Between the Phases

Chapter 4

"Why are you so talkative? In the three years I've known you, you've never spoken as much as you are during the car ride." Gareth  questioned Ace as he was driving home. With her tagging along, much to his protest.

"It's just... it's just that I've been ignored my whole life. Especially now, but then you... and all I ever wanted was somebody to listen me." She replied staring at her hands in her lap.

"What are you talking about? What about your friends? They listen to you-"

"No they don't, they hear me. They rarely listen to a thing I say. That's why I'm so quiet. I've never found anybody who would listen to everything I say."

"... I do..." he replied not really knowing what to say. But it was true, he has always listened to what she said when she was in earshot. And he  remembered every single syllable Ace uttered.

She smirked sadly and her eyes downcast. "You don't have much of a choice though."

"Yes I do," he interjected. "I could have not said anything, and have let you still be talking about- What were you talking about?"

"I don't even know." She shrugged turning her head to look out the window with a melancholy look on her face. As she turned, I think I finally got a look at what she was wearing. She had on the same shirt as yesterday, as well as her signature  converse with a pattern of the sky with clouds on them. My stomach simultaneously tensed and fell from the sight.

"Well, come on!" Gareth said. "Start talking! You have a nice voice. I'll even talk back!" He tacked on a tad bit sarcastically, but wanted to encourage her.

"And what, pray tell should we talk about?" She inquired while batting her eyelashes. "Last week's episode of Pretty Little Liars? The terrifying fear of everybody's inevitable death? Oh! I know, how about Barbie movies?" Her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I mean it, Acacia."

"Ooh. You used my actual first name," she responded with false surprise. "This is about to get real... Wait. How do you even know my first name? Nobody ever calls me by it."

I scowled as I glanced over at her. "It's not like it's an easily forgettable one." And not to mention it's your name, he thought.

"But not everyone remembers it, or can pronounce it." She chuckled with what I think was a hint of sadness.

"Well," I started, trying to change the subject, "what's it like? The whole... um, out of body experience?"

"I don't know... I don't really feel different. I mean I don't feel pain, or get cold or hot or even tired. God! I haven't felt this awake since like 6th grade! It's amazing! But, there are a few things that I just don't understand though..."

I glanced at her as she trailed off staring out into the quickly fading horizon through the passenger's side window. "What things?"

"Well, here I am in your truck." She offered as if I were supposed to understand right away. After I didn't pick up what she was meaning she gave a deflated look, "Really? Ugh! I can't touch anything, but here I am in the truck?!"

"Oh, yeah. I guess I'm used to it, with, you know..." I gestured sheepishly.

"But, like for real, think about it. I can sit and lie down, but I can't grab or touch anything. It's a bit puzzling. But, hey, maybe I can pull a Swayze or something if I try hard enough."

"Swayze? What the hell are you talking about now?"

"Patrick Swayze," she replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Ghost? The movie? Do you want me to give other examples? Okay... um, oh! John Cho in that episode of Charmed, or Jerry O'Connell in an episode of Sliders! Although, he wasn't dead. When they slid to that one alternate dimension something happened and his body was basically stuck in the astral plane, and only one person could see him. A clairvoyant... hey, kinda like you!" She kind of perked up as she was speaking.

"Who are those people? And I have never heard of either of those things."

She just stared incredulously at him like he grew a second head. "Wow. Um, wow, Gareth. Just- you know what? I, I'll have to show you... they're on Netflix. How much longer to your house anyway?"

"You are not showing me anything because this is for one night only. Got it? And besides, we're here."

She peered out the window and gawked at their surroundings with unhidden wonder. "I didn't know you lived here. My house is just a little further away from here. Who knew we'd be neighbors?"

I did. That's what he wanted to say, but held it inside as he got out of the cab of the truck and made his way to the front door. Leaving Ace to follow behind.