Ghost Whisperer

Chapter THREE

To say that the guy looked SURPRISED to be adressed in this manner would have been a massive understatement. He didn't just look surprised. He actually looked over his shoulder, to see if it was really him I was talking to.
But of course, the only The only thing behind him was the window. So then he turned back to look at me, and must have seen that my gaze was fastened directly on his face, since he took a deep breath
It's no use calling on your high power, ' I informed him,' I took in his outfit which looked a lot like something they'd have worn on the wild wild west.'what is it, a hundred and fifty years? Has it really been so long since you croaked? '
He stared at me with eyes that were as black and liquid as ink. ' what is.. Croaked? 'he asked, in a voice that sounded rusty from a disuse.
I rolled my eyes.'Kicked the bucket, ' I translated. When I saw from his perplexed expression that he still didn't understand, I said with some exasperation, 'Died.'
' Oh, he said. Did. ' but instead of answering my question, he shook his head. ' I don't understand, 'he said, in tones if Wonder. ' How you can see me. All these years, no one has ever -

' Yeah,' I said, cutting him off. I heard this kind if thing a lot, you understand. 'Well, listen, the times, you know, they are a'changin'. So what's your glitch?'
He blinked at me with those bug dark eyes. His eyelashes were longer than mine. It isn't often I run into a ghost who also happens to be a hottie, but this guy..... Boy, he must have been something back when he was alive because here he was dead and u was already trying to catch a peek at what was going on beneath the white shirt he was wearing very much opened at the throat, exposing quite a bit of his chest, and some if his stomach, too .
Do ghosts have six-packs? This was nothing something I have ever had occasion-or a desire to explore before
Not that I was about to let myself get distracted by that kind of thing right now. I'm a professional, after all.
'glitch? ' he echoed. Even his voice was liquid, his English was flat and unaccented as I fancied my own was

'Yeah. 'I cleared my throat. He had turned a little and out a boot up on to the park blue cushion that covered the window seat, and I had seen definitive proof that yes, ghosts could indeed have six-packs.

I swallowed. Hard.
'Glitch, ' I said. 'Problem. Why are you still here?' He looked at me, his expression blank, but interested. I elaborated. 'WHY HAVEN'T YOU GONE TO THE OTHER SIDE? '
He shock his head. Have I mentioned that his hair was short and dark and sort of crisp-looking... I don't know what you mean. 'He said.'

I was getting sort of warm, but I had already taken off my leather jacket, so I didn't know what to do
about it.

I couldn't very well take off anything else with him sitting there watching me. This realization might have contributed to my suddenly very foul mood. 'What do you mean, you don't know what I mean? ' I snapped, pushing some hair away from my eyes. 'You're DEAD. You didn't try belong here . You're supposed to be off doing whatever it is that happens, or burning in hell, or being reincarnated, or ascending another plan of consciousness, or whatever. You're not supposed to be just..... Well, just hanging around'
He looked at me truthfully, balancing his elbow on his uplifted knee, his arm sort of dangling, 'And what if I happen to like just hang around? ' he wanted to know. I wasn't sure, but I had a feeling he was making fun of me. And I dont like being made fun of. People back in Brooklyn used to do it all the time-well, until I learned how effectively a fist connecting with their nose could shut them up
I wasn't ready to hit this guy-not yet. But I was close.

'Look,'I said, standing up fast, and swinging my leg around the back of the chair. 'You can do all the hanging around you want, amigo. Slack away. I don't really care. But you can't do it here, '
'Jesse, 'he said, not moving
'What? '
'You called me amigo . I thought you might like to know I have a name. It's Jesse. '
I nodded. 'Right. That figures. Well, fine. Jesse, then. You can't stay here, Jesse. '
'And you? 'Jesse was smiling at me now. He had a nice face. A good face. The kind of face that, back in my old highschool, would have gotten him elected prom king in no time

Not that he was pretty. Not at all. Dangerous was how he looked. Mighty dangerous.
'And me, what? ' I knew I was being rude. I didn't really care .
'What's your name? '
I glared at him. 'look. Just tell me what you want, and get out. I'm hot, and I want to change clothes . I don't have time for-
He interrupted, as amiably as if he hadn't heard me talking at all, 'The woman - your mother - called you Suzie.'
His eyes were bright on me. 'short for Susan?'
'SUSANNAH, ' u said, correcting him automatically.

He kept on smiling. 'So this is your room now, is it Susannah?'
'Yeah,'I said. 'Yeah, This is my room now, so you're going to have to clear out.'
'I'm going to have to clear out?' He raised on black eyebrow. "This has been my home for a century and a half. Why do i have to leave it?'
'This is my room. I'm not sharing it with some dead cowboy.'
That got to him. He slammed his foot back down in the floor -hard-and stood up. I instantly wished I hadn't said anything. He was tall, way taller than me, and in my ankle boots I'm five eight.
'I'm not a cowboy,' he informed me, angrily.

That's the thing with ghosts; they're so touchy!! The slightest thing can set them off.
'Whoa,' I said, holding up both my hands, palm outwards. 'Down, Down , boy.'
'My family, 'Jesse raged, wagging a finger in my face,'worked like slaves to make something of themselves in this country.

'Hey,' I said. and thats when I made my big mistake. I reached out, not liking the finger he was jabbing at me and grabbed it, hard, yanking on his hand and pulling him towards me so I could be sure he heard me as I hissed, 'Stop with the mirror already.
And stop shoving your finger in my face.  Do it again,  and I'll break it.
I flung  his hand away,  and saw,  with satisfaction,  that the mirror had stopped shaking.  But then I happened to glance at his face.
Ghosts don't  have blood.  But I swear,  atbthat moment, all the colour d rained from Jesse's face.
Jesse,  looking down at his finger as if I'd burned a hole through it,  seemed perfectly  incapable  of saying anything.  It was probably  the first  time he'd been touched  by anyone  in a century and a half. That kind of  thing can blow a guy's mind. Especially a dead guy. I took advantage of his astonishment,  and said, in my sternest, most  non-nonsense tone,'Now,  look, Jesse. This is my room,  understand? You can't stay here.  You've either got to let me help you get to where you're supposed to go,  or you're going to have to find some other house to haunt.  I'm sorry,  but that's the way it is.'

'Who are you?' he asked, softly. 'What kind of.... Girl are you?'
He hesitated so long before he said the word GIRL .
This  kind of bugged me. I mean,  I may not have been the most popular in school,  but no one ever denied I was an actual girl.

'I'll tell you what kind of girl I'm not,' I said,  crankily, 'I am NOT the kind of girl whos looking to share her room with a member of the opposite sex.  Understand me???  So either you move out,  or I force you out. It's entirely up to you. I'll give you some time to think about it.  But when I get back here,  Jesse,  I want you gone .
I turned around  and left.
I had to. I don't usually lose arguments with ghosts,  but u had a feeling I was losing that one,  and badly.  I shouldn't have been so short with him,  and I shouldn't  have been rude.  I don't know what came over me,  I really  don't.  I just....

I guess I just wasn't expecting to find the ghost of such  a cute guy in my bedroom,  is all.
God, I thought, as I stormed down the hall.  What am I going to do if he doesn't leave? I will try be able to change clothes in my own room.
Give  him a little time,  a voice inside my head went.
He'll  come around.  They always do.
Well, most of the time
anyway.....