Part 5 (1/2)

'Not for long. She slipped out of the closet and returned with a boutique bag. 'Same shop. Its very Twiggy and I knew it was you the minute I saw it. She held up one hand. 'And yes. I know before you say it that Twiggy had no b.o.o.bs, but she was streaky and hot! She could wear anything. Just like you! She pulled open the bag and dragged out this froth of gold. 'Quick, put it on!

'Why cant I just wear jeans?

'Not to this party, sweetheart. She leaned back against the shelving. 'Girl fans or not, these chicks are one acrylic-nail application away from being feral. Think of this as armour.

I knew from experience that it was useless arguing with Macey about fas.h.i.+on. Besides, the last thing I needed was to p.i.s.s her off and have her bail on me. With a sigh I slipped it over my head, feeling the weight of the fabric slide down over my body like melted chocolate, watching the frou-frou layers dance into place.

Macey nodded. 'Perfect. Very Mischa Barton. She c.o.c.ked her head to one side, her eyes far away. 'Very chic. Of course, youre so much hotter. More alive, you know? More golden.

Ten minutes later, I had to admit shed nailed it again. Id never have picked it, but she was right, the dress looked good. Probably better with the gold and brown eye shadow shed applied, the s.h.i.+mmery lip-gloss and the way shed somehow feathered my hair.

'So, you like?

Of course I 'liked, but before I could answer, I felt the change. That pervasive chill. Then I saw her; saw her sneer at Macey. Saw the whole fingergag thing. 'Excuse me? I cant believe you just did that!

JoJos answer was a cla.s.sic eye-roll but in my peripheral vision, Maceys head shot up, her eyes wary. 'Pardon?

Ignoring Macey, I focussed on JoJo. 'What are you doing in here, anyway? I demanded.

Beside me, Macey straightened. 'Again: Pardon? Did we just step through a portal into another dimension? I thought I was here saving your backside, but if you want to commit fas.h.i.+on suicide go right ahead!

I swivelled back to Macey. 'Im not talking to you!

'Well, fine! Macey answered with a shrug. 'Ill just leave then . . .

JoJo, meanwhile, had now chosen to ignore Macey completely. 'I need to know what youve done to find my phone. Her eyes narrowed. 'I dont need to remind you . . .

'Ive had enough of your threats. So back off or- 'Or what? Macey challenged. 'You wont let me come to this party? She folded her arms and one eyebrow rose in that way she has of making other human beings feel like theyve stumbled onto the wrong planet. 'Well, baby? Bring it on. Id love not to go to this party.

Maceys words finally penetrated, drowning my rage in a flood of mortification. I spun to her, my hands outstretched. 'No, wait! Please, Macey this isnt about you. Im not even talking to you! Honest! I turned back to JoJo. 'Just go, alright? I cant think while youre nagging at me!

As I pressed my fingers to my temple Macey took a tentative step closer. 'Um, Wills? Honey? If youre not talking to me, then who are you talking to? I cant see anyone else here but us.

She scanned the closet. I followed her line of vision, but amazingly JoJo had really done as Id asked! Shed gone back to the bedroom! Slack with relief I slumped against the mirror.

Wheeling back to me, Macey reached out and stroked my arm. 'Are you okay? I mean, youve been acting pretty weird since the funeral. So not ”you”.

Right . . . And the answer to that was . . .?

'Willow? Whats going on? Like, h.e.l.lo? You still havent explained why were ditching the Katherine Hepburn marathon at the Crystal for this party. The last time they hosted a retro marathon we blew off your grandmothers birthday party, for crying out loud! So this must be huge! I mean, were talking about ditching Kate and Spencer here! And for this? A party of people we dont even like? Are you, like, okay?

I heard her frustration and felt my own ratchet up a notch. 'Oh my G.o.d the marathon! My palm actually tingled with the need to smack myself on the forehead. 'Im really sorry Mace, forgot all about it.

'But we were just talking about it yesterday. Weve waited weeks for this!

'Yeah well, I ran my fingers across a row of ruffles, 'yesterday seems like a lifetime ago. And trust me, Id much rather be going to an all-night movie session.

'Okay, so now I really dont get anything. Folding her arms, she leaned back against the shelves. 'Why are we going to Teahnas? If you dont even want to go, then why are we torturing ourselves? And why are you talking to thin air? Are you sick or something?

'Thats a question Ive been asking myself . . . Stepping past her, I headed into my bathroom to grab a gla.s.s of water. I dont usually fall apart easily, so I was pretty rocked to see my hand shaking. But still I had to say it. I had to tell Macey and somehow make her believe me. 'Youre not going to like this answer, I called over my shoulder, 'but were going to try to find out whos got JoJos phone. Shes apparently got all this stuff stored in it. Information she reckons is important.

Her groan reached me just before she did. 'Tell me all this isnt about JoJo! Youre still on about that? Amunicating from the dead. Sighing, she slid her backside up onto the wide marble bench. 'Okay, tell me everything. Who told you about the missing phone?

I sipped the water, put the gla.s.s back on the bench and took a deep breath. There was about to be an explosion and I needed to be ready. 'JoJo.

It was a good thing I was prepared. 'JoJo!! JoJo??? Maceys voice bounced off the high ceilings, competing with the rifle-like crack of hands landing against the skin-tight sides of her dress, and her shoes. .h.i.tting the tiled floor. Stepping forward, she grabbed me by the shoulders. 'Willow, look at me; look into my eyes. JoJo doesnt exist anymore. Shes dead!

'You think I dont want to believe that? You think I dont wish she wasnt sitting in my bedroom? You think I dont wish she wasnt threatening to make my life a misery? I pushed her away and waved my hands in the direction of the hallway. 'You think I dont have enough to worry about around here with the two apostles setting themselves loose on the world? You think I dont have to worry about Saint Simon and being too freaked to stay in my own house in case I run into him? You think? On a roll, I quickly inhaled and took off again before Macey could get a word in. 'And why the h.e.l.l did JoJo pick me? Doesnt she have a home to go to? Parents to haunt?

'Theyre in Tahiti. They left this morning for an extended stay. To grieve.

'What?

Her eyes darted back and forth, as though trying to shake her brain into action; to catch up. 'Her parents. You asked- 'I know what I asked! Frustration burned, tangling my words. 'What . . . but . . . So why isnt she with them? Even as I uttered the question, I knew the answer. For G.o.ds sake, JoJo couldnt even get to the street below let alone float off to Tahiti.

Macey stepped back, frowning, her eyes concerned. 'Hey, down girl, she said softly. Her eyes searched my face. 'Are you serious? You cant really believe that b.i.t.c.h is still alive?

I shook my head, feeling the pressure of the last twenty-four hours squeeze in tighter. 'I know shes dead, Macey . . . My voice trailed off.

'But? Macey prompted. Her voice was lower, softer, but her eyes told me she was expecting something she may not want to hear. Yeah, well welcome to my world.

The breath I dragged in was supposed to help me, but somehow it felt like it was choking me instead. 'But I also know shes been in my bedroom since last night. Her spirit cant move over to the other side! For G.o.ds sake she didnt even know she was dead! I had to tell her.

What happened next was no surprise, really. I mean, what do you expect if you tell someone youre seeing dead people? They look at you like youre a loony, right?

Right.

And they dont say anything. For a l-o-n-g while.

It was only when Macey finally let out a really long, deep sigh that I realised shed been holding her breath for all of that time. When she spoke it was in her best a.n.a.lytical, journalistic voice; the one that one day would launch her into current affairs stardom. 'Willow, apart from myself, youre the sanest person I know. So . . . that means, she continued, pivoting on one spiky heel, 'that youve either been taken over by some random dark forces; that youve flipped out completely and Im about to be sucked into your insanity or that youre telling the truth. My problem is working out which it is.

In a weird way, it suddenly felt like I was pleading for my life. Maybe I was. 'Im telling the truth, Mace. The G.o.d-awful, horrible truth.

Finally Macey nodded, but as hard as I searched her face, for once I couldnt tell if she believed me. She nudged her head around the corner of the bathroom door. 'Okay . . . Right . . . So?

I shuddered. 'Shes sitting right there on the bed.

Macey looked again, harder. 'Really? Youre not kidding me? I nodded and her eyes widened. 'So how does she move? Communicate? Astral projection? Cerebral email?

'She kind of floats. I shrugged. 'And she just talks . . .

'And she can hear?

'I guess so. She can hear me.

Macey nodded and moved into the room. Curious, I followed, in time to see her take a stance right beside the bed. 'So, JoJo, she began. 'I hear youre giving my friend a bad time? I wish you wouldnt. Macey stopped and gave this really over-acted startle. 'Oh, whats that I hear? Like a crinkling noise . . . Could it be . . .? Yes! I think its the sound of decaying flesh. That would be your decaying flesh, JoJo, seeing as youre the only dead person in the room.