The Seven Kings of Jinn

Ari nodded mutely, her chest squeezing tight. God, were there no windows open in this place?

“I bet the babes are smokin’ at USC,” Jim Deebs said behind her to his puzzle partner. “I heard they wear bikini tops to class.”

Ari couldn’t even roll her eyes. She was too busy gulping in air.

“What about you, Ari?” Laurie asked. “Aren’t you scared of going to Philadelphia all by yourself? I know it’s only a state away but the big city… kind of scary, no?”

Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up.

“You’ll probably meet some really nice guys there. Do you know what classes you’re going to take yet? I’m still mulling mine over. Didn’t your dad go to Penn? He must be so proud. Maybe he can help you pick out classes. Are you getting a single room or do you want a roommate too?” Unable to take it any longer, Ari slid back from the desk with a loud scrape of her chair. Laurie looked up at her wide-eyed. “Are you okay?”

Trying to still the trembling in her hands, Ari nodded jerkily. “Just need the bathroom.”

Grabbing the bathroom pass from the teacher, Ari ducked out into the school hallway and almost immediately, she could feel her the pressure on her chest loosening with relief. Ari took off toward the front entrance, pushing the heavy door open with a muffled ‘oomph’ and coming to an abrupt halt at the sight that greeted her. Out in the parking lot, in the bright sun, Charlie stood with a junior, Vivien Meyer. He was smiling at her in a way that caused a sharp pain in her gut. It was the kind of smile a guy gave a girl he wanted to kiss. Vivien raised a joint to her mouth in full view of the school. She inhaled, and before she could exhale, Charlie pressed his lips to hers, kissing her deep, his hand clasping the back of her head. He drew back and blew out the smoke, the two of them laughing.

It wasn’t the first time she’d seen Charlie making out with someone else. And just like every other time she’d witnessed it, it hurt like hell.

The kiss settled in her stomach like a lump of solid stone, her day officially ruined. Ari trembled with fury, watching them walk across the lot toward the stoner’s spot. If it was the last thing she did before she left Ohio, she would save that little tool from himself. Pissed, she slammed back inside the school, marched toward her locker, and ripped her bag out of it. She couldn’t bear to listen to Laurie’s college chatter and she couldn’t bear to be even one hundred yards from Charlie. Screw it. She was ditching.

As soon as Ari stepped outside the gates, a feeling of relief flooded her. She glanced back at the school, bemused by the overwhelming sensation of disconnection. It seemed her mind had made the break from high school and was just waiting for the end of semester to catch up with her. Maybe she was terrified of the future… it didn’t mean she wasn’t glad to say goodbye to high school. Part of her had never really fit there.

The sun beat down on her back as she strolled homeward, the freedom of walking out of school brightening her day again as she evaded any thought of Charlie and the junior. So busy trying to forget what she’d seen, Ari stepped forward to cross the street without looking. Strong hands came down on her shoulders at the same time a horn blasted. Hauled back onto the sidewalk by the hands, Ari watched, heart pounding, as a truck blew past her.

“Jesus Christ,” she cursed at the near miss, inhaling her rescuer’s delicious scent of sandalwood and dark spices. She turned to thank the hero, the words sticking in her throat at the sight of the empty sidewalk. There was no one there. The cologne she had smelled dissipated. Ari searched the space all around her. Nothing. She had not imagined those hands. If it weren’t for those hands, she’d be splattered across the front of a truck.

What the hell was going on?

Another poltergeist?

But she’d never felt Ms. Maggie. Ms. Maggie wasn’t a solid shape. This thing had been a solid shape. Fear rose in the back of her throat.

“I’m going insane. I’m literally now going mental. I—”

“Ari, what are you doing?!”

Spinning around, Ari’s eyes settled on Rachel, who hung out the driver’s side window of her car. “Rache?” she frowned.

Rachel grinned at her. “I saw you ditching and decided it looked like fun, and it’s not like we can really get in trouble now, right? Come on, get in. I’ve already texted Staci and A.J. to ditch and meet us at your house. I thought we’d go to the store, buy some snacks.”