she think I couldn’t see through her crocodile tears?
    Then she looked away , and I folded in a heartbeat.
    “Ok ay, we’ll talk,” I gave in with a wince.  
    A huge smile spread across Maggie’s face , and she started clapping and twirling in a circle.
    We arrived in class and Maggie pulled me to the back of the room where we had the least chance of being overheard. We waited until the period started and the dorky looking substitute teacher told us not to get too loud. 
    “Okay, tell me everything,” Maggie demanded. “Every detail. Don’t leave a single thing out. Did he kiss you? Oh my God! Tell me he kissed you already.”
    “Shhh .” Maggie was getting louder with each syllable. “We didn’t kiss. We didn’t hold hands. There was no physical contact whatsoever.”
    Maggie looked crestfallen. “None? Are you sure?”
    “I’m sure,” I insisted. “I think I’d remember…well, okay. He did kiss me, but…hey, stop clapping. It wasn’t a kiss, kiss. It was just a gentle peck on my forehead. That’s it. Nothing else, I swear.”
    Maggie shrugged. “It’s early yet. He has plenty of time to improve his aim for your lips .”
    “Ah!” My outburst was enough to earn the disapproving glare from our sub, some guy who looked like he just graduated college and probably had never been kissed himself. In fact, if his polka-dot tie was any indication, that wasn’t likely to remedy itself anytime soon. 
    “It’s not like that, Maggie. We just talked. Really.”
    Maggie leaned closer. “What did you talk about? Your likes and dislikes? If either of you are seeing anyone now? Where he should take you on your first date? Where you’d like to honeymoon? How many kids you’d like to have?”
    I slammed my head onto the desk top and started to beat a slow steady rhythm with my forehead. It was really rather soothing.
    Maggie was giggling.
    I finally looked up at her with one eye.
    “Maggie, please,” I begged. “I have nothing to tell you. We just talked. We ran into each other this