Chapter 2
"Suze, are you okay?" Paul's voice broke through the haze I had been in since first seeing the ghost.
"Actually, not so much." I replied. "I feel a bit faint. Could you go get me some water?"
"Sure." Paul's expression was one of confusion but he obliged with my request anyway. He was sweet like that.
The second Paul left the room, and I was sure he was out of earshot, I jumped up and looked frantically around the room. What I said next, so had me winning Worst Girlfriend Of The Year award.
"Hey! Ghost guy! Come back."
See?
Ghosts, as a rule, tend not to come when they're called so I wasn't really sure what I was expecting. All I knew was that I wanted to see him again. One, it was my duty as a mediator to help this lost soul figure out why he hadn't moved on. And Two, well I really wanted to see him again. I definitely wasn't expecting him to actually listen to me though.
"Jesse."
I span around upon hearing his voice again and came face to face with said ghost.
"Huh?" I questioned intelligently. Just the way to make an impression, and not neccessarily a good one.
"Jesse," the ghost repeated in his rich, deep, accented voice. "My name is Jesse. Not 'Ghost guy' as you deigned to call me."
"Um," I said slightly embarassed. Maybe it was a bit rude to call him that. "Ok. We don't have much time before Paul comes back." Jesse lifted one perfect eyebrow, as if he found something amusing. Or interesting. "So we need to figure out why you're still hanging around here quickly."
Jesse, however, had apparantly decided to ignore what I had just said and instead go, "What's yours?"
"What's my what?"
"Name," Jesse explained. "Paul called you Suze. Short for Susan?"
"Um," I replied, really wishing I could say something other then 'Um'. See the type of impression I'm making? "No. Susannah."
"I like it." Jesse smiled showing off gleaming white teeth which contrasted perfectly against his tanned skin.
A smile which I couldn't help but return. I know, I know, my boyfriend was downstairs. But it's not like he could see this particular ghost. At least I didn't think so.
"But," I reminded him trying to get my attention away from his smile and back onto the problem of him not having moved on. "We still have to figure out why you're still here."
Jesse stepped closer to me. It made shivers run up my spine.
"I can leave," he told me. "If you want me to."
"No!" I said a bit too quickly. "Um, no. Not until we figure out -"
"Why I'm still here." Jesse finished for me whilst I smiled sheepishly. Oops, guess I repeated myself a bit too much.
We were standing close together. Close enough to touch. That was another neat trick us Mediators could do. Ghosts were like regular people to us. People you could touch, kiss …
I closed my eyes. I wanted him to kiss me. And I'd only known him a total of a minute and a half. This was not good.
"Susannah," Jesse murmured deeply causing me to open my eyes and peer up at him. "What about Paul?"
Hearing my boyfriend's name was an unwelcome reality check. I took a step backward, away from Jesse, and hung my head in regret. Regretful that I had a boyfriend and nothing could come from this affair I was about to embark on with Jesse more than I was regretful about the fact that I wanted to have an affair with him
"I see." Jesse spoke softly.
Uh oh. That tone was not good.
"No, Jesse. Wait -"
He'd obviously misunderstood me. This was going wrong. So horribly wrong.
"Goodbye, querida."
And, like earlier, he was gone. Without another word.
The entire exchange couldn't have lasted very long. Two minutes, perhaps. But it was long enough for feelings to start to develop. At least on my part, anyway. I was so messed in the head. Jesse was a ghost. It's not like I could show him off to everyone.
"Hey look at me and my invisible boyfriend," I muttered to myself.
Yeah, like saying that wouldn't get me signed up in any kind of Mental Home.
I only felt all the more guilty when Paul returned with a bottle of ice cold water for me and a can of Diet Coke for himself. Here was my amazing boyfriend waiting on me because I claimed to have a headache and as soon as he'd left the room I'd almost kissed the ghost that lived here. Then went and started to fall in love with him.
"Hey, sorry it took me so long." Paul apologised as he opened his can and took a large gulp. "Gramps' carer wanted to talk with me."
"Oh," I replied taking a sip of my own drink hoping it would calm my nerves. "Is anything wrong?"
"Nah." Paul shook his head and placed his can down before leaning in for a kiss.
He received my cheek as I turned my head to the side. I didn't feel right kissing him. Not now after everything with Jesse. Paul pulled back with a questioning look.
"I don't feel too good." I explained, hoping he would believe me.
Not that it was a lie. I really did feel terrible after the way things with Jesse ended.
"Could you take me home?"
Paul didn't hesitate in his reply.
"Yep," he insisted. "Sure."
I allowed Paul to aid me from the room with his hand splayed upon the small of my back. It was the least I could do after what I nearly did to him.
I didn't notice that the ghost of my thoughts had materialised behind me glaring at Paul and I with an unidentifiable look on his face.
The trip to my house - 99 Pine Crest Avenue - was made in silence. The only conversation that took place was after Paul had stopped the car.
"Wasn't so scary, was it?" He asked with a smile that I couldn't help but compare to Jesse's. I was reluctant to note that my boyfriend came up short. Jesse's smiled was better.
"What wasn't?" I replied with a forced smile undoing my seatbelt and looking over at him.
"Going into my bedroom."
"No," my smile was real now. "Not scary at all."
"So, next time we're over mine," Paul ventured to ask, "you'll come up?"
I thought of the ghost that lived there. Jesse, in all of his glory.
"Oh, yeah." I responded coolly with a smile. "Definitely will."
Paul smiled also, revelling in this small victory, and kissed me goodbye.
And as there was no risk of anybody watching them - except maybe Dopey being nosey - I didn't turn my head this time and instead accepted the embrace.
"See you tomorrow?" I asked as I exited the convertible and leaned over the closed door.
"Tomorrow." Paul confirmed stealing another kiss before waiting for me to stand up straight and watch as he pulled out of my driveway.
Tomorrow, I thought with a sigh. Tomorrow I can hopefully see Jesse again. And straighten out today's mess.