The Ghost of You

"Come on ,Lilly." Kelsey whined. She was hanging out of James' passenger window flailing her arms in a desperate motion for me to hurry and get in.

I jumped off the last porch step and jogged down the driveway.I looked back to my house. All the lights were off,and my parents were asleep.My parents thought I was sleeping too,but they knew how badly I wanted to go to this concert. I had been talking about it for weeks. Mom even gave me money to buy a new outfit for it!

Well mom did say yes,but Liam had to butt in and say no,so...I guess it sort of meant I could go,right?

Nope,it just meant Liam would be pissed if he found out.

What can I say, a teenager has to act out sometimes.

"Lillian Marie if you do not get in this car right now we are leaving you here!" Kelsey snapped.
The back door of the car swung open

I saw Craig smile and motion for me to hurry in.

I jumped in and slammed the door closed." So sneaking out behind Liam's back?" Craig asked."You are becoming such a bad ass!"

Kelsey lit up a cigarette. Instantly I coughed. God,I hated when she would so that.

"Hey,remember rule number one about my new car? NO SMOKING!" James said,taking Kelsey's cancer stick and tossing it out the window."Hey Lilly. Your looking sexy tonight. So tell me,how much is Liam going to shit in his khaki pants when he finds out you snuck out?"

"With the delinquents!"Kelsey laughed.

I won't ever really know how the four of us became best friends.

James was the first person I had met freshman year. He was gay and got bullied a lot. We actually didn't have much in common except we were always crushing on the same guy. He was really dumb though.

I was actually scared to talk to him at first. He had long hair dyed black that hung in his face. And when he would flick the hair to the side,it would reveal his pale face covered with piercings and his eyes smudged with heavy black eyeliner.

Over the years he changed though,not as into the dark stuff as before,but he kept his hair long and dyed and had a cute lip ring.

Kelsey was the person I least expected to befriend. James introduced us after school.

Kelsey was a major party girl with teased bleached hair. She liked to wear shirts that I thought were skirts and skirts that were just way too short. I will never forget the day she and James came over to meet mom and Liam.

Kelsey had a cigarette in her mouth and she was rocking her coon eyed look. Mom was friendly enough,but when Kelsey said they were going to give me a makeover, I could see her getting pale. Liam looked ready to call the police.

Craig was new to our group though,he was normal enough.He was going to be a future photographer,I was sure. He always had his camera hanging around his neck. He was kind of nerdy and awkward at times,but fun to talk to.

I laughed as Craig put his arm around me. It was totally innocent,but I've always had reason to believe he had a tiny crush on me.

"He would clog up the toilet with all of his shit if he found out."I joked. Kelsey laughed and turned around in her seat."Which is why he isn't going to find out. You know why,little Lillian Marie?"

"Why?" I asked.

"Because,"she answered,"we are ninjas! Super secret ninjas! No one will find out. Now come here." She pulled out here eyeliner and mascara.

"Please go easy on the eyeliner. I don't want raccoon eyes." I said as Kelsey giggled.

James glanced at Kelsey."Are you sure you should be doing her make up in a moving car?"

Kelsey smirked."Pssshhh! I've been doing makeup in the car for years.I am a pro at it! See?"

James and Craig observed me,Craig maybe a little longer. "Nice work,Kelsey." he said.

"Alright. Are you bitches ready to ROCK!?" Kelsey yelled.

We were pulling up at the coliseum. The parking lot was full."Oh my B'Jesus! James honey,can we just leave the car in a random spot so we can get to see them!" Kelsey said angrily

"Kel,I want to see 'The Wronged Ones and Blood Red Shoes,just as much as you do." James answered,ruffling her hair.

Finally we found a spot. We all jumped out the car and ran to the entrance doors.
We all laughed and screamed out of excitement and practically through our tickets at the man in front of the door.

"Okay,"Craig said,"everyone just push your way as close to the front as possible." James laughed."No worries,I got it covered. I have a friend who knows we are coming just stay with me and we will get in the front."

When we stepped into the floor we held hands and followed James. We met up with this super tall,skinny guy."You made it!" he said and kissed James on the cheek."These are your friends?" James nodded."Come with me." the boy said.

James' friend managed to get us to the very front. I was holding on to the gate that was in front of the stage. Craig and I were screaming along with everyone in anticipation,while James was eyeing the crowd and Kelsey lit up another cigarette."You can smoke in here,right?" she asked in my ear.

"Probably not."I yelled over the crowds noise. Kelsey smiled and shrugged."Oh well." She mouthed,puffing out smoke.

Then all the lights went off and we could here someone strumming an electric guitar,and then I heard the familiar chords from one of my favorite songs. The crowd screamed with delight,and so did I.

Pretty soon we were all jumping in time with the beat of the drums. The song ended and everyone cheered and applauded. I stopped jumping,out of breath,and stumbled back.

"Oh,I'm so sorry!" I said. When I turned and saw the guy I hit,I couldn't help but blush. He was gorgeous,no denying that. This guy looked about my age,maybe a year or two older. He was tall and had thick blonde hair. He was wearing ripped jeans with a leather jacket and a T-shirt of the "Blood Red Shoes."

The boy smiled,and my heart beat a little faster."No problem." Oh,God,even his voice was amazingly hot! He leaned in close to me and his lips were by my ear."I'm Andrew. What's your name?"

Before he pulled away something inside me made me grab his shoulder. I hesitated for a moment then said in his ear,"I'm Lilly. Nice to meet you Andrew." What else should I say? Do I just turn around and that's it?

Why couldn't I think of what to say? I talk to Craig and James all the time. What was so different about this boy?

Reluctantly,I just smiled and slowly turned.

Andrew... he was so beautiful! Although, someone with looks like him,probably had a girlfriend already.

The concert went on and on and I was loving every minute of it.

When the band played their song"I Wish I Was Someone Better" All four of us screamed and began chanting the lyrics.

Going to a concert was so liberating! It felt like I could feel the beat of the drum in my body,and when I chanted the lyrics,I closed my eyes and let my head fall back a little then felt the chills as it came time for the guitar solo.

Then I felt someone from behind grab my waist."Enjoying the show?"

It was Andrew and his lips were by my ear again. I felt alive and amazing and just completely high off of the stupendous,incredible energy in here. I laughed and backed closer into him. My head fell on his shoulder and he wrapped his arms around me from behind.

The song ended and the crowd cheered again."You look familiar,have we met before?" he asked.I felt his lips fall from my ear to my exposed neck. I never had a boy touch me like this. He gave my neck soft,quick kisses and I got goosebumps and shook a little. His arms tightened around me.I let out a breath and smiled.

I had never seen him at school,I was sure of that. Maybe he has seen me around town? I shook my head.

Andrew stopped kissing my neck. The wonderful,butterfly sensation I had in my stomach slowly faded the longer his lips weren't on me.

I wanted to tell him,please,please kiss me again!

"Are you sure?"He asked. I moved a bit and his arms fell to his side. I turned to face him."Yes,"I said,"because if I did,I surely would have remembered you." I grabbed his arms and placed them around me again.

Where was this all coming from? How did I get brave so suddenly?

But as his lips pressed against mine.I didn't care.

All thinking stopped.I forgot everything I knew,just focused on the feel of his soft warm lips moving against mine.

There was one thing I knew though,this was the best night of my life.