Tamsyn Murray-Afterlife 01 My So-Called Afterlife by Tamsyn Murray Read Free Book Online Page B

when Hep’s hand closed on my wrist and yanked me forwards through the bodies. I found myself face to face with The Perfect Boy.
    ‘This is Lucy. She’s new,’ Hep said.
    Ryan smiled, rows of white teeth sparkling against his tanned face. ‘Hi.’
    It’s safe to say that in the Hollywood version of events, Ryan would be played by himself. Obviously this woulddepend on him not being dead, but you get the idea; he was film-star good-looking. His oh-so-casual sandy hair and deep blue eyes would have the entire female population of the planet staring up devotedly at pictures of him.
    ‘Hng,’ I said, in an effort to knock him sideways with my devastating charm. Unfortunately, my tongue seemed to be glued to the roof of my mouth. I peeled it away and tried again. ‘Hi. Great party.’
    He opened his mouth to reply, but Kimberly had spotted us. In an instant, she’d abandoned whoever she’d been talking to.
    ‘Look, it’s Rosie and her new playmate.’ Her eyes glittered as she studied us. ‘And they’re holding hands. How sweet.’
    Too late, I realised Hep was still holding on to my wrist. Lightning quick, she let go.
    ‘So how long have you been here?’ Ryan seemed not to have noticed Kimberly’s comment.
    Somehow, I knew he wasn’t talking about the party. ‘About eight months. You?’
    ‘A year and a half.’ Ruefully, he shrugged. ‘I still don’t know what I’m doing here.’
    ‘You’re here to make my afterlife bearable,’ Kimberly said, her eyelashes fluttering up and down at speed.
    I stared incredulously at her. ‘Wow. I’ve read about that, but I’ve never seen anyone actually do it.’
    She turned, smiling without a trace of humour. ‘Do what?’
    ‘Bat their eyelashes. You could probably get a job at a wind farm.’
    ‘Ha ha.’ Kimberly shot me a venomous look and turned her attention to Ryan. ‘Come and dance with me.’
    Easily, he shook his head. ‘I’m talking to Lucy and Hep. Maybe later?’
    It was one of those moments you store away to enjoy over and over when you’re on your own with nothing much to do. There’d be payback sometime in the future, I was certain, but the expression on Kimberly’s face at that moment was worth it. Her pinched-up mouth reminded me of Mr Cuddles’s bum. Without another word, she stalked away.
    Hep flashed me a tiny smile. ‘Told you he’s all right,’ she whispered. In a louder voice she said, ‘I need to talk to the band. If they don’t play my favourite song next, things are going to get seriously ugly.’
    She melted into the crowd, leaving me alone with a boy who made the object of my previous crush look like Ron Weasley. My stomach squirmed with a thousand ghostly butterflies.
    ‘So,’ I said, for lack of anything clever to say. At least the movie-me wouldn’t have that problem.
    ‘So,’ Ryan agreed. ‘How are you coping with the whole death thing?’
    I considered the question. It wasn’t half bad these days, since Jeremy had come along and we’d found there were other ghosts. ‘It’s OK. Jeremy helps.’
    He tilted his head to one side. ‘Jeremy?’
    Ah. How to explain that one? ‘My not-dead friend. Don’t ask me why, but he can see me.’
    Ryan looked intrigued. ‘That must be useful.’
    There was that word again – useful. Hadn’t Hep said the same thing? ‘Er, yeah. I suppose so.’ I thought back to earlier that evening. ‘Mostly he’s just annoying.’
    ‘What did you do before you died?’
    Another good question. ‘The usual stuff. Went to school, hung out with my mates. Played bass guitar in a rock band.’
    ‘Really?’ His eyes gleamed with interest.
    ‘No,’ I sighed. ‘But I wish I had.’
    ‘I know what you mean. I always wanted to play the Polynesian nose flute.’ He shook his head tragically. ‘I feel my life was incomplete.’
    I grinned, pleased he knew how to play the game. ‘Well, it just so happens that I’m very accomplished on the nose flute. I can teach you.’
    His sapphire