The old high school looks the same. The graffiti on the side of the gymnasium has been cleaned off or painted over, so we are no longer the Patterson Pricks.

"So, did I make the first page of the yearbook?"

"Nope," Mary Lou says.

"Why the hell not?"

"Because, every one knows that only a student who dies a tragic death gets the whole page."

"Geez, I would have thought that any healthy, good looking eighteen year old who dies unexpectedly, would be considered tragic."

"You fell out of a window and then got hit with an appliance," she snaps, then a slow smile creeps onto her face as if she's thought of something funny.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"No, tell me what's so funny."

"You probably won't think this is funny, but here goes. It was like something out of a slapstick kind of comedy." She notices how I don't seem to be laughing and tries to expand on the subject. "It was just...You fell out, landed in the bushes. Held up your hand as if to say 'hey, I'm okay.' Then, wham, the a.c. lands on you."

She lets her shoulders slump and shakes her head.

As I reach for the door handle she leans over and stops me. She gently touches my cheek and whispers, "Close your eyes."

I do this willingly. The memory of her sunlit dress still fresh in my mind. I tilt my head and pucker up my lips and wait. Even though Mary Lou can be a bitch most of the time there are those moments when she is perfect.

Something cold and wet hits my face.

"What are you doing?" I yelp.

"It's bronzer. You are so pale. I'm just trying to give you some color."

I flip the visor down and peer into the mirror. "Now I look like a carrot."

"What's your middle name?" she asks.

"Jordan."

"Then what's your first name?"

"Steven."

She mulls it over and smiles. "Steven Jordan Barrett. That's really nice."

"Isn't it on my tombstone?" I ask.

"I guess. I never really paid attention to it." She fluffs my bangs and sighs. "You look pretty handsome...for a dead guy."

"Thanks, you look nice, too."

She reluctantly takes my hand and leads me to the gym door.

"Remember, your name is Steven. You're Jordy's cousin from out of town."

"You think people are going to buy that?"

"Do you remember the idiots who go to school here?"

That was pretty funny. It's also true. The students of Patterson County High School are rarely seen on Battle of the Brains.




The gym is decorated with paper moons and streamers are hanging from the rafters over head. A strobe light is rotating, spilling silvery circles of light over the basketball court.

"Hey, Joey," I shout to a guy I played football with last year.

She drags me to the side, away from main group of people. "Shh. You can't act like you know anyone."

"Why?"

"Because, you are Steven, Jordy's cousin. Remember?"

I nod and hold my tongue. People walk by, giving Mary Lou a little wave and giving me a once over. They whisper and point, like they have some juicy secret.

"Psst," I whisper. "How long have I been dead?"

"Two months," she whispers back.

I blanch. "And you're already dating my cousin. Thanks for waiting a whole sixty days. Geez."

"Don't go getting all pissy. You were trying to break up with me. I took comfort in your cousins arms. That's our story."

A cautious Lindsey Warner, cheerleader and voted most likely to die under the knife of a plastic surgeon, approaches.

"Hey, Mary Lou. I'm glad you made it. We've all been so worried about you." She looks up at me and starts to smile but it changes to a surprised look instead. "Wow, Mary Lou, he looks just like Jordy."

"Well, there's a perfectly good explanation for that. This is Steven. He's Jordy's cousin."

"Oh, wow. It's unreal how much they look alike. But you're much cuter," Lindsey says with a giggle.

I would be excited that Lindsey is flirting with me except for the fact that she just told the fake me that the real me was less attractive.



We take our picture. The photographer seems specially disturbed at my pallor.

"Try smiling," he suggests.

But the wax is good and strong so the minimal hint of a smile is all I can muster. Mary Lou flashes one of her radiant as hell smiles and it amazes me. What the hell is she so happy about? She's at her senior prom with a corpse. An undeniably good looking one, but dead nonetheless.

She leaves me to go to the bathroom. She gives me explicit directions not to talk to anyone.

Of course, the minute she's gone, Joey Lautry saunters over.

"So, you're with Mary Lou Foster."

"Yep."

"Her boyfriend was a good friend of mine."

"Mmm." I figured making grunting noises and all consonant sounds were permissible.

"He was a great guy," he continues.

I'm really touched and before I can stop myself, I smile and sigh.

I receive a withering look. "So if you hurt Mary Lou, I will personally kick your ass." He jabs my chest with his meaty finger.

A hallow sound emanates from my core.

"Remember that," he says.

"Yep."

"You speak English, don't you?"

"Yep."

Joey gives an aggravated sigh and walks away.

Whatever Mary Lou is doing in the bathroom, it's taking a really long time. I'm starting to notice more and more people milling about, a circle gathering around me. Some of my former friends edge forward. They're studying me like I'm some kind of treasure map. The more I try to blend in with the crowd, the more attention I am getting.

I can hear certain phrases running through the crowd over and over. "...he's so pale. He hasn't blinked since he got here. ...too much like Jordy to be coincidence."

I smile, forcing my brightest and boldest one so far this evening. And to my dismay, when I look down at the floor I see a flurry of morticians wax as it falls.

My fingers go to my cheek and I can feel the rough edges where the wax has fallen off.

"Oh boy," I mutter.

to be continued...