Chapter 5
Casper was waiting when Kat retreated back to her room. He stood in the middle of the room, arms folded; wearing a callous expression she'd never seen on him.
"Not particularly happy, huh?" He repeated her words.
Kat rolled her eyes and disappeared into the closet, shouting her response.
"It's true!"
"I'm not mad, I'm just…" He searched for the right word.
"Envious." Kat finished for him, emerging from the closet.
She gave him a smug smile as she seated herself on the corner of the bed.
"You don't think I notice you sulking every time a guy comes over?"
He sat down next to her, "I don't sulk."
"Well you do, and then you pull every trick you know to make them leave."
"That talking doll really could talk by itself! That wasn't me."
Kat threw up her hands in annoyance. "Every date I've had, you ruin it!
The only three I've ever had and possibly my last."
Casper didn't speak. She softened her tone a bit, but one could still hear the razor sharp edge to her words.
"I know you're just trying to protect me, but please. I'm not thirteen anymore, I can handle it."
With that, she got up to brush her teeth, leaving a stunned phantom in her wake.
Harry listened to the murmur of voices as he lay barely awake. He wondered if it was Kat and the ghost or the gurgle of the sea drifting from the open window. The door creaked open. Dimly, he made out the shadowy outline of someone coming in.
"Thought I lost you there, this is some place isn't?" His father waltzed in, dressed in his usual black.
"I'm asleep." Harry rolled over to his other side, but he was there too.
"Is that anyway to say goodnight to your father?" He teased.
"Goodnight, now leave." Harry pulled the covers closer and closed his eyes.
Norman narrowed his eyes evilly, "I'm warning you to-"
His son cut him off, "To get Spider-Man, blah, blah, blah. Yeah I got it. Bye!
In a blink of an eye, Norman's hand shot out and wrapped around Harry's throat, lifting him off the bed.
"You're lucky you're my son or else you'd be dead for that. Now, before I was rudely interrupted, I was going to say something about you're cute little girlfriend."
"Kat?" Harry choked out. "I just met her today! She's not my girlfriend!"
"Well your wandering eyes told me otherwise. You better not start anything, or else she'll mysteriously vanish, only to reappear on the beach with a bad case of sunburn. That is, if there's any pieces left of her!"
He snickered wildly, Harry reached up pried the hands off and shoved as hard as he could. Norman sailed into a wall with loud thud, a surprisingly cheery look on his features.
"That's it, fight back."
But Harry shook his head, gasping slightly for air. "Leave Kat alone."
"She'll do nothing but take your money, rip your heart out, and leave you crying uselessly over it."
"Get out." Harry sneered.
"Harry? What was that? Are you ok?" Kat's worried voice was outside his door.
Norman looked over at the door, then to Harry. "I'll be watching." He jeered, departing
Once more the entryway opened, but this time, a smaller shape emerged.
"Sorry to barge in. I thought I heard a noise."
"Yeah, it must've been the house creaking or something." He lied.
"Ok, just wanted to make sure."
"I'm fine really, thanks."
For a few seconds there was stillness, her brown eyes gleaming at him curiously. He wondered why until he realized that he was dressed only in his pajama pants, shirtless because of the cool night.
"Well, 'night again." She eyed his build one more time.
"Night."
The door softly closed. In the hall, Kat stifled a giggle. Next to her Casper rolled his eyes.
"Oh please."
At breakfast the next morning, Harry followed the delicious scent to the kitchen. The sound of bacon sizzling and the scrape of a spatula could clearly be heard. He opened the door to reveal a welcoming atmosphere of bright sunshine.
"Good Morning! Do you like omelets?" Kat asked merrily from the stove
"I would love one."
He helped himself to some orange juice, leaning back against the counter. Kat was busily cracking eggs and mixing batter, glancing his way every few seconds. She was still in her sleeping shirt and shorts, her hair up in a ponytail. She fixed a plate for both of them and sat down, he joined her. A few minutes later, they were chatting like old friends.
"Good Morning Kat." Casper flew in lazily from the wall.
The conversation abruptly ended and both looked up to see the intrusion. The young ghost peered over at Harry, his blue eyes piercing him. Slowly, a strained smile forced it way on his pale face.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt." He turned around and promptly left the way he came.
"Was that…?" Was all Harry could manage.
"Casper." Kat answered glumly.
An hour later, Harry found himself in the study, speaking from a comfy armchair rather than the usual shrink's couch. He could easily talk about his childhood or even his father, but when Dr. Harvey brought up a certain topic, Harry's face darkened.
"This Spider-Man character, I've heard he saves people. Now why would he want to kill your father?"
Harry gripped the arms of the chair. They splintered slightly as he spoke.
"Because he figured out his secret."
"A secret that turned a friendly person into a murderer? That's got to be a very dangerous one."
"It is, but I don't want to talk about it." Harry settled back into his chair.
From the partially open passageway in the balcony above, Kat and Casper listened. James had prohibited both from being anywhere near the room during sessions. But Kat just couldn't stay away.
"I don't like the sound of this." Casper whispered to her.
"You just don't like him." She irritably murmured back.
"Maybe. But he could be bad news, your father was right about staying away from him."
"Remember what I said to you yesterday about that?"
"I know, I know. But curiosity killed the cat, remember?" He warned.
Kat sighed and put the wall back in place.
"You're my best friend and I love you, but please stay of out of this."
"You could get hurt or worse and I'm not about to see that happen!"
"I won't die just by talking to him. I'm still alive right now, aren't I?"
She waited for a response. When there wasn't one, she walked away into the dusty passage.
"Love you too." Casper mumbled to her withdrawing figure.