Page 9 of Wynter

Then, his sleeve rides up, showing off a strong, inked forearm, and my heart nearly stops. The Terence I knew did not have tattoos. The Ghost standing in front of me has swirling flames disappearing beneath black fabric.

I take him in—okay, fine, I stare—until he finally, finally, notices me.

“Wyn?” His eyes widen as he gapes at me like he’s the one who’s seen a ghost. Yeah, I know. I’m hilarious.

I’d roll my eyes at myself if I weren’t using all that energy to levitate. That and to keep my Mood Tea from glowing red. As in red with desire, because knowing Ghost is a Hole with a Capital Ass doesn’t stop me from wanting him.

So I focus on channeling turquoise instead. Calm, serene, indifferent turquoise. Because my go-to happy pink or excited silver won’t do. Terence—Nope. Ghost. Just Ghost—doesn’t deserve either one. He gets to see how little I care. And that he no longer has the power to hurt me.

I guess my heart doesn’t get the memo because the turquoise starts to darken. It’s a momentary lapse in magic—one Ghost doesn’t notice. And if he does? He’s one of the few people who know I can manipulate Mood Teas, so he wouldn’t trust it anyway.

Which is why I do the one thing I do best. I bluff.

“Well, if it isn’t Terentius White,” I say brightly. Like I’d read his name straight out of the Academy Yearbook. Not that we had a yearbook. Kind of defeats the purpose, when it’s not even supposed to exist.

I even smile. Not too brightly. Not like I care. More like we’re strangers.

“You two know each other?” Julian comes to my rescue. Not that he seems to pick up on the fact that I need rescuing. He’s just being Julian.

But if he can’t see the energy buzzing between Ghost and me, maybe no one can. Including Ghost. And maybe I can get through this. Maybe I can walk out of Jewels Cafe and forget all about him. Did it once. No reason I can’t do it again.

“We went to school together,” I tell Julian casually. Like we were just classmates. Like we barely knew each other. Like we didn’t profess our love on the academy rooftop and vow to be together forever. Like he didn’t betray me. Like I didn’t spend my nights with my face buried in my pillow, sobbing my heart out.

Don’t think about it, Zoe. Just don’t think about it.

Haven’t thought about it, or him, in years.

Ghost continues to gape at me. Like he’s seen a… well… yeah, you get it. He seems way more rattled than I am, which makes me want to do a happy dance… or keep an invisible tally: Wynter 1, Ghost 0.

Wynter. Because everyone at St. Vincent’s used to call me by my last name, and suddenly I’m that girl again. Wynter. Ghost’s Wynter. One half of the perfect couple that was a total and complete lie.

“Juli and I…” Troll Amber—who’s wearing a police uniform and one sparkling purple Converse shoe on the non-swollen ankle—starts.

“…went to school together, too,” Pixie Amber—who’s got mouse paws in place of feet—finishes.

“And we—” She shifts into a midnight-blue skinned, hairless elk, and grunts a few times.

“Hey, you all right, Bean?” Julian asks. Because that’s some crazy shifting, even for Amber.

“Right as snow,” Yeti Amber, who’s now wearing headphones, says.

Julian takes a step toward her, and Yeti Amber’s Yeti Junk jumps to attention beneath pink, fluffy boxers.

I can’t help it. I snort.

Amber blushes scarlet, but Julian doesn’t freak out. He grins.

“What are you doing here, Wyn?” Ghost asks me, completely ignoring Julian, Amber, and the pink, fluffy tent.

And I hate how his tone is gentle. Soft. Like he still cares. Like maybe, just maybe, the Terence I knew is somewhere in there and…

Nope. Not happening. Not now. Not ever.

“I’m just hanging out with…” I give him another fake smile and glance at Amber, who’s shifted into “…a male stripper with questionable junk.”

“A what?” Ghost’s eyes narrow.

“She means me.” Shirtless Dude Amber—whose hair is up in space buns—raises a purple hand, which quickly shrinks as she shifts into a mouse. Her blush disappears beneath fur—assuming mice can even blush—before reappearing on the cheeks of a pink-haired, furry girl.