burned there a really long time ago. And supposedly they’re the ones haunting the place.” She rolled her eyes. “Crazy, huh?”
Em felt her heart rising into her throat. “I’ve, ah, I’ve never heard that one,” she said. “Do you remember any more of it?”
“No, that’s really all I can remember.” Skylar laughed. “But hopefully they don’t show up to my party!”
Three women in the woods—three wronged women haunting the woods? It hit too close to home, and Em started feeling itchy. She checked her watch and glanced again at the hail hitting the window. “I have to be home by ten, and I’m a little worried about the roads,” she said, clicking the cap back onto the moisturizer she’d been using. “Thanks for letting me crash girls’ night,” she added as she got up to put on her socks and stretch her legs. “Gabs, save the Chinese for a study date tomorrow?”
“It was so nice to meet you,” Skylar said with a little wave.
“Wait, wait, wait,” Gabby said, running ahead of Em into the hall and pulling a Burberry coat from the front closet. “You are not leaving the house without a coat, young lady. I don’t care how absentminded-professor you are these days.” She thrust the tan coat at Em. “ And I am going walk you to the car under the trusty protection of my dad’s enormous golf umbrella,” she said, brandishing the umbrella as she spoke. “I do not want you getting sick. Plus your hair looks fantastic right now, and you might be able to maintain it overnight if you don’t get it wet. So. Let’s go.”
God. Gabby was like drill sergeant of kindness. It was worthless to even bother protesting. Em threw a hand to her forehead and mock-saluted. “If you say so, captain.”
As they shoved their feet into their boots, Gabby twisted around to ask Skylar, “Want to come? There’s room for all of us under that thing. It’s like a tent.”
“To the car?” Skylar looked confused, and Em had to let out a little snicker. Clearly, she hadn’t been enrolled long enough in the School of Gabby’s Whims.
“Yeah, just to the end of the driveway! It’ll be a fun little adventure.” The Doves had a very long driveway. Their big house sat on top of a small hill.
The three of them set out into the freezing rain, squished together underneath the umbrella, with Gabby and Skylar giggling about wearing flip-flops in the icy rain and Em feigning the same carefree joy. She shrieked when Gabby threatened to push her out from under their protective hood, and she told the girls she couldn’t wait to pour herself a teensy glass of Bailey’s from her mother’s stash when she got home. But really, all she was thinking about was the story Skylar had told about the three women who’d died in the woods.
As they neared the end of Gabby’s epic driveway and came within sight of the car, Gabby elbowed Em. “Hey, babe? Why is there writing on your car?” She pointed.
Em squinted into the darkness. Sure enough, all the windows of the Honda were completely fogged up, and on the rear windshield, in finger-scrawl, someone had written: Who’s the fairest of them all?
She stopped short and stared. Her throat went dry.
The words had not been there when she’d driven over. She was sure of it.
But she couldn’t let Gabby and Skylar see her freaking out.
“Oh, that? Probably Drea’s idea of a joke,” she said with a lame laugh.
“I didn’t know Drea Feiffer was so into Cinderella,” Gabby said dryly.
“That’s actually Snow White,” Skylar interjected. “That’s what the evil stepmother asks her mirror every night because she’s jealous of Snow White’s beauty.” Then Skylar broke off, clearly embarrassed by her knowledge of childhood fairy tales.
Who’s the fairest of them all? . . . The words reminded Em of something, and she hated that she couldn’t think of what.
“I gotta go,” she said, grabbing Gabby for a quick hug. “À bientôt, escargot,” she
Em felt her heart rising into her throat. “I’ve, ah, I’ve never heard that one,” she said. “Do you remember any more of it?”
“No, that’s really all I can remember.” Skylar laughed. “But hopefully they don’t show up to my party!”
Three women in the woods—three wronged women haunting the woods? It hit too close to home, and Em started feeling itchy. She checked her watch and glanced again at the hail hitting the window. “I have to be home by ten, and I’m a little worried about the roads,” she said, clicking the cap back onto the moisturizer she’d been using. “Thanks for letting me crash girls’ night,” she added as she got up to put on her socks and stretch her legs. “Gabs, save the Chinese for a study date tomorrow?”
“It was so nice to meet you,” Skylar said with a little wave.
“Wait, wait, wait,” Gabby said, running ahead of Em into the hall and pulling a Burberry coat from the front closet. “You are not leaving the house without a coat, young lady. I don’t care how absentminded-professor you are these days.” She thrust the tan coat at Em. “ And I am going walk you to the car under the trusty protection of my dad’s enormous golf umbrella,” she said, brandishing the umbrella as she spoke. “I do not want you getting sick. Plus your hair looks fantastic right now, and you might be able to maintain it overnight if you don’t get it wet. So. Let’s go.”
God. Gabby was like drill sergeant of kindness. It was worthless to even bother protesting. Em threw a hand to her forehead and mock-saluted. “If you say so, captain.”
As they shoved their feet into their boots, Gabby twisted around to ask Skylar, “Want to come? There’s room for all of us under that thing. It’s like a tent.”
“To the car?” Skylar looked confused, and Em had to let out a little snicker. Clearly, she hadn’t been enrolled long enough in the School of Gabby’s Whims.
“Yeah, just to the end of the driveway! It’ll be a fun little adventure.” The Doves had a very long driveway. Their big house sat on top of a small hill.
The three of them set out into the freezing rain, squished together underneath the umbrella, with Gabby and Skylar giggling about wearing flip-flops in the icy rain and Em feigning the same carefree joy. She shrieked when Gabby threatened to push her out from under their protective hood, and she told the girls she couldn’t wait to pour herself a teensy glass of Bailey’s from her mother’s stash when she got home. But really, all she was thinking about was the story Skylar had told about the three women who’d died in the woods.
As they neared the end of Gabby’s epic driveway and came within sight of the car, Gabby elbowed Em. “Hey, babe? Why is there writing on your car?” She pointed.
Em squinted into the darkness. Sure enough, all the windows of the Honda were completely fogged up, and on the rear windshield, in finger-scrawl, someone had written: Who’s the fairest of them all?
She stopped short and stared. Her throat went dry.
The words had not been there when she’d driven over. She was sure of it.
But she couldn’t let Gabby and Skylar see her freaking out.
“Oh, that? Probably Drea’s idea of a joke,” she said with a lame laugh.
“I didn’t know Drea Feiffer was so into Cinderella,” Gabby said dryly.
“That’s actually Snow White,” Skylar interjected. “That’s what the evil stepmother asks her mirror every night because she’s jealous of Snow White’s beauty.” Then Skylar broke off, clearly embarrassed by her knowledge of childhood fairy tales.
Who’s the fairest of them all? . . . The words reminded Em of something, and she hated that she couldn’t think of what.
“I gotta go,” she said, grabbing Gabby for a quick hug. “À bientôt, escargot,” she
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