Whispers at Moonrise

going to run a school and not talk to any of the teachers?”
    “I could always lock you in my cabin,” Burnett said.
    “You wish,” Holiday said.
    Burnett’s eyes brightened and a smile barely tilted his lips up slightly. “That I do.”
    Kylie smiled for a second, too, completely getting Burnett’s underlying message. Then for some reason, Kylie thought about Lucas, and started missing him, wishing he could be here to help her cope. Don’t ever fall in love, princess. It just hurts too much.
    Her stepfather’s words echoed in Kylie’s head and right then, she knew. She loved Lucas.
    As if the epiphany gave her heart and mind a reboot, she suddenly recalled being in Miss Kane’s closet and screaming at the top of her lungs. She closed her eyes as embarrassment flooded through her. If any of the other campers hadn’t quite made up their minds about whether she was or wasn’t a freak, she’d made it easy for them.
    Kylie felt Holiday slip her soft hand against her wrist, as if reading some of her emotional angst. The touch had little effect this time. Kylie was in love with Lucas, a guy who couldn’t even be seen in public with her, and she’d made a complete idiot out of herself with one of her ghost visions.
    “Burnett,” Holiday spoke softly, “why don’t you go find some shoes and give Kylie and me a few minutes alone.”
    *   *   *
    Something about being alone with Holiday had Kylie letting go and allowing herself to fall apart. She fell against the camp leader’s shoulder and started sobbing.
    Holiday held her, held her so tight that Kylie cried harder. After a few minutes, Holiday spoke. “I’m so damn sorry. Hannah shouldn’t have come to you. You’re too young to have to deal with this.”
    The words brought a sudden halt to Kylie’s pity party.
    She pulled out of the embrace. “No. I mean, sure, it’s hard, but this is what I do. I’d do it for a stranger. And I’d do it for your sister again and again.” And if it meant stopping someone from hurting Holiday, I would do that and more.
    Kylie wiped her face to clear the tears and knew she was all red and blotchy. Not that she cared. This was Holiday. Her mentor, her big sister. Her friend.
    “Besides,” Kylie added, “it’s not just the vision. It’s Lucas. I think I love him. No, I’m pretty sure I love him. Oh, shit! I’m in love with a boy who can’t love me back.”
    Holiday brushed her hand over Kylie’s cheek. “Oh, hon, he might not supposed to be in love with you, but that doesn’t mean he can’t, or that he doesn’t.”
    Kylie inhaled deeply, trying not to let herself cry again. “He hasn’t told me he loves me. I mean, I haven’t told him either, but … Derek told me he loved me. And…” She closed her eyes, trying to figure out how to put it. “And sometimes I’m confused about what I feel for him, but just now, seeing what you and Burnett have, or what you could have, it made me realize I want that. I’m tired of hiding what I feel and being afraid of it.”
    The tears Kylie had stopped shedding filled Holiday’s eyes. “Love’s always scary.”
    Kylie felt Holiday’s emotions blend with her own. “It shouldn’t be scary,” Kylie said. “Burnett loves you. Even I can see it. And I know you love him. Don’t lose out on something wonderful because you’re scared.”
    “I just need some time,” Holiday said.
    “Time we might not have. Life’s fragile. Look at Hannah, and Cindy and the other girl. They don’t get the opportunity to love again. We have the chance and we’re not doing it. I should have told Lucas how I feel. I should have forced him to be honest with me about what’s happening with him. You should tell Burnett how you feel.”
    Holiday bit down on her lower lip. “I thought I was the one offering advice here.”
    “Yeah, well, the tables turned,” Kylie said. Things change. Kylie just hoped with all the things changing, the one constant in her life would be Shadow Falls. The thought of losing Holiday and everyone here, even the ones who considered her a nutcase, was too much. They were her family.
    *   *   *
    That night, Kylie had tried to dreamscape with Lucas, but it wasn’t working. She texted him, called him, and even e-mailed. No answer came back. Then at two in the morning, staring at the ceiling, her phone rang. She grabbed it without checking the caller ID.
    “Lucas?” she said his name at the same time she hit the light switch. The cold in