Callie turns her face so now it leans against my shoulder, the top of her head tucked under my chin, and answers, “No, I was asked. I just always had to say no.”
She snuggles in closer, and I’m pretty sure heaven has nothing on this moment. Her body is pressed almost flush with mine, with just enough room to keep from stepping on each other's feet, and I’m doing my best to mentally record every sensation.
With a self-conscious laugh, she admits, “Now that I think about it. This is the first time I’ve danced with a boy. Wow, that sounds so lame when I say it out loud.”
“Nah, it’s fine,” I assure, but inside, I’m filled with this buzzing mixture of elation and nervousness. No matter what happens from here on out, she’ll always remember this moment. Her first dance-- and it was with me!No pressure.
Her arms shift so one hand is resting on my shoulder, while the other draws invisible patterns on my back, and a cascade of tingling shivers flow through my body from her fingertips. I can feel every rise and fall of her warm breaths against my chest, and I can’t help but hold her close, wrapping one arm around her waist, while my other hand slides up and down her spine.
Usually, this is the moment that the phrase, ‘Now I can die happy’ applies, but that ship has already sailed and is lost somewhere in the Bermuda triangle. It is the happiest moment of my afterlife, so there’s that.
Lost in this moment with Callie, I don’t realize my subconscious has taken over until I notice that the sun has suddenly started to set and the song playing is going on about how this moment with the girl is like heaven and how all the singer wants is for her to know him.
And that’s the last time I watch City of Angels-- though it was kind of helpful in researching questions to ask Kaleb.
Fortunately, she doesn’t seem to notice that the song is like a walking billboard of my feelings, and instead murmurs, “Do you think they’re back? The people that hurt your family?”
Great, while I was on cloud nine dancing with her, she was thinking about homicidal maniacs.I do my best to swallow a groan of disappointment and remember that she’s had a hell of a morning.
I sigh, “I don’t know, but I really hope not. Finding out who they are might be my unfinished business, but it’ll be meaningless if to get to them, you and Mildred get hurt in the process.”
“I’m indestructible, remember,” she states, pulling back enough to look into my eyes, “and I want to help you.” She bites her lip, drawing my gaze to her mouth, then with a well of emotion infusing her husky voice, she confesses, “You’re one of the best things that’s ever happened to me, and… I don’t think there’s anything I can do to repay what your friendship has meant to me.”
It’s like I’ve been kicked in the gut, and my breath is frozen in my lungs. She wasn’t thinking about this morning, but more of how much I mean to her, and how she wants to help me.How do I respond to that?
Reaching up, I cup her face with one hand, while the other continues to hold her against me. We’ve stopped moving in a circle, but we’re still swaying a little to the beat.
The truth is with each day, I’m less concerned with finding the murderers. I want them brought to justice, but I also want to stay. I hate not being able to interact with the real world, but if I can keep stealing a few precious hours with Callie in this world we are building, I think I could be okay like this.
My subconscious has a perverse sense of humor whenIrisby Goo Goo Dolls changes toKiss Meby Ed Sheeran, because yes, that’s exactly what I want to do right now. I never got the chance to kiss a girl when I was alive, and Callie being my first would be amazing.
It would also be unfair.
Whether I want to or not, I will eventually have to pass through the pearly gates-- and until then, I’m still a ghost. I’m still dead. Trying to make what’s between us more than friendship would be cruel considering all she’s lost-- and if she didn’t feel the same as I do, I’d be the first ghost to die a second time from embarrassment alone.
Instead, I press my forehead against hers, and say, “That’s not how friendships work. There’s nothing to repay, and…” I hesitate but decide this piece of truth won’t hurt, “and you’re one of the best things that’s ever happened to me too.”
“But friends help each other,” she counters, her breath feathering against my lips. “I may not know much, but I’m pretty sure if there was a handbook on the subject, that’d be on page one.”
I chuckle softly, loving her more with each passing second, and reply, “And that’s what we’ll do. Whatever this all means and who’s behind it, we’ll face it together and help each other through it.”
“Okay,” she murmurs, shifting so she once again has her head resting against my shoulder. “Thank you… for everything.”
“No problem, pretty girl,” I whisper, squeezing her tight, and we go back to dancing in slow circles while Ed Sheeran croons the words that I won’t allow myself to say.
Chapter 13
Callie
Mildred drops her purse and keys on the granite kitchen counter and heads over to the kettle to start making tea. I follow her in, and while leaning against the counter, I stare at the paper that allows me supervised permission on the road. It took a few hours to reach the closest DMV and take my written test, but I’m now the proud owner of a Provisional Instruction Permit-- which is a black and white print out with a not so great picture of me-- and still has the last name Santiago.
Soon it’ll be Volkov, and I’ll be one step closer to wiping the Bastard from my life.When I asked my aunt about needing his permission to change it, she was vague, simply stating it wouldn’t be a problem, and that I shouldn’t worry about it. Since she had a kind of mafia boss vibe going, I decided to follow her advice.
Considering how epically shitty this day started, I’m feeling… well, maybe not good, but at least stable. A lot of that I owe to Felix and our adventures on Campbell Island: Imaginary Edition. I don’t know if that’s what it’s actually called, but it works. With his infectious smile and innate joy, Felix took me on an adventure of exciting new experiences with the assurance that nothing could hurt me there. Which considering what it’s normally like in my mind, it was a refreshing change of pace.
The ending was bittersweet, as we danced in a slow circle and I could hear his heartbeat. Every day I feel more alive thanks to him, and it reminds me that until we solve his murder, he can’t move on. He can’t be reborn and feel the real sun on his skin again, instead of just a memory. As much as it will hurt to let him go, it’s time, and as insane as it sounds, I hope the bonfire this morning was started by the same murderous bastards. It’s time to put my weird mutant… er, magic power to good use.
As for this island in the real world, I want to say I’m shocked that Nolan’s family owns one, but at this point, I wouldn’t be surprised to learn he’s some vampire prince that’s been hidden away for his own protection from some dark shadowy government out to kill him.
