Love Is Forever
Kris Allen sat wallowing in his pain. He cried out all his sorrow and loneliness. He cried for the life he would never have, the things he would never feel. He would never feel love. He would never get to feel the arms of his soul mate holding him. He hadn't in life and he certainly wouldn't in death. He didn't even know if that person existed. That's what it seemed like as he sat in his home as a ghost watching the new owner move in. He had been dead for 100 years and many different owners had come and gone. They always left because of the feeling of sadness that seemed to be ever present.
Kris had never been a sad person in life. He wrote poetry and sang for a living. All his work had been filled with his hopes for love. That was all he had ever yearned for. Not fame or fortune, just love. When, at 24, he was still alone, he didn't worry too much. He still had his whole life ahead of him. He began work on what he thought would be his best poem yet. Three days later, he was dead, and all his hoped died with him. He was doomed to suffer alone for eternity.
"Hey!" the new owner of Kris's house called, startling him out of his thoughts. "What are you doing in here?" He was looking right at Kris, but that wasn't possible. No one had ever been able to see him, but there was no else around.
"A-are you talking to me?" Kris asked in disbelief. The man nodded his head. "Can you see me?"
"Of course I can see you. What are you doing in my house?" the man demanded.
Kris was too stunned to answer. In the past, no matter how hard he had tried, he could never make anyone see him. For the longest time, he believed he would only be visible to his soul mate. He hadn't thought this for awhile, resigning himself to a lonely, unknown existence. Now, this strange man that was moving into his house could see him. The first person who could in 100 years.
"Hey, I want to know what you're doing in here!" The man began walking towards him. He looked angry. Kris began to cry again. The man stopped. "Hey now, don't cry. What's your name?"
"K-kris Allen," Kris managed to choke out.
"Hi, Kris. I'm Adam. It's nice to meet you." Adam went to shake Kris's hand. Kris flinched back, not wanting Adam to know he wasn't alive yet. Adam looked hurt. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean…."
"It's not your fault. I'm sorry." Kris moved forward, hand extended. Adam smiled warmly and tried to grasp Kris's hand. When their hands passed through each other, Adam stumbled backwards. "Don't be frightened. I promise I won't hurt you."
"What…what are you?" Adam's voice was high pitched. His blue eyes were wide in shock and he was shaking.
"I'm the original owner of this house. I lived here 100 years ago. I hope you enjoy your stay." Kris usually wouldn't be this nice to someone trying to live in his home, but he had a strange feeling about Adam. Maybe Adam would be the one. Or if not, things were definitely moving in the right direction. At least he could talk to someone now.
"You're a ghost?" Adam started backing towards the door.
"Yepp," replied Kris. "But don't worry. I'll leave you alone if that's what you want."
"So, I won't ever have to see you?" Adam let his hope show through his voice.
The words were like a knife to the heart. They were like dying all over again. They sucked every ounce of hope out of Kris. "If that's what you want," Kris said dejectedly. Despite trying to control them, his tears began to flow again.
"Please don't cry," Adam begged. "I didn't mean to upset you. I just…."
Kris sunk through the floor to the basement, leaving Adam alone. He didn't want pity from a person that had just rejected him in the worst way possible. There went all his dreams. He curled up in a corner of the dark basement and began sobbing loudly. If he had had any hope for love still left, it was certainly gone now. He was just unlovable.
A week later, Adam was completely moved in. It seemed he wasn't scared away by a simple thing like a ghost. Kris had secretly watched him arrange his things from hidden corners. He couldn't deny that Adam was beautiful. The most beautiful person Kris had ever seen, in fact. He was tall with black hair. Freckles covered his body. His eyes were deep blue and usually lined in eyeliner. The best part, though, was his voice. Every once in a while Adam would start singing. He had the voice of an angel. It was so high and clear. Kris could live forever on that voice.
One day, as Kris was watching Adam search the internet, he heard his own voice from the speakers. He moved closer to see what Adam had been looking at. The screen displayed a Wikipedia page of his entire biography. His music was playing in the background as Adam read with teary eyes. When he got to the part with Kris's poems, he began to read them out loud. Kris recited right along with him. Adam jumped and whirled around. Kris finished saying the poem and then grew silent. "How long have you been standing there?" Adam asked warily.
"For awhile. Sorry." Kris turned to leave Adam alone.
"No, wait! Don't go!" Adam said desperately. When Kris turned back around, he continued. "Your work was amazing. You were a great writer. And your voice. It's magical."
If Kris could still blush he would've. "Thanks. I just wrote what I felt."
"You have such a beautiful soul," Adam said with barely concealed reverence. "It's such a shame that your genius was stolen from the world."
Kris sat down on the floor and looked up at Adam with sad eyes. "Yeah, well, I was more upset about losing other things than that."
"Like what?" Adam asked gently.
"I was most upset at my lost chance at love. That's all I ever wanted in my life. Then, as a ghost, no one could see me, so I couldn't even have friends anymore, let alone love anyone. I'm completely alone."
"You're not alone anymore. I can see you. I'm sorry for being a jerk before. What can I do to make it up to you?"
Kris smiled at Adam. He felt his phantom heart beat erratically in his chest. "All I need is someone to talk to…someone to be my friend."
"Great! That sounds easy enough! Besides, I just moved to the area. I don't have any friends yet. You can be my first!" Adam jumped up excitedly. "Can you leave the house?" Kris nodded. "We can go out tonight! See the town. It'll be so much fun!" Adam clapped his hands.
Kris laughed at the child-like excitement on Adam's face. "Sounds like fun," he said.
"Oh, it will be," Adam said with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "You've never been clubbing with someone like me before."
"Uh-oh, should I be scared?" Kris asked with mock terror.
"Very, very scared!"
Kris was astonished at where he was. He couldn't believe he was walking down the road with someone beside him that he could actually talk to. It was surreal. In his 100 years as a ghost, he had gotten used to the solitude. He had forgotten how much he missed companionship.
"Earth to Kris!" Adam's voice broke through Kris's thoughts. "Where'd you go? You were in your own world there for a second."
"Oh, yeah, sorry," Kris said. "I just got lost in my thoughts."
Adam laughed. "I could see that. Well, now that I've found you, we're here!" Adam gestured to the bright lights of The XYZ Affair. It was Adam's favorite club in the city. He had only been there for a few weeks, but Adam had already been to every club in the city limits. This particular club was the flashiest of them all. The sign flashed on and off. The strobe lights from inside lit up the sidewalk as people entered. "Let's go!" Adam ran into the club, leaving Kris laughing on the sidewalk.
He moved to follow when he got a great idea. As a ghost, Kris had the power to possess people. He wanted to possess a person and see how long it took Adam to realize it was really him. A guy that looked similar to him walked by. He was alone, a perfect vessel! Kris gathered all of his energy and channeled it into the unsuspecting boy. He stumbled a bit as he got accustomed to being in a solid body. Once he was properly situated, he entered the club.
Adam was standing by the bar looking around for Kris. He looked worried and was tapping his fingers on his green drink. Kris slinked through the crowd, ignoring several people who tried to hit on him as he went. "Hey there, sexy," he said to Adam.
Adam started a bit, then said, "Sorry buddy, I'm here with someone." He looked around again.
"Come on, just one dance? I'll make it worth your while. I'm sure your boyfriend won't mind." Kris grabbed Adam's hands and pulled him towards the dance floor.
Kris saw Adam's willpower crumbling fast. Apparently, cute boys were his weakness. He gave one more halfhearted attempt to stay. "I don't think I should. My friend needs…."
Kris raised Adam's hand to his mouth and kissed the palm. Adam gasped and became the one pulling Kris onto the dance floor. Kris smirked and followed along. They went to the middle of the mass of writhing bodies. Adam began grinding with Kris. He didn't know how to dance like this, but he was definitely a fast learner. He danced with Adam with the same fervor. His head wound up squished into Adam's shoulder. Adam's arms were around his waist. They danced through the whole song before Adam pulled away. "I really have to go. My friend needs me." He tried to walk away as a slow song started up.
"Come on," Kris pleaded. "Just one more dance? Then you can find your friend." He looked up at Adam with wide, begging eyes.
Adam bit his lop and rocked back and forth. Finally, he said, "Okay," and they began moving together slowly.
Kris was looking up into Adam's eyes. Adam was looking down at Kris. In that moment, everything became clear to Kris. He felt his heart start to beat erratically in his chest. He moved as close to Adam as he could get without breaking eye contact. When the song was done, they leaned into each other. Adam's lips found Kris's. They were the softest lips Kris had ever felt. He gasped at the feeling of love that flooded through him. Adam took the opportunity to slip his tongue into Kris's open mouth. The kiss continued unhindered as a new, more upbeat song started playing. Finally, Kris broke away. He looked up at Adam and whispered, "I love you, Adam."
Shock flooded Adam's eyes. "What? You lo…how did you know my name?" He stepped back quickly, eyes narrowing in suspicion.
Kris took a step back himself and exited the body he was borrowing. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you it was me. I just wanted to have some fun. Sorry."
Adam took a step towards Kris. "It was you the entire time?" Kris nodded. "You don't have to be sorry, Kris."
"I know, I just…I'm gonna go home." He began disappearing, so that he could transport to the house.
"Kris, wait!" Adam tried to keep Kris there, but it was too late. Kris was gone.
Kris was curled in a ball sobbing in a corner of the attic. All he had ever wanted was someone to love. Why couldn't he have found Adam sooner? Why couldn't Adam have been alive when he was? He had never felt love before, but he was sure this was it. He had known Adam for less than a month, but he was already lost. As a ghost, Kris could never fully satisfy Adam, if Adam even wanted him at all. If Kris truly loved Adam, he would have to let him go. He would have to let him lead a normal, human life. As soon as Kris came to this realization, he began to fade away. All his earthly desires slipped away as he was raised to a higher plane.
Adam burst through his front door. "Kris!" he shouted to the empty house. "Kris, please. Talk to me!" He was worried. Ever since he had moved into this house, he had felt Kris's presence everywhere, even when he was on the opposite side of the city. Now there was nothing. He couldn't feel Kris anywhere.
"Kris," he sobbed as he fell to the floor. "Come back to me."
Once he realized Kris wasn't going to appear, he stood up. He walked to his bedroom and cried himself to sleep.
The next morning, Kris woke up with the sun in his eyes. He was in a soft bed with a pair of comforting arms wrapped around him. He sat up, yawned, and stretched his arms to the ceiling. The person next to him stirred and cuddled closer. That's when it hit him. He could feel the person next to him. That meant…it couldn't be…he was alive! He laughed joyfully and turned to see who was next to him. It was Adam. He was laying in peaceful slumber, his face smooth and beautiful in the morning light. Kris ran his fingers through the black strands of Adam's hair. Adam purred contentedly in his sleep and snuggled up into the touch. He blinked awake and looked up at Kris. "Good morning," Kris whispered.
Adam realized that Kris was in his bed. He sat bolt upright. "What are you…how are you…I can feel you again." He clutched at his heart and smiled at Kris. "You're not gone anymore."
"And I'll never be gone again," Kris promised. He took one of Adam's hands and reveled in the feel of their fingers lacing together.
Adam blinked back tears. "How are you here?" he asked in a quivering voice.
Kris didn't really have the answer to that question. He thought about it for a second before saying, "I guess I just wasn't meant to be alive when I was. I don't really remember dying, and there was no reason for me to die when I did. Maybe I wished for love so much that the universe or God or whatever decided to give it to me. The only problem was, the man I loved hadn't been born yet." He looked hopefully at Adam. Adam still hadn't said he felt anything other than friendship for Kris. Kris didn't want to assume too much. Maybe now that he was alive, all Adam would want was friendship. He might not even want that and would maybe kick Kris out on the street.
"Do you lo…is it ok…I love you Kris," Adam said with a blinding smile.
Relief was a beautiful thing. At least, that's what Kris thought. He smiled and hugged Adam, fitting his head into the crook of Adam's neck. He decided that that spot was his from now on. It was his favorite place on earth. Aside from where Adam was pulling him to now. Their lips crashed together. The kiss was unhurried and sweet. They pulled apart with a shared sigh of contentment and rested their foreheads together. "I can't believe I finally found you," whispered Kris. "I love you so much Adam."
"God, I love you too. It's only been a month, but I never want you to leave again."
"I won't, baby, I won't," promised Kris. "We'll be together forever."
Adam chuckled. "I like the sound of that."
Their lips crashed again and again like silent promises of 'love' and 'forever.'