You're a Ghost, So Why Can I See You?

“Hi, Marie,” I greeted as I opened the front door. I had just enough time to change into a pair of black sweat pants and a grey All Time Low band shirt. I came straight home today – the first since I can remember – and Marie had to stop by her house to pick up the dresses, shoes, makeup, and all that great stuff.

“Gosh, I’m so excited!” Marie hoped in and I shut the door behind her. Her arms were filled with boxes, bags, spare brushes, makeup… It was certainly a site to see. I wish I had a camera.

“It’s just a dance,” I said laughing at her while following her upstairs to my room. Like the great friend I was, I picked up the multiple items she dropped along the way.

“This is notjust a dance, Peyton! This is thedance! THE dance!”

I placed the junk that was in my arms onto my bed and rolled my eyes at her as she carefully tried to put the things down without dropping them. “Have you kissed yet?”

She immediate dropped everything in her arms and her face went flush. “W-What? Kissed who?”

I laughed and sat down on the bed. Bouncy. “You know perfectly well whom I’m talking about. Adam! Have you two kissed yet?”

“No…”

I smiled.

“Do you think tonight…?”

I grinned and nodded my head. “Oh yeah. Big time! If you two don’t kiss, I’ll be very, very disappointed.” Marie’s face went red. “Adam’s a really great guy, and I’ll kill you if you break his heart. Or him. I’d do the same if he broke your heart. I’m really happy for you though.”

“You are?”

“Yeah…” I trailed off and looked towards my window. The sunlight was outlining the closed shutters, almost making them glow. “I’m almost jealous.”

Marie dropped the black garment bag she was unzipping and made a sad smile. “Oh, Peyton…” she walked over to the bed and sat down next to me, and then wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “I’m so sorry. I know you miss him.”

My eyes started to burn and my throat became thick. “I do,” I said painfully. “I miss him so much it hurts.”

“It’ll be okay, sweetie.” Marie hugged me closer to her in a very comforting way. But it didn’t help. Nothing would help what I was feeling.

“No,” I managed to choke out. “It won’t be okay. You know how some of the stories ended with the ghosts committing suicide when the human didn’t want to be with them…? If Ian doesn’t want to be with me…I won’t be able to live with it.”

“Don’t say that,” Marie cooed softly in my ear. “If he doesn’t come back, you’ll eventually find someone else and move on.”

Tears pricked the edge of my eyes, threatening to tumble over. “There will never be someone else, Marie… He’s my other half.”

And down came the waterfall. Hot, wet tears fled down my cheeks like the Mexicans coming into the USA on a daily basis; the only difference was that I couldn’t build a wall to stop the tears. It felt like I would never stop crying.

“Don’t cry…” Marie gently started rocking me side to side. “I’m not sure what to say, Peyt. But know that if Ian doesn’t come back, that he’s a jerk and he didn’t deserve you. You’re an amazing person. Any guy would be more than lucky to have you.”

I started hiccupping like an idiot. “Marie… What do I do? I can’t take it much longer. Heartache isn’t something Tylenol or Aspirin can cure.”

“I know, sweetie, I know.”

We stayed like that for about half an hour - me crying, and Marie rocking me back and forth. I was so lucky to have a friend like her. And I was an awful friend for wasting her time when she should be getting ready for the dance. She could already have her hair or makeup done if it wasn’t for me and my stupid problems.

“You should get ready,” I said while wiping my nose. “You don’t want to be late.”

Marie let go of me and smiled. “I’d rather be late than not be there when my best friend needed me the most.”

I smiled a weak smile and nodded towards her dress. “Break that baby out.”

“Sure you gonna be okay?”

“Yeah. But I’m gonna be extremely pisssed if you’re not in that dress within five minutes.”

“Geez, okay.” Marie walked over to the black garment bag and unzipped it in a flash. She reached in and pulled out a stunning, sparkly short black dress. Well, it looked almost like a party dress, but still sort of elegant looking. The top of it was a corset, and the bottom flared out almost like a tutu, but it was a bit longer. Glitter sparkled everywhere on it.

“It’s beautiful!” I exclaimed. I loved it.

She beamed. “You wanna wear it…?”

My smile turned into a glare. “No. I’m not going.”

Marie laughed and rolled her eyes. “Fine. I’ll wear it. But if you change your mind, you can still have it.”

The next two and a half hours were spent with Marie getting ready for the dance while we both recalled funny memories of things that had happened at past dances and whatnot. Finally, at seven o’clock sharp, a horn honked outside.

“Oh my gosh!” Marie said excited, hoping up and down in her silver heels. “He’s here!”

I laughed at her and peeked out the window. “Yep. Now listen, tonight I order you to dance your heart out and have the best time of your life. And a kiss too. I’m not going to spend any more time with you two in the same room with the tension like it is between you. Got it?”

She giggled and rolled her eyes. “Yes, mom!”

I sighed as Marie grabbed her purse and practically ran out of the room. But half a second later, she was back.

“Wait, Peyton. How do I look?”

I tilted my head to the side, studied her, and smiled. “Breathtaking.” She turned to leave, but I shouted her name and she turned back with a confused look on her face. “And thank you. For everything.”

Marie smiled and shrugged. “Hey, what are best friends for?”

I turned back around and watched through the window as she walked gracefully to Adam’s car and got in. What a perfect night for her. I had a feeling someone would be falling in love very, very soon.

But still, I was a little jealous. Marie and Adam could be together. They didn’t have any problems or obstacles in their way. There was nothing to stop them from falling in love.

I sighed and leaned away from the window, the shutters snapping shut. Another night alone. Another lonely night longing to be with someone, to smell his scent, to hear his voice, to see his smile and hear his laugh…

Quietly, and ever so slowly, music drifted into the air…

I turned around slowly and was immediately hit with all the emotions from earlier, plus more.