The Ghost of You

"So Liam finally snapped?" I asked.

We were back in our meadow. Andrew and I couldn't stand another minute in the cemetery.

I didn't want to talk about this.I managed to avoid it the whole ride back. Andrew seemed normal again. He laughed with me and told me jokes.It was like I never even left.

He sighed,and pushed his hair out of his face. He grimaced and began picking at the grass. I scooted closer to him and laid my head on his shoulder. "Please,"I said gently."I need to know what happened."

He wrapped his arm around me and pulled both us down to the ground. Andrew propped himself up on his elbow and ,with his other hand, caressed my face."You really wanna know?" he asked. I nodded.

"You really really really wanna know?"

I nodded."Please."I whispered.

He inched closer and closer to me,his lips grazing mine."You have to kiss me first." He murmured with his eyes closed.
I grabbed the back of his head and pulled him down towards my lips.

The kiss started out sweet,but then the kiss got deeper and his tongue traced my lower lip. The heat from him burned my skin.

Andrew was trying to avoid the subject. As much as I wanted to continue kissing him -and trust me,I really did- I had to push him away. "Tell me. It can't be that bad."

He rolled flat on the ground and closed his eyes."It's worse." he said quietly.

Andrew continued."The day after the night we were watching a movie,and Liam walked in on us, I called all day,but you didn't answer. Do you remember that?"

I thought back. And I did remember something.

Shouting.
____________________________________________________________________
Andrew left right after my parents got home.

I didn't blame him for hating Liam, I really hated him too. He though he could replace my dad. He thought that man,my dad, never existed. I wasn't his daughter,no matter how much he tried to act like I was.

The door slammed as Andrew walked out. I heard his car start then watched out the window as he drove away.

"You aren't seeing him again." Liam said. "Wow,"I thought,"you say that all the time." What did he think he could do? Forbid me from seeing him? Mom would always allow Andrew over,she loved him.

Like he said,Liam wasn't my father.He couldn't tell me what to do.

When Liam reached over and grabbed my phone and walked to the kitchen,I shot up.

"Honey," my mom said,clearly irritated. She rubbed her head and began to walk to him.

"Hey!" I shouted."Give me my phone back! You can't just take my stuff like that." I stood behind him with my hands crossed over my chest.

When he turned around his face was flushed."You can get this back when you show me and your mother respect!" he said angrily. He smelled strongly of alcohol.

"We were watching a movie,Liam! "My voice was ice cold."Give me my damn phone back!"

His hand moved so fast I didn't even see it. But I felt the sting and heard the awful sound as his hand hit my face.

"Lilly!" mom exclaimed. She rushed toward me. The tears welled up in my eyes and my hand flew up to the spot where he hit me. Liam never hit me. He was angry at me a lot, but never got physical.

"You don't hit her!" mom screamed and shoved him back. Liam slapped her too.

I exploded. My face burned with anger. I completely forgot about the pain on my face. He hit me and my mom,no way would he get away with it.

I focused all my anger on him and swung my hand back."You son of a bitch! You don't hit my mom ever!"

I caught him off guard and I caused him to stumble a few steps back. He breathed heavily then came picked me up and marched me up stairs. He tossed me in my room and slammed my door. I could hear the windows shaking.

"You are going to stay up there until you decide to apologize to me!" He screamed so loud I'm surprised the neighbors didn't hear.

I sat up the rest of the night and cried. I couldn't even call Andrew to come and get me.

Later,I head a knock at the door. I locked the door awhile ago. I looked at the clock above my computer. It read 4:15.

"I know your still awake. Let me in."

It was Liam. He sounded calm,so I got up and let him in.

He better have a good apology.
_______________________________________________________________________

I answered Andrew meekly,"Yes."

I watched the clouds slowly make their way across the sky. There was no sun rays poking out now. Everything here looked so depressing and ominous. I had to admit,it was better than the cemetery though.

"Well you wouldn't answer your phone,so I called your mom the next day. She didn't answer either." Andrew took a breath and looked at me. I was the one propped up on my elbow this time. I nodded for him to continue.

Andrew went on."When I got there, I just opened the door. All the lights were off, and I kept calling for you. Then I found your mom sitting by your door. She was hysterical and she just kept pointing at your door." His voice started to shake. I leaned down and kissed his cheek and curled up next to him. I closed my eyes as he wrapped his arm around me. I moved my head until it was where his heart would be.

I heard it beating. It made me sad to know that my heart was cold and dead,that it would never beat again. I felt a lump rise in my throat,then felt the warm liquid slide down my cheeks. I was amazed that I could still cry. I let the tears flow silently.

"I walked in and you were laying on your window seat,your body was facing the window. I-I thought you were just sleeping,until I saw the blood. You had stab wounds. Six of them,three in your chest,two in your stomach and one in your side. You also had two slits on your mouth and a big...gash...across your throat. You were so cold and your skin was blue. I didn't want to believe you were gone."

The tears were flowing like a river now.

I tried to picture myself as Andrew found me and I just couldn't do it.

"Then your mom yelled for help. So I went to see and I saw him. Your mom was screaming that he did it. And he was screaming at her that he was sorry for everything. And then when he looked up at me I just lost it.

"So I just pushed him down the stairs and just started throwing punches. I screamed at him,but I don't remember what I was screaming.

"I heard the sirens in the distance,I guess your mom called the police, and then she pulled me off of him. For a moment I thought I killed him,because he was so bloody and he wouldn't move,but then he told me he was sorry. I kicked him in the face and went back upstairs to see you."

"What happened when the police arrived?" I asked, picking up my head. Andrew wiped away my tears. His hand moved down to my heart. "It's not going to beat,is it?"I whispered.
He shook his head."I don;t think so,love."

"When the police got there, I told them who I was and what I knew happened and then I just didn't speak again. Not for months."

Months? What did he mean months? "H-How long was I gone?"

Andrew's eyes wandered up to the sky."Months. Five long,depressing,lonely months."

"When did you start speaking again?"

"A few weeks ago. My dad told me that it was enough and that I had to move on."

"What about school?"

"I didn't go back for two weeks. Then everyone tried to talk to me,tried to help me move on. I ignored everyone and didn't go back for a month. I'm failing now."

I couldn't help but feel guilty. Andrew used to be the smartest person I had met known

"You were so smart though! You had so many plans. I ruined it all."

"Don't say that,"he said."You were the best thing that ever happened to me. HE ruined everything,not you. He ruined our future together. Don't ever feel guilty about that."

I grinned.

"I missed that." Andrew murmured."You had the prettiest smile."

I was the best thing that happened to him.

He was the best thing that ever happened to me.