Invisible

Chapter Two: Indistinct

The school cafeteria was always a loud, rowdy, and obnoxious place in the Entity's opinion. It was a place for free time to be given to the adolescents, and it was clear that half of them didn't need free time on their hands. Miles' posture slumped as he trailed behind his host and Aria, not even bothering to avoid any contact with the humans; it was humorous to watch anyone shiver, or react funny when he passed right through their form.

"Yo, guys!" A familiar voice pulled Miles from his thoughts, peering over his shoulder, "Guys, you didn't even wait for me at the bus stand!"

His posture only slumped more as he watched a ravenette male walk over and seat himself at the table that his host was occupying, slowly shoving his clawed hands into his grey hoodie. You poor, poor, innocent soul. One tendril slithered above the boy, slowly reaching for his shoulder—

"Don't!" Ryder's sudden snappy tone had indeed startled the Entity, his tendril retreating from the other male. "Uh, d-don't blame us! It was cold outside, yeah!"

Miles shook his head as both the boy's friends gave him awkward looks, he knew that his host got those a lot; he, himself, was the one to be blamed. Not that it bothered him, it only added to the entertainment that he had to provide for himself. Shifting his gaze onto the new male, his head tilted. Noah, the skittish one. He was the oldest of the living three, though surely didn't act like it. The male had short black hair, hazel eyes darting to all sorts of directions.

"It'd be a shame if they knew," A chilling female's vocals rang out, "If they knew about you, me."

Miles furrowed his brows together, straightening his posture and surveying the room full of delinquents. It didn't take him long to spot a figure that didn't fit in with the crowd, that didn't fit in with the living. Stealing a glance from his host, he noted that the boy was too busy laughing at something perhaps Aria, or Noah, had said. In a quick second, the Entity stood by a mangled looking female.

"You know what wouldn't be a shame?" Miles sneered at her, tendrils lashing in clear irritation, "Someone throwing holy water at you. What do you want, Isla? Why are you here?"

The woman wore a tattered wedding dress, ripped and exposing her colorless skin in multiple areas. Bruises and old scabs covered her arms and face, her hair matted with dry blood and dirt. There was a large bruise around her neck, perhaps she had been strangled.

"If they knew in general," She continued, as if Miles hadn't spoken at all, "Where would Ryder go? He would be locked up, and left to rot."

Hearing those words caused an inner conflict within his mind, he didn't like the way that she knew how to toy with him. Of course he didn't want his host to be locked away, but, a small part of him always wanted the worst for him. He wanted the boy to suffer, to be alone like he was.

"No one would know, not if he kept his mouth shut about it. He's smarter than you're letting on, not even his friends know," Miles had invaded her personal space at the point, "Stay away from him."

His words were filled with poison, the skin around his mouth tearing only a little to add to his intimidation. Isla didn't flinch, she just stared at him with her blank white eyes; a coy smile tugging at her chapped lips.

"You're protecting him," She cooed, a hand lifting to cup one of his cheeks, "Perhaps you're fond of him, eh? You know, as well as I do, it's a bit dangerous to get attached."

Her cold touch sickened him to the pit of his stomach, only making the tear around his mouth area larger as a snarl emitted from him. Miles immediately pulled away from her hand, tendril wrapping around her wrist to keep it away from his face.

"I'm not fond of him, you disgusting maggot. I see why your groom ended your life, you don't know when to keep your mouth shut," The Entity glowered inches from her face, the world around no longer mattering to him, "How did he do it, Isla? Did he kiss and caress you, promise you life would be good—"

"Hush!" The female screeched, attempting to yank her hand free.

"—His hands touched you, you felt safe. Secure, he would protect you, correct?" Miles towered over her even further, "Before... Before you even knew it, his hands were around your neck, stealing your life from you. Stealing your future."

Isla had ripped her hand away from his grip, vanishing into thin air the very next second. He didn't regret a word that he had said to her, staring blankly ahead of himself. I wouldn't care if he rotted in a house full of the crazy people. A soft growl rumbled in his throat, tossing a glance over to Ryder's table. The boy was still laughing and chattering with his friends. Would I? He always found himself to be conflicted when it came to his host, torn. Do I want to protect him, or to make his life a living hell? His clawed hand suddenly grabbed the side of his head, a hiss of pain leaving the ripped skin that had formed his mouth. That dull ache, it was back, and it was worse than last time. He hunched over and dug his claws into his scalp with a sound of distress. His entire form felt like it was on fire, in pain. This was new, he had never experience this sort of pain before. The Entity screwed his eyes shut tightly, there was something fuzzy– familiar in his head. Voices.

"What did you do?! What. Did. You. Do?!"

"He deserved it!"

"Get out of here, before someone sees you! I'll deal with the body..."

The pain grew worse for him, his entire form burned with tremendous pain beyond his comprehension; it had to be the worst thing that he had ever felt. A sudden image melted into his mind, the image of a body. A bleeding body limp against the ground. The image only lasted a few seconds, before the whole thing was over. Miles was left trembling, confused, and disoriented.

"Get the nurse, Ryder just had a seizure!"

...

Miles frantically paced back and forth in the tiny nurse's office, trying to sort out his spinning thoughts. He ran a hand through his messy hair, paying not attention to his rousing partner on the small bedside. Frustration and desperation were eating at him, his first memory of his previous life had left him confused. What did they mean deal with the body?! I deserved it? What did I do? He was positive the body that he had seen was him, he knew that it was himself.

"Agh... My head..." Ryder groaned out, tearing the Entity out of his overwhelming thoughts, "What the hell happened?"

 Bringing himself to a stop, he glanced over to his host with an unsure noise. He had been too busy trying to piece together his past to know what exactly had happened to the boy, even now it was hard to remain focused.

"I don't know," Miles grunted, stepping over to stand by the small bed, "You've been sleeping for hours, they couldn't get a hold of your parents. Go figure, huh?"

Ryder slowly pulled himself up into a sitting position, rubbing at his eyes with another groan. Did I do this to him? Perhaps it was a coincidence, or maybe the Entity's own episode had taken a toll on the human.

"What do you mean you don't know?" The boy spoke up with clear agitation, "You were there, weren't you?"

"I'm not your babysitter, kid," Miles snapped, eyes narrowing on the glaring male, "I was dealing with something at the time, alright?"

Defending him from Isla had been one thing he was doing, that was a given. Not that he would tell Ryder that, he didn't want to give the impression that he cared; even if he did, only in the slightest.

"What's your problem?" Ryder snapped right back, slipping to lay back down, "Never mind, I forgot that you're always in a pissy mood, no matter what."

Miles bit back the urge to snap again, swallowing down his pride and hissing out his frustration. His arms crossed at his chest, posture straightening.

"Ryder, I was murdered."