EYES OPEN
"Build your life on your dreams; because dreams never have bad endings."
― M.F. Moonzajer
Caleb sped down the desolate gravel road. He couldn't rid his mind of the image he had seen outside of Hanna's house. Hanna had been so worried about Miranda stealing him away but he didn't even think twice about Travis. He had to hand it to her. She did have a type.
It was dark when he finally arrived at he Collins estate. Caleb snuck inside and managed to avoid seeing anyone, even Miranda. He burst into his bedroom and saw her sitting there on the edge of his bed.
"Hey," he dropped his backpack.
"I take it," she sighed, "it didn't go well."
"She's with someone else," Caleb explained.
"Oh," Miranda breathed. "I didn't anticipate that."
"It gets worse," he continued. "She's pregnant."
"You guys just broke up," Miranda snapped. "She certainly moves on fast. What did she say?"
"I didn't talk to her," Caleb replied. "I couldn't get up the courage."
"Caleb," she stroked his hair sending a chill through his spine. "Have you thought, maybe it's your kid?"
"Don't you think she'd tell me?" Caleb replied. "Besides, I saw her with Travis. They looked...intimate."
"I mean, can you really blame her?" Miranda sighed. Caleb shot her a deadly look. "I just meant, she thinks you left her for a ghost. Isn't that the worst break up excuse ever?"
"I should have called her first," he replied.
"I feel awful now," Miranda told him. "I'm the reason you went. I shouldn't have pushed you."
"It's not your fault," Caleb smiled at her. "You just wanted to do the right thing. I should have called."
He was struck with a pang of guilt. This wasn't the first time he had left Hanna but it certainly was the last. This time was different though. She had always taken him back, even after the Jenna thing.
"I guess I never expected her to move on," he said. "We both said we were done, but so soon?"
"You know," Miranda tried her best to make a joke, "you have your whole life ahead of you."
"Is that supposed to be funny?" he asked. "Or ironic?"
"I don't know," she shrugged. "Trying to lighten the mood I guess. You know, maybe you'll meet someone else."
"What if I already have?" he mused aloud.
"Who?" she crossed her arms. "Grunwald? Didn't know you were into older women."
"No," Caleb let out a small laugh. He reached out to grab Miranda's hand. "I wish I could touch you."
"Don't," she turned away.
"Think about it," he told her. "It's like the stars aligned and forced us together. It's been happening for centuries. Don't tell me you haven't thought about it."
"That's not the point," she told him. "I'm dead. It would never work. Like I said, you have your whole life ahead of you. I already died a virgin."
Caleb stifled a laugh. Then Miranda cracked a smile.
"Sorry," he told her. "It's just funny."
"Being a ghost is weird," she nodded. "But I'm lucky to have you around."
Caleb reached out to stroke her cheek. He was met with the familiar cool sensation, but this time was different. He could touch her. Miranda's face told him that she felt something different too.
"Did you feel that?" he asked her.
"Yeah," she replied. "You're warm."
"You're cold," he teased her.
"Is this normal?" he asked.
"I don't know," she shrugged. "It's not like there's a ghost handbook. Try it again."
He reached for her hand. This time he slid right through her, like she wasn't even there.
"Maybe it was a fluke," she said. "We imagined it."
"I didn't imagine that," he replied. "I felt you. Just like I did when I fell out of the tree house."
"Just forget it," she warned him. "Maybe someone is playing a trick on us. Who know! With the curse, anything's possible."
Miranda hung her head in defeat and turned toward the window where the full moon shone brightly. Caleb wasn't ready to give up. He reached out and took her hand. This time he felt her cool skin against his hand.
"See!" he pulled her toward him. "We're not imagining this."
Miranda's face broke into a smile. She inched toward him. Caleb's hand slipped around her waist. The marriage of his warmth with her cool skin emitted a mist that glowed like a halo. Neither of them noticed as he pulled her closer before bringing his lips to hers. She welcomed his kiss with a smile. Lost in the moment, Caleb was oblivious to the way the rest of the room fell away as if he was drifting in a void of nothingness.
Suddenly Caleb woke up with a start. He looked around his bedroom in the Collins estate and realized it was all a dream. Then Miranda appeared from around the corner. She gave him a kind smile.
"Are you okay?" she asked. "You were screaming. I followed your voice."
"I just had a dream," he replied. "I could touch you."
"I wish," she rolled her eyes.
"You know," he sat up, "in another life, maybe we could get a second chance."
"I think we were that second chance," she reminded him.
"Hey," he patted the empty space next to him on the bed. "Come here."
Miranda smiled and hopped up on the bed next to him. Caleb's hand lay palm up on top of the covers. She placed her fingers in between his. As usual, a chill ran through Caleb's spine, but he welcomed. It was starting to feel comforting, knowing that a ghost was watching over him.
She was like an angel now. One that he could see. Caleb looked at her and smiled. He would give anything to touch her one more time. To feel her warm skin against his, to protect her from that fateful night. Without Hanna, Miranda had become the closest thing to family.
"What are you thinking about?" Miranda asked finally.
"You," he said honestly. "I was thinking of you."