"Are there any more questions?" Liberty asked as they neared the end of their tour. Nicolette considered asking her where she lived, but thought it too direct.
"Don't you dare."
What will you do If I do, JT?
"I will destroy you and haunt you."
You already do. Haunt this, JT,
"Where do the sorority girls live?" she asked. Liberty smiled at her.
"We live up there, and the others in the surrounding buildings. Is that it?"
There were no other questions, so Liberty said goodbye, and the group went back to the bus.
"How dare you?"
Nicolette was back home and JT was lecturing her.
"I just want you to be happy! You're like my brother, JT!"
"Well, I'm not. I'm dead. Maybe you should find some friends that aren't."
That stung more than anything else he could have said. Nicolette recoiled. She started to cry, and JT's face melted from anger to chagrin. He reached out a hand.
"Sorry." Nicolette suddenly stood up.
"It's time for you to go now," she said, glancing at the clock. JT gave her a cold hug before disappearing, and Nicolette grabbed her phone. She then rushed down the stairs and out of the door. Her mother's car pulled in right as she grabbed her skateboard.
"Nicolette!" her mother called, "Where are you going?" She knew her mom didn't care, she was too obsessed with her work.
"School!" Nicolette replied as she skated off. She skated to the college in an instant, seeing Liberty's building. She parked her board outside of the dorm and ran inside. She walked up to the front desk.
"Where is Liberty Van Zandt's room?" she asked politely.
"Why?" the lady asked curiously.
"I have something to tell her. I lost her phone number," Nicolette lied, smiling sheepishly. The lady smiled at her.
"Room 205. Fifth floor."
"Thanks, ma'am."
Nicolette took the elevator, ignoring the glances of the sorority girls before reaching Liberty's room. She knocked three times before Liberty answered. Liberty's eyes widened when she saw her.
"You're the girl from the tour! Did you lose something?"
"No. I have something to tell you." Liberty raised her eyebrows before letting her into the room. It was organized and crammed with books. JT had described Liberty well.
"Well?" Nicolette took a deep breath.
"Do you remember JT Yorke?" Liberty gasped with grief as she went on. "He died in 2006 from getting stabbed in the back. You found him at 11:47, leaning against his car. Before, you had admitted to him that you still loved him, and walked out. He had been on his way to get you back when he died."
"How . . . how do you know all of this?" Liberty whispered in shock.
"He's my best friend."
"Are you crazy?" Liberty was staring at her wide-eyed.
"Probably. But no, I don't know, really. What I do know is that JT's ghost visits me every day. He is there when I wake up and go to sleep. He helps me when I'm sad and tells me stories about his life."
"That's not possible . . ."
"He visited you before. Right after his death." Liberty sat down.
"But . . . but . . . there's no way."
"There is."
"Wait, so why are you telling me this?" Nicolette sat down beside her.
"JT loves you. He talks about you all the time. He wishes he could be with you so much. But he won't visit you because he doesn't want you to forget the present. He thinks he would be holding you back." Liberty stood up again.
"No! He can't think that!"
"So you believe me?" Nicolette's eyes grew hopeful.
"You know enough to make me believe you." Nicolette smiled.
"Nicolette! No! Why are you doing this?"
It's for you, JT.
Liberty sat down again.
"So? Where is he?" she murmured. Nicolette waved her hand at the door and opened it.
Nobody.
"JT get over here!" she snapped out loud. She closed the door and opened it again.
"Hello, Liberty."