For Nevermore Season 1

long shifts at the station. There’s a ton going on in town right now.”
    “I’ve noticed,” Jen said. “Been watching the news. Makes me think we picked the wrong time to move to what was supposed to be a sleepy little town.”
    Josie said, “It usually is, and sorry it isn’t, but I don’t think there’s anything to worry about. We live with a sheriff’s deputy, and you live across from one.”
    “What are you guys talking about?” Tori said, squeezing between her mom and Josie.
    Jen pulled her daughter into a hug. “Nothing sweetie,” she said, then quickly changed the subject. “Now who’s ready for dinner?”
    “I am, I am!” Tori jumped up and down. “You’re sitting next to me, No-Snow!”
    Everyone sat at their place and waited for Jen to fill their plates with spaghetti. The pasta wasn’t as good as Anthony’s, but it was definitely better than Olive Garden, and maybe even Josie’s. Noella was hungrier than she thought, and kept shoving fork after fork of the pasta into her mouth. Noella was eating so fast, she could barely maintain her part of the conversation. Halfway through dinner, the discussion had drifted from local haunts and highlights to Noella and what she was like back when she was Tori’s age, and how Noella hadn’t ever really been a child.
    “Really?” Jen said in disbelief. “But she’s so great with kids. I mean, granted, I’ve only seen her with Tori, but Tori absolutely adores her.”
    “She never really had a chance to be a kid,” Josie said.
    Noella looked down, embarrassed.
    Josie reached her hand across the table and squeezed Noella’s hand. “It’s okay, sweetie,” she said. “It wasn’t your fault. It’s amazing you were as together as you were.” Josie turned to the rest of the table. “Noella’s mom died when she was born. And her father died on her seventh birthday. Those first few years were pretty rough. Noella had a hard time finding stuff to be happy about.”
    There was a long, awkward silence, then Jen said, “Well, it looks like she finally found her way.”
    Tori added, “She’s the best hide-n-seek player, and the best babysitter in the whole world! She’s also my first friend on Facebook, other than my mom.”
    Everyone laughed, grateful for having an eight-year-old at the table to lighten the mood. Silence draped the table for another minute while everyone took a moment to fill their mouths with spaghetti, then Jen broke the silence and said, “So, Noella, how’s school? Do you have a lot of friends? Are there any boys that you like?” She winked at her final question.
    Noella swallowed her spaghetti and took a long drink of water, then said, “School is pretty boring. It would be nice if I had a teacher who actually cared about their subject. Maybe next year,” she crossed her fingers, then held them sarcastically in the air.
    “Noella!” Josie said, a smile curling the edge of her mouth.
    “Well, it’s true,” Noella smiled. “And no,” she turned back to Jen, “I don’t have a lot of friends. Just a few. Most of the kids at school think I’m weird.” She returned to her spaghetti, ignoring the final question.
    Tori answered for her. “She loves a boy named Sa-am!” She sang his name as though it had an extra syllable.
    Noella shot her new playmate a dirty look, playful but half serious. “You dirty rat!”
    Tori giggled hysterically, then shoved half a meatball in her mouth.
    “Sam, huh?” Jen raised her eyebrows. “So tell us about this Sam. What’s he like?”
    Noella shook her head, feeling her face go flush.
    Josie answered, “Sam’s a great kid. We’ve known him for a long time.” She smiled as though just remembering something. “Actually, he used to live in this house!”
    Jen laughed, “Is that right?”
    Tori said, “You didn’t tell me that!”
    Josie nodded, “Yeah, they moved away last year, but just across town. They wanted a smaller place. Sam’s older sister, Ashley, is in college and moved in with her boyfriend. Their dad is in real estate and he found the perfect transition house for the family. It was a year earlier than they’d planned, but the timing with the market seemed perfect for them.”
    “Well, how about that?” Jen slapped her hand on the table. “It is a small, small world indeed.” She turned to Noella. “So, if Sam’s all that, why aren’t the two of you together already?”
    Apparently Josie was feeling comfortable answering for Noella. “Sam will