How to Love the Stars | Ghost (Simon Riley)

Chapter 34

He didn't hear her. Not when she ascended the stairs to the roof. Not when she opened the door that usually creaked when it opened. Not when she walked to stand near the edge, her footfalls silent. He never really saw or heard her come or go. It was more like he sensed her absence. Nobody had ever been able to hide from him that way before. But at this point, she had already surprised him enough times.

But he saw the motion out of the corner of his eye. He saw the shallow rise and fall of her chest as she looked up at the night sky. He could see every detail of the shining stars reflecting in her glassy eyes as she looked up at the sky.

Ghost remained still, his gaze fixed on the stars above, but his peripheral vision tracked Althea's presence. He didn't want to intrude on her moment of solitude, but he couldn't help but feel a sense of curiosity. She had been a mystery to him from the moment they met, and he couldn't deny the growing connection he felt towards her, even though he knew it was dangerous, not only for her but for him as well.

The rooftop was their shared sanctuary, a place where they both sought solace in the quiet of the night. It was where he came to escape the relentless memories of his past, and now it seemed, it was where she found refuge from her own haunting dreams.

The night breeze tousled his golden hair, but he remained seated against the parapet, hidden in the shadows. He didn't want to startle her, but he also didn't want her to be alone in her thoughts. Not as he saw her edging dangerously close to the edge of the building, eyes still trained on the sky above.

After a moment of hesitation, Ghost finally spoke, his voice low and calm, carrying the weight of the countless secrets he bore. "Can't sleep either?"

His words hung in the air, a gentle invitation for her to share her thoughts, should she choose to. He knew the feeling of restless nights all too well, of haunted dreams that refused to release their grip on one's mind. And in this silent moment, on this rooftop beneath the stars, he felt a connection that transcended their shared isolation.

Althea turned slightly at the sound of his voice, her dark eyes meeting his masked gaze. She hadn't expected him to be here, yet she couldn't deny that his presence brought her a strange sense of comfort.

"Yeah," she replied softly, her voice barely a whisper. "Nightmares."

Ghost nodded in understanding, though she couldn't see the motion beneath his mask. He had a feeling that their nightmares were more similar than either of them cared to admit. The darkness of their pasts, the weight of their experiences—it all bound them together in ways they were only beginning to comprehend.

He shifted slightly, his gaze returning to the stars above. "You're not alone in that," he admitted, his voice low and contemplative. "Sometimes, the past doesn't let go easily."

Althea listened, her eyes fixed on him, though his mask hid his expressions. She could sense the layers of pain and regret in his words, and it made her feel strangely connected to him. In that moment, she realized that they were both broken in their own ways, scarred by the past, yet still searching for a way to move forward.

"Is that why you come up here?" she asked, the words catching in her throat. "To escape the past?"

Ghost considered her question for a moment before answering. "Partly," he replied, his tone measured. "It's a place where I can think. But lately, it's also because..."

He trailed off, unsure of how to put his feelings into words. He couldn't admit to himself, let alone to her, that seeing her, talking to her, had become a form of solace for him. He had always been independent, but now there was something about her presence that drew him in, something he couldn't quite explain.