22. Raina
22
RAINA
H oly shit, Foster announced as he followed me down the back stairwell. There s a freaking basement in the library.
I laughed, jogging ahead of him. Told you so.
Once I reached the landing, I disappeared through the door because it was always so fun to do around Foster. I could tell it freaked him out.
A second later, I sat on a table, facing the door with my crossed legs dangling over the edge and my hands planted on either side of me as I grinned and waved when Foster cautiously opened the door to peer inside.
Boo, I murmured.
He shook his head and stepped into the room, gazing around with lowered eyebrows. Wow. It s so dark and dank down here. Very dungeon-like.
I know. I popped off the table and led him back to my favorite place to study when I really needed to concentrate. I like to think of it as a ghost library. Like a ghost town, you know. It has everything down here in the Dewey decimal classification, from the zeros to the nine-hundreds. They must just put whatever hasn t been checked out in the last twenty years on these shelves.
And you re sure students are allowed in here?
I glanced back to give him a funny look. I don t see why not. I ve never seen anything saying it s restricted.
Huh. He ran his hand along the spines of some books he passed, only to look at the dust left behind on his fingertips. Wiping it off against his jeans, he turned back to me and nodded in approval at the little opening where two large tables had been pushed together to make a very generous-sized study area. Wow.
I know, right? Grinning, I bobbed my head in excitement. Isn t it great? It s the absolute perfect study area when you need some peace and quiet. Waverly at the front desk showed it to me when I asked where the best study spot was.
Very cool, he answered, wandering around the table before easing into one of the chairs. When he glanced up at me, his smile was full of appreciation. I like it.
Yay! I clapped happily, proud of myself for being able to help him.
Plopping his backpack onto the table, Foster announced, I m staying right here until I have to head to my last class of the day.
Right on, I answered, plopping down to sit on the table and swing my legs merrily.
As I watched him pull a textbook from his backpack, I released a breath and took in the cozy shelves surrounding us, only to gasp when a woman appeared from one of the rows.
Holy crap, I wheezed, slapping a hand to my chest. She scared the bejesus out of me.
I hadn t even been aware anyone else was down here.
Foster glanced up curiously. Who did?
I pointed. The librarian standing right there.
When the woman stared straight ahead and said, Can I help you? Foster merely blinked at me.
I don t see a librarian there.
I squinted and glanced between the two of them until the librarian looked directly at me and repeated in that same monotone voice, Can I help you?
Startled, I jumped off the table and backed toward Foster, seeking protection. I—I m sorry, I started uncertainly. Are you talking to me ?
Could she actually see me?
As the librarian nodded, Foster answered, I didn t say anything.
Not you, I told him in a hushed tone. Her .
What? He squinted in obvious confusion.
That librarian can see me, I whispered.
He turned and glanced around the area, scowling in confusion before whispering back, What librarian?
I pointed. The woman who s standing right…there.
His brow only furrowed more before he slowly shook his head. Raina, no one s standing there.
But… I whirled toward the woman. He can t see you. Why can t he see you?
Because Foster Union cannot see the dead, the woman answered simply.
F…f… I shook my head and pressed right up against where Foster sat.
So what d she answer? he asked.
Sh-she said, Foster Union can t see the dead.
He shrugged. Well, that s true. Wait. How does she know my name?
I whirled toward him, my mouth falling open. The woman just told me she was a freaking ghost, and you want to know how she knows your name ?
He made a face, then admitted, Good point. So how can you two see each other ?
Hey, yeah, I realized and spun back to the woman. Why can I see you, then? I can t see dead people.
When you re a part of both worlds, the ghost explained, you can see both worlds.
Oh. I nodded in understanding. Cool. Glancing over at Foster, I said, Well, that explains why I m able to talk to Hayes and Kinsey and my mom in my dreams every night.
What does? he asked, shaking his head to remind me that he d been left out of the loop.
Right. You couldn t hear her answer. Sorry. She said that since I m currently of both worlds, I can see both worlds.
He shook his head. That doesn t answer how she can see you , though, because most living people can t see you. Why should ghosts get to see you?
Good point. I turned back to the librarian but footsteps and murmured, hushed voices distracted me. Shh. I held up a hand. I hear more people coming.
I hear them too, Foster answered, reassuring me that they must belong to the living, right before two familiar faces stepped from between another row of books.
What the…? Foster lifted his eyebrows in question as Hudson and Faith jarred to a surprised halt when they found him already occupying the space.
Oh, man, Faith said, sounding utterly disappointed. You re here.
Foster s my surprise? Hudson asked, sounding confused as he glanced back and forth between Faith and Foster before tsking. Babe. You know, you didn t have to make me hobble down a flight of stairs just to gift me with my own best friend.
Foster is not your surprise, she grumbled. I don t know what he s doing down here.
I m studying, Foster answered with a confused shake of the head. And this is the most peaceful place to get any studying done without everyone interrupting you for a picture or an attaboy. Pointing, he asked Hudson, Hey, did you know this library was haunted?
No! Faith moaned, gripping her head in angst. You ruined my surprise. I wanted to be the one to introduce him to Robin.
Robin?! Both Hudson and Foster echoed in shock.
They know my sunshine, the ghost spoke up. Both Foster Union and Hudson Ivey are friends with my sunshine.
Sunshine? I asked in confusion, and Foster spun to blink at me.
What did you just say? he asked. Sunshine ?
Sunshine? Hudson repeated in alarm before whirling toward Faith. Why the hell didn t you ever tell me there was a fucking ghost in the campus library?
Her mouth fell open in dismay. Because I wanted to introduce you two in person , and classes didn t resume until today, so…surprise, she muttered lamely. I guess.
Hudson s eyebrows lifted. So there s seriously a ghost named Robin? In this library?
And she said sunshine? Foster demanded, looking at me. You re sure she said sunshine ?
Yes, Faith answered for me, drawing his attention her way. She squinted at him for a moment before her eyes widened in surprise. Oh my God. You know her. She just said you knew her sunshine. Who the hell is that, anyway?
Wait. Hudson lifted a hand. First of all, is she taller, on the skinny side, with long, straight dark hair, and probably —he glanced toward Foster— what would you say in age; thirty years old?
Well… Foster heaved out a breath. If she had Keene when she was eighteen, and she died when he was nine, I d say twenty-seven. Twenty-eight? Yeah.
I was twenty-eight years, two months and five days old when I died, Robin said.
Keene! Faith shrieked, gaping at Robin in astonishment. You re Keene s mother?
Keene, Robin repeated stoically with a nod to affirm it. I named him after the Irish origin, meaning keen-witted, ancient warrior who is tall and handsome and not easily fooled. He was to be a bright sunshine who would delight all with his insight and sharp thinking.
Oh…my God, Faith breathed in utter astonishment, unable to stop gaping at the ghost.
Yeah, I had to agree. I never would ve guessed you were related to Keene . You two seem so different.
Of course my sunshine is different from me, Robin answered. He did not possess the autism that I did.
What? Faith glanced in my general direction with a squint. Who re you talking to?
She s talking to me, I answered her.
But, of course, Faith didn t hear me.
So Foster translated, Raina said she was talking to her.
Faith straightened in surprise. Raina s here, too?
Foster pointed. She s right there.
I waved. Hi. But neither Faith nor Hudson heard me, so neither of them answered.
Let me get this straight, Hudson spoke up, waving his hands before gripping his crutches again. Robin, the ghost, can see everyone here right now. I can only see Faith and Foster. Foster can see everyone but Robin. Faith can see everyone but Raina. And Raina…
Raina can see everyone too, Foster spoke up for me.
Hudson blinked once before whipping his hair out of his eyes with a twitch of his head. Okay, then, he answered smoothly. Just wanted to make sure I had that right.
With a laugh, Faith reached up and touched his face, clearly delighted by him, while I turned back to Robin. Well, it s nice to make your acquaintance, ma am. I met your son once. He was quite…unique.
My sunshine is like no other. He is full of life and joy and adventure.
He s definitely full of something, Faith said under her breath. But why are you here, haunting a library ?
She worked here, Foster answered.
Did she die here? Faith asked.
He shook his head. No. She died at the hospital.
But I m sure this place was a safe haven for her, Hudson added. With her ASD, the library probably made more sense to her than anywhere else on earth.
Do you think Keene knows she s here? Faith asked.
Hudson and Foster glanced at each other before they shook their heads simultaneously. No way does he know, Foster said.
He s going to flip the fuck out when he hears this, though, Hudson warned.
Will you see my sunshine soon? Robin asked, disappearing down a row of shelves briefly before returning with a book.
What the fuck? Hudson cried, jerking a step back and nearly tripping over his crutches when they fell to the floor.
Foster lurched to his feet and skidded backward away from the table. The book is floating, he chanted in horror. The book is fucking floating.
It s not floating, I corrected. Robin s carrying it.
As Faith told Hudson basically the same thing, Robin went on to explain, He was looking for this the last time he was here. Up on the second floor. But it was down here, in the basement, and he never comes down here.
Why didn t you give it to him yourself? Faith asked. Why did you never try to contact him at all?
Robin tilted her head in an eerie, robotic way and blinked as if she couldn t comprehend the question. Then, she said, I do not know if he is frightened by ghosts. The last thing I would do is scare my sunshine. I am satisfied with simply watching. There was no reason to contact him.
But you d be okay if we told him about you? Faith asked.
Only if it does not cause him harm, Robin answered simply. She set the book on the table. You will give this to him?
Uh, sure, Faith told her, stepping cautiously forward to slide the book off the table and gather it into her arms. We ll make sure Keene gets it, no problem.
As Hudson peered around Faith s arm to check out the book s title, I turned to Robin. How did you do that? How did you pick that book up?
Books are the only things I can touch, Robin answered.
I shifted eagerly closer. Do you think I could touch something? I instantly tried to touch Foster s book bag, but my hand went right through it.
My shoulders slumped.
An entity must have a deep, personal connection with an object before possessing the ability to touch it, Robin answered, making Faith glance over at her in confusion.
Addressing Foster, Faith pointed toward Robin. Did your girl just ask?—?
He nodded. She wants to know if she s able to touch and pick things up like that as well, yes.
Well? Faith wondered with lifted eyebrows. Can she?
I squinted at a traveling guide on the shelf and crept up on it slowly as if the book might bolt if I startled it. And then, at the last second, I tried to snatch it from the shelf quickly. Only for my fingers to go right through the spine.
Dammit!
Foster heaved out a depressed breath for me. Not yet, he reported to his friends.
She said I needed to have a deep, personal connection with something before I could touch it.
A deep personal connection? he repeated. Like your favorite piece of jewelry or…?
I turned to look at him thoughtfully. I wonder if it works on people too. Not just objects.
People fall under the category of object, Robin reported robotically.
I glanced at her, then turned back toward Foster with renewed interest.
He took a hesitant step back, looking concerned. But you ve already tried to touch me. It didn t work.
I shook my head. Except we ve gotten to know each other a lot more since then. I feel way more connected to you now.
His throat worked as he swallowed, and then he bobbed his head slowly. Alright, he whispered. Go ahead and try.
Faith and Hudson murmured something to each other as I took a tentative step toward Foster. If it doesn t work, I started. Then nothing changes.
His eyes searched mine. And if it does work?
Then I guess we ll find out, I whispered as I slowly extended my hand.
Foster drew in a deep breath, tensing with anticipation. My fingers trembled just before I made contact with his cheek.
When I felt warm flesh, I jerked my arm back in surprise.
Holy shit. Foster s eyes flared. I felt that.
Really? I asked, clutching my wrist in my hand. When I looked down at my fingers, they looked unchanged, but they were still tingling from the contact. You felt it? You really felt it?
He let out a laugh and nodded encouragingly. I really felt it, he promised as he plopped down in his chair, looking dazed. You touched me.
I can t believe it, I breathed, shaking my head in wonder. I touched you.
Yeah. His smile blossomed as he gazed up at me. You did.
Needing to do it again, I reached out and touched his other cheek.
Whoa. He closed his eyes. This is so strange.
Unable to stop now, I investigated his entire face before smoothing my hands up into his silken light hair.
Foster exhaled and tipped his head back, groaning slightly to let me know how much he enjoyed the attention. I scraped my fingernails along his scalp gently, and his lips parted as air hissed from his lungs.
Just where is she touching you? Hudson asked, lifting up onto his toes to peer over the table and down into Foster s lap.
As Foster lifted a hand to flip him off without opening his eyes, I glanced over at the other couple, and inspiration hit me. I sank down gently into Foster s lap.
His eyes flew open, and he gazed back dazedly before I rested my cheek on his shoulder and hugged him.
He choked out a small sob and hugged me back, only for his arms to go right through me.
Dammit, he muttered, trying one more time to hug me but failing. I can t touch you back.
That s okay, I assured him, smiling into his eyes as I cupped his cheek in my palm. This is a start. This is a very good start.