Read Online Slow Dance in Purgatory by Amy Harmon - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Amy Harmon
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room.
“ I’m sorry, so sorry …” Brenda Lee crooned sincerely, and Maggie screeched and jumped a foot in the air.
The song cut abruptly, and Maggie yanked her ipod from the sound system, racing from the room and out into the rapidly filling hallway. She had had enough of Johnny Kinross for one morning. Apology not accepted.
***
She’d made him angry, and he had responded without thinking. He’d heard her say his name when she’d come into the school. At first, Johnny was pleased that she even knew his name – Gus must have told her. The pleasure disappeared abruptly when he realized what she’d said. “Johnny Kinross isn’t real,” she’d said. It had bothered him, and he’d lashed out with words of his own. He’d played the first song that came to his head, one that had his name in it so she couldn’t misconstrue its meaning. He’d scared her and immediately felt like a heel. Since when did he go around scaring beautiful girls? It used to be that girls hung all over him, even when he didn’t want them to. Now they just ran screaming.
Actually, come to think of it, Margaret hadn’t just run screaming. She’d gotten angry, too. He’d watched her dance again. He couldn’t help himself. He definitely hadn’t missed her meaning with the first song she'd chosen, and he had laughed at her courage. She wasn’t like the girls he remembered. And the way she danced… He could watch her all day. He didn’t know if he liked her music. It was more talking and swearing than singing, and it was a whole lot more angry than the music he grew up with. But he definitely liked her sass.
She’d said “take that Johnny Kinross,” and he had almost flashed into the room right then and there. That would have really scared her, though. So he had tried to be a little more subtle. He hoped she believed his apology – but from the way she raced out of the room, he thought maybe not. He would have to try again.
***
A few days went by and Maggie, Gus, and Shad worked side by side each afternoon after school. Maggie hadn’t complained to Gus or told him she was nervous, but he seemed to know and had found ways for them to all stay together. It couldn’t last though, there was too much ground to cover, and staying together didn’t make much sense. Plus, Shad had been like a caged puppy, yapping and nipping at her heels until Maggie was sure working in tandem was far worse than any run-in with a ghost. So, after three days of shadowing Gus, Maggie volunteered to get the trashes from the third floor on her own.
“They did some kind of bridge building contest in Mr. George’s class, and they got one of those big trash cans with the wheels on it up there full to the top with heavy stuff. Do all the other trashes and then wheel the big one to the dumbwaiter to get it down to the main floor, just like I showed you last week, okay?” Gus instructed.
"Don't let Johnny get you, Mags!" Shad called out. He chuckled, but Maggie didn't miss the worried expression he tried to hide. Gus just shook his head and waved her off.
Maggie took a deep breath and jogged up the stairs, determined not to be spooked, hoping Johnny Kinross had had his fun. Classroom by classroom, Maggie bagged and re-bagged trashcans, piling the bags into a bigger can and wheeling her way around the third floor. The halls were silent, and the classrooms empty, and Maggie started to relax into her work. It wasn’t until she reached the drafting room that she discovered that Gus had not been exaggerating.
The wheeled, economy-sized garbage can was brimming with
“ I’m sorry, so sorry …” Brenda Lee crooned sincerely, and Maggie screeched and jumped a foot in the air.
The song cut abruptly, and Maggie yanked her ipod from the sound system, racing from the room and out into the rapidly filling hallway. She had had enough of Johnny Kinross for one morning. Apology not accepted.
***
She’d made him angry, and he had responded without thinking. He’d heard her say his name when she’d come into the school. At first, Johnny was pleased that she even knew his name – Gus must have told her. The pleasure disappeared abruptly when he realized what she’d said. “Johnny Kinross isn’t real,” she’d said. It had bothered him, and he’d lashed out with words of his own. He’d played the first song that came to his head, one that had his name in it so she couldn’t misconstrue its meaning. He’d scared her and immediately felt like a heel. Since when did he go around scaring beautiful girls? It used to be that girls hung all over him, even when he didn’t want them to. Now they just ran screaming.
Actually, come to think of it, Margaret hadn’t just run screaming. She’d gotten angry, too. He’d watched her dance again. He couldn’t help himself. He definitely hadn’t missed her meaning with the first song she'd chosen, and he had laughed at her courage. She wasn’t like the girls he remembered. And the way she danced… He could watch her all day. He didn’t know if he liked her music. It was more talking and swearing than singing, and it was a whole lot more angry than the music he grew up with. But he definitely liked her sass.
She’d said “take that Johnny Kinross,” and he had almost flashed into the room right then and there. That would have really scared her, though. So he had tried to be a little more subtle. He hoped she believed his apology – but from the way she raced out of the room, he thought maybe not. He would have to try again.
***
A few days went by and Maggie, Gus, and Shad worked side by side each afternoon after school. Maggie hadn’t complained to Gus or told him she was nervous, but he seemed to know and had found ways for them to all stay together. It couldn’t last though, there was too much ground to cover, and staying together didn’t make much sense. Plus, Shad had been like a caged puppy, yapping and nipping at her heels until Maggie was sure working in tandem was far worse than any run-in with a ghost. So, after three days of shadowing Gus, Maggie volunteered to get the trashes from the third floor on her own.
“They did some kind of bridge building contest in Mr. George’s class, and they got one of those big trash cans with the wheels on it up there full to the top with heavy stuff. Do all the other trashes and then wheel the big one to the dumbwaiter to get it down to the main floor, just like I showed you last week, okay?” Gus instructed.
"Don't let Johnny get you, Mags!" Shad called out. He chuckled, but Maggie didn't miss the worried expression he tried to hide. Gus just shook his head and waved her off.
Maggie took a deep breath and jogged up the stairs, determined not to be spooked, hoping Johnny Kinross had had his fun. Classroom by classroom, Maggie bagged and re-bagged trashcans, piling the bags into a bigger can and wheeling her way around the third floor. The halls were silent, and the classrooms empty, and Maggie started to relax into her work. It wasn’t until she reached the drafting room that she discovered that Gus had not been exaggerating.
The wheeled, economy-sized garbage can was brimming with
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