A Ghostly Romance

I slowly walked upstairs, making note to clean the blood off the floor. I went into the bathroom and got some tweezers to pick out the visible pieces of glass in my hands, flinching every time I pulled one out. Carefully I wrapped my hands with a few bandages and ignored the red hand print on my cheek. On my arm, the bruise was already forming and had four half moon cuts where Kevin dug his nails. 

I walked out of the bathroom, calmly and saw Richard standing at his door. 

"Thats what you get when you cheat," Richard said. 

"Fuck off," I scowled, going back downstairs to clean up the mess before my parents got back home. I didn't want them to freak out and worry about my safety, so I figured it'd be best not to say anything to them.

After picking up quickly, I stared out the window when suddenly the thought struck me: how did Kevin get here so fast? I heard the phone ringing so maybe he was coming to visit anyway...I walked to the window where the person peeping and looked down. The flower bed had been completely destroyed and looked like it had been that way for a while. Amelia said that Kevin came to see me all the time...

I groaned and felt my head start to spin. He's been watching me? I went into the kitchen and grabbed a few aspirins to stop my throbbing headache. How did any of this happen? Before I moved here I was perfectly fine. No drama. But nothing interesting going on either. No stalkers. But no friends. I guess suicidal thoughts didn't make me that normal either...but that all changed because of a Michael. Now I'm in love with a ghost. My soul mate. I heard creaking coming from upstairs. How could I forget about the obsessive freak living with me? 

I began walking upstairs again when I heard my dad unlock the door. 

"Don't worry, Allens," he said loudly on the phone. "A week longer sounds fine.-no. It's been no trouble, really."

My mother came in behind him and closed the door. I quickly hid my hands behind my back. 

"Who's he talking to?" I asked her as my dad walked into the kitchen. 

"Richard's dad," she said, putting her keys on the table and taking off her shoes. 

"I thought his name was Keith."

"Allens is his last name, hun," she said, laying on the couch, obviously exhausted. "He's going to pick Richard up next week."

"Thank god," I mumbled. 

"No need to be rude, Dani," she said, closing her eyes. 

I took that as my cue to leave so I bolted up the stairs into my bedroom and jumped onto my bed. I looked around. Still no sign of Michael...I looked at the soul mates book that was still on the floor. There's no point in using that book, I thought, hoping Michael would show up soon. 

I stared at my hands which had the bandages over them. It hurt a lot but I ignored the pain and just looked at the blood seeping through the bandages. Kevin's nails dug deep into my arm, I noticed again. Blood red half circles on my arm with a large bruise. I was going to continue looking at my arm when I got a feeling. Not just any feeling. The feeling I got whenever Michael was near me. 

I quickly scanned my room to see he wasn't anywhere near me. I ran to the closet to find it empty. Hmm...I closed the door and saw Michael sitting on my bed. My first instinct was to smile and run over to him but...I couldn't. Something was very wrong. I could feel it. His breath was wheezy and every now and then he'd take in, or try to take in a deep breath, but would start coughing (even though he technically doesn't need to breathe). He was transparent. More than usual. I could see through him and the color of his clothing looked like it was fading. He looked...weak. Almost as if he were...he can't die, I thought. He's already dead...

"Michael?" I asked, stepping towards him. "What is it?"

"Hmm?" he asked still wheezing. His voice was a bit louder than a whisper.

"What...happened?" that was the best I could come up with. The thing is, I wanted to know what was happening to him, but I didn't want to know as well. What if he tells me he's dying? I wouldn't be able to handle the thought. If we ARE soulmates like Nikita said, that means he didn't complete the task. If he goes now, he won't even get the chance. 

"I...don't know," he wheezed. It seemed like it was taking a lot out of him just to talk. "I just...was gone. I was no...where. And now I'm...back."

"You look..." I couldn't even say it. If I didn't say it aloud, maybe it wasn't happening. Maybe I'm dreaming. More like a nightmare.  

"I feel...like shit," he said, trying to smile. "It's not...really that...bad. I can...handle myself."

"Did you do anything that would have used all your energy? Maybe that was a way for you to recooperate.

He sat and thought for a second. He shrugged, saying he didn't remember but his eyes told a different story.  

I sat next to him on the bed feeling completely useless. What could I do to help?

"I've...missed...you," he whispered, trying to smile. "It was...weird not seeing..." he stopped talking and looked at my arm and hands. I quickly put them behind my back hiding them from him, pretending I had an itch on my back. 

"What...happened while...I was...gone?" he said, reaching over and trying to grab my arm. As always, his hand went through mine and le let out a groan of frustration. 

"Nothing, Michael," I said. I don't want him worrying about me when he's got himself to worry about. 

"Dani," he said, his voice getting louder and firm. "Who did...this to you?"

"No one," I said. "I fell..."

"I'm not...stupid, Dani," he said, getting pissed. "Tell me right...now. Who...hurt you?"

"No one," I repeated. "Stop getting all worked up. You're sick, for lack of a better word. It's not like you could do anything anyway."

As soon as those words left my mouth I wish I had never said them.

"Michael, I didn't mean-"

"You meant...exactly what...you said." The look on his face broke my heart. "I can't...protect you from...anything. I might...as well not...even exist."

"Don't say that!" I exclaimed. Here was Michael, the boy I loved who never even felt bad about dying but now, all because of me, he was saying he might as well be dead. Well, REALLY dead. 

"It's not that bad," I said, looking at my hands and arms. "Kevin just didn't-"

"Kevin?!" he whispered in shock. "He did...this?"

Michael got up and swayed on his feet a bit. He looked so weak...

"I'm going to...kick his...ass," he said.

"Michael, don't. Just forget about it. You're going to wear yourself out. You might even..." I stopped myself. Die. He could die if he did this. Michael caught what I meant. 

"If anyone...thinks I'll let...them hurt you...they're out of their...fucking mind." 

"But you can't even-"

"I'll figure...something out," he said, disappearing.

"Michael!" I screamed out, jumping to here he was standing. He was gone. My heart rate quickened and so did my breathing. He could barely stand and now he's going to try to get back at Kevin because of his stupid pride?! What if he uses all his energy?! What if he... I paced my room trying to calm myself down but I couldn't. What if I lose him?