The Ghosts of Your Past Haunt Me

My stomach rumbled as we pulled up to the airport. I sighed knowing I wouldn’t get food until I got on the plane, which seemed like forever.

“I see our stomachs are on the same level,” Aaron laughed.

I giggled, “I guess so.”
Just then my phone buzzed and I froze. Shit. I slowly picked it up and unlocked it.

‘Just tell me.. please.’

I rolled my eyes and responded.

‘You know this would be easier if we were in person.’
I hit send and got out of the taxi. I helped Aaron, Nick, and Hailey grab the bags out of the trunk. Aaron paid the driver and we all headed into the airport. Nick, Hailey, and Aaron were all walking in a line in front of me.

“Guys what the hell is going on here? Am I like the unpopular one or something?” I asked with a laugh.

They didn’t answer. I quickened my pace and tried to get beside Hailey, but she blocked me.

“What the hell, Hails?” I exclaimed.

Again, she said nothing. They were really starting to piss me off. I sighed heavily and just stayed back. After about five minutes, I made a dash for it and got ahead of them. I nearly hit the ground though when I saw the image before me. Zak was standing in the middle of the terminal, surrounded by roses, with a huge sign held up that said ‘Will you make me the happiest man on Earth and do me the honor of being my wife?’.

I dropped everything, including my phone, before I ran and jumped on him, wrapping my arms around his neck. He nearly fell backwards, but caught himself before he dropped the sign and wrapped his arms around me.

“How’s this for in person?” he asked a smile in his voice.

I hadn’t realized I was crying until now. I pulled back a little and kissed him.

“Yes, I will marry you!” I choked out.

He placed me down gently and knelt down on one knee. I could feel everyone in the terminal starring at us, but I didn’t care because I was being proposed to by the greatest guy in the world. He pulled a little black box from his pocket and opened it. He pulled out a medium sized, square cut diamond on a silver band and placed it on my ring finger.

“Aw Zak it’s beautiful!” I squealed holding my hand out so I could see it glimmer in the light.

I kissed him passionately as he stood up, wrapping my arms around his neck.

“So was this your part of the bet?” I asked when we broke apart.

He smiled sheepishly, “Yeah. I know I shouldn’t have to win a bet to ask you to marry me, but I thought it was a good idea.”

The crowd was applauding and Zak took my hand with the ring on it and spun me around. Just then my stomach started burning and I automatically placed my hand over the scratches. I doubled over with pain as I heard a faint whisper in my ear.

“I told you, you will never be happy.”

Tears pricked my eyes again, why can’t this thing just leave me the fuck alone?

“Katie what’s wrong?” Zak asked alarm in his voice.

Aaron, Nick, and Hailey were crowded around me now all looking down at me with concern, especially Hailey. I straightened up a little as the pain subdued a bit.

“When I woke up this morning and found your note and the rose, I took a shower. Well while I was in there, the dark figure from our house appeared and scratched my stomach. Before it did so it said that we would never be happy and that I’d wind up getting hurt,” I almost whispered the last part.

When I looked up at Zak, he was pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Zak, please. It’s just three scratches. I’ll be fine,” I pleaded.

His eyes popped opened and he glared at me, “A mark of the Trinity? And you think this is all it’ll do to you?! Do you know how dangerous these things are?!”

Tears fell from my eyes. I walked away from him and snatched up my suitcase along with my phone and other stuff I dropped. I stormed off to my terminal and gave the lady behind the counter my ticket. Lucky for me, the plane was already boarding. I know I was being childish, but dammit I was pissed. I know that Demons or ghosts or whatever the hell this was, was dangerous.

I put my suitcase on the baggage conveyor belt and walked towards the boarding area.

“Katie wait!” I heard Zak call.

I ignored him. I heard his footsteps slapping the ground as he ran; I knew he’d be beside me in minutes. The fucker could out run a damn cheetah I swear. So I just stopped and waited for him.

“Look, I’m going to stay with Hailey, don’t worry. I just wish you’d understand that I know these things are dangerous. Otherwise I wouldn’t have said yes to marrying you,” I said trying to keep my voice calm.

He turned me to face him, “I’m sorry. I know you know it’s dangerous. It just scared me, honestly, cause you’ve never been hurt before.”

I nodded, “I know it scares me too. Especially cause you weren’t there.”

I choked up and he placed his arms around me. I hugged him back and cried into his shoulder. He pulled away and kissed my forehead.

“I love you with everything I am. I can’t even fathom the thought of you not being in my life. That’s why I asked you to marry me, so I know that you’ll be mine always,” he whispered.

I laughed, “Babe, you’ve had me since you asked for my phone number three years ago.”

He smiled, but it faded quickly, “Can I see them?”

I sighed and slowly pulled up my shirt. He knelt down again so he could see them at eye level. He kissed down the length of each one. I blushed intensely at the stares we were getting, but I didn’t care. He loved me and I loved him.

“Thank you,” I smiled.

He shook his head and kissed me one last time, “I’ll see you in four days. Please be safe.”

I scoffed, “Says the guy who provokes demons for a living. You be safe, sir. And please don’t worry about me. I’ll be with Hailey. What could possibly happen to me?”

He laughed, “Well you could get pregnant.”

He immediately frowned at the thought.

“Exactly. I’ll see you in four days. Text me every day and call me at least twice a day,” I giggled.

“I will, Mrs. Bagans,” he smiled.

It sent shivers over my body and I held up my ring, “That’s right. I am Mrs. Bagans aren’t I?”

We said our final goodbyes and I said goodbye to Nick and Aaron, they had followed Zak over after they had placed their luggage on the conveyor belts and grabbed my flowers, asking them to keep him safe. I grabbed some of my flowers from Hailey and we headed onto our plane. It was going to be a long four days.