Edison was still peering at Nora's scratch.
"You must have scratched yourself in your sleep."
"Are you kidding me? I didn't do this." she dropped her arm.
"There's a reasonable explanation for everything."
"How can you be so nonchalant when I just said your house is haunted?"
Jax stared up at both of them but was forgotten for the moment.
"I don't believe in ghosts and all that jazz, but I believe you think you saw something."
"Fine," Nora said and pushed past him to go back into the bedroom. She started picking up her things. "I'm not sleeping here."
Jax and Edison followed her downstairs.
"Come on, Nora, it's the middle of the night."
She looked hurt and frustrated. "Will you please give me a ride home?"
"Sure, but it'd be easier if you stay then we could go to school together."
"No thanks."
"Don't be mad at me," Edison said as he watched her put on her jacket and get her purse.
"I'm not. I'm just really tired."
They drove to her house in silence.
"Do you have a key to get in?" Edison asked as he pulled her into her driveway a few minutes later.
"Yeah." She opened the car door and got out. She started to walk away then turned back. "I'll give you your clothes back after I wash them."
"Don't worry about it. Hey, Nora -" but she cut him off by saying thanks and closing the door.
Edison leaned back against the headrest with a sigh. He didn't pull away until he saw her go inside and close the door.
~~~
Edison quickly finished his English muffin with jelly and tugged on his coat. He put his cell phone in his back pocket.
As he was picking up his backpack, someone loudly knocked at the door.
Edison opened it to find Carter standing on the doorstep with Trey leaning against the sports car parked on the side of the street. He caught Edison's eye and smirked at him.
"Hand over the homework you promised," Carter demanded.
"You're out of luck."
"No, it's not going down like that." Carter started forcing Edison back inside of the house.
"I told you I'm done doing your homework-yours and everyone else's."
"Not acceptable."
"That's the way it is," Edison said, holding his ground.
"Sit down, and do the work now."
"No way."
Carter pushed Edison into the sunny kitchen and shoved him into a chair. He threw his backpack on the table.
"Get to work. I'll wait." He stood back and folded his arms.
Suddenly, Edison felt that warm feeling surround his body and mind. It slowed his mind down and gave him extreme confidence at the same time.
He folded his arms just like Carter and looked at him with a defiant grin.
"I guess I may not see you at graduation, Carter. What a shame that would be."
Carter's face turned red and he clenched his hands.
"You little jerk!" He started coming towards Edison.
Suddenly, there was a horrific crash outside. The sound of metal grinding against metal.
They both ran out to see a Ford Explorer's front end smashed against the back of Carter's sports car, which looked unrepairable. Trey was standing on the sidewalk in a daze. He had a cut on his face from flying glass.
A man got out of the Explorer and asked if he was okay.
"I think so," Trey said.
Carter looked at Edison who looked odd. He looked like he was in a trance or something.
"You had something to do with this, Bates," Carter pointed a finger at him.
"Me? I was in the house with you, genius."
"I'll find out what you're up to. You're probably into satanism or some crap." Carter said.
This made Edison start to laugh so hard that he had to sit down on the grass until he gained his composure. When the laughing fit subsided, he very seriously said,
"It's not even close to Satanism."
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