ghosts

twenty one

"Hey cutie." I walk up to Shane, bending down behind him to give him a hug. He leans into the hug, scrolling through something on his laptop.

"Hey!" He smiles, laughing a bit. "Darling, have I told you how much I love you?"

"You love me?" I take a step back and he turns towards me, face contorting.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I?" His face twists, horns poke out and ears extend. I stumble backwards. "Why are you looking at me like you're scared of me?" He doubles in size, probably triples. His skin turns red and he bulges against the ceiling. This isn't Shane.

I trip backwards and fall on the floor, groaning in pain from the fall. The surroundings turn dark and "Shane" is approaching me menacingly.

I jolt awake, looking around from another there night of sleeping in the couch. I breath in, looking out a window. It's still dark. I let go of the breath I accidentally held. Deciding I couldn't go back to sleep after a few more seconds, I get up and go to the kitchen, grabbing a glass of water.

Problem was, I can't reach the glasses. Usually, I would use a chair, since Shane is usually tall enough to reach the glasses, but a chair would be too loud right now. My next decision was a bad decision. I get on my tippy-toes, trying to reach for the glass and after many failed attempts, I grabbed it. This was a bad decision for the fact that I bumped a glass next to it off the shelf. It came crashing down, breaking into many pieces when it hit the floor. I couldn't move.

Just when I thought it got worse, I get proven wrong. Shane's footsteps were urgent and he held a bat, letting it fall to his side when he realized it was just me. He sighed, then brought his guard back up, asking if I was hurt or if I was alright to which I told him that everything was okay.

He helps clean up the mess, and when I mean "helps", I mean he does most of the cleaning since I couldn't move, in order for myself to not hurt myself with the glass. He finishes up, throwing away the last bits and pieces, tiredly looking up at me who was now just sitting at the bar between the kitchen and the living room.

"Sorry." I mumble. I put my head down, wishing I could disappear again, like before. It was easier to hide as a ghost.

"Hey, there's nothing to be sorry about. It's just a cup." He reassured, yawning right after. He looked at me, trying to show that it really didn't matter.

I sulk in the seat, hearing a glass or two sit down beside me. It's empty, from the sound of it. I don't move, but instead wait to see what this man is going to do with it. A few other noises were going on behind me as I keep my head down.

Shane picked up the glass, then put it back down, closer to me than before. "So, why are you awake?"

I picked my head up and looked at the drink. It's hot cocoa, steaming with a few marshmallows floating and melting into the hot drink. I move it in front of me and look at Shane who was tiredly walking to the other side of the bar counter, sitting across from me. "Nightmare."

"Ah." He took a sip. "If you're comfortable, what was it about?"

I paused and thought about it, realizing what it was about. I flushed, turning away embarrassed that I had that sort of dream. "Uhm. Haha." I nervously sipped my drink, it still being a bit hot.

"You don't have to tell me if it's too personal." He took another sip, his eyes watching me. I can feel them. I look back in front of me, down at the cooled down drink.

"You have work in the morning, you should be asleep." I mumbled, letting go of a breath I was holding and grabbing the cup to take a sip. It definitely cooled down a lot.

"Actually, I'm taking the day off." He says, finishing his drink. I look up at him, watching him closely. "I wanna show you around the city. I've been at work pretty much every day, filming and shit. I haven't been able to show you around."

"It's really not a bother."

"No, it is. You haven't been able to truly experience it yet and I want you to." He looked at me, a sparkle of sorts, warmth and comfort filling them. He smiled, reflecting the comfort in his eyes, into his smile. It caught me off guard and I blushed, looking away from him. He chuckled, whether it be at me blushing or getting flustered or nervous, who knew. I didn't want to know.

"Okay. Okay." I moved my hand in a swishing motion before pushing the cooled drink aside. Why am I so nervous all of a sudden? I was fine before, when I was a ghost. Why is being human ten times more nerve-racking.

"Is the couch uncomfortable?" His eyes aren't on me anymore so I look up and watch him look at his fingers, fiddling them. I, only then, realized how many wrinkles were in the creases of his eyes and how perfect each one were. His deep brown eyes that held so much safety.

"No." I barely whispered loud enough.

We lock eyes and I just watch his eyes sparkle again. It feels homey. His eyes are filled with so much love and life and he's been so generous the entire time I've known him. His eyes squint as he smiles, those creases visibly showing. We're lost in each other, scared to break eye contact, or afraid to look elsewhere.

"Your eyes are so pretty." We both said in unison.

That's when we broke eye contact, looking anywhere else. This moment right now felt so incredibly intimate. Shane got up and so did I. "Well I should get some rest if I am going into the city with you in the morning." I nervously said, stumbling to the couch.

"Aha, yeah. I should also get rest." He said, walking back to his room, pausing right before the door. "Sleep well (Y/n)."

"You too." I said, shoving myself under the blankets. He enters his room and shuts the door. I squirm a bit, feeling flushed like crazy.

I shouldn't be feeling this much emotion, but it reminds me a lot of having a crush on someone. I sit up from this thought, looking into the darkness and sneaking up, hopefully to make no noise as I walk to the window. Building lights still on, cars driving by.

"Do I like Shane like that?" I whispered to myself. This is just what a middle school crush feels like. Maybe it is also like a middle school crush and I ignore it until I get over it in a few days. Or maybe I can just imagine us being together like that until I get over it. Or I can ask him, but that won't happen. With whatever happened just a few minutes ago, I don't think I can muster up the courage to ask him anything remotely close to anything related to this middle school-type crush I've gained.