The Lovely Ghost

A New Start

I probably would never get used to waking up in a real bed.

And it was probably impossible to get used to waking up beside someone else.

After we finished with meeting, we had decided it would be best for me to remain invisible until details could be sorted and a wardrobe formed by a very excited Gabriel. Placing the necklace back on had been less traumatic than taking it off, but it still caused my breath to leave me and my neck to sting.

I had been unhappy about it, but I understood and appreciated the thought behind in. If the only way Mr McCoy or Volto could tell I was there was through their little watch devices, remaining invisible would allow for me to overcome difficult situations. There was the possibility of my mother recognising me. The involvement of authorities could also occur and the already complicated situation could grow.

It had been a week since that night. Days were spent floating from school to Nathan's place and while at night, I would remain at Kota's house.

At school I would mostly stay around Mr Blackbourne's office which had became like a safe haven for me. After that encounter with Mr McCoy, walking along those halls seemed less and less appealing.  That watch - that weird watch could sense me. He knew me. I didn't want to be afraid, but it was hard not to be. I, however, did promise to try and attend classes. It was what I had wanted do do for weeks. Mr Blackbourne was pleased with this - if the soft look in his eyes and that little smile was an indicator of anything - went as far to set up a class time table for me.

Afternoons at Nathan's house were full of fun and silliness that left my cheeks sore from smiling too much. Nathan had a pool at his house. I remember how seeing the sparkle of the water caused excitement to bubble out of me. Nathan teasingly pushed me into the water when I asked him how deep it was which had North yelling at him. I didn't care at all though. The cool water woke me up quicker than anything. My muscles still ached from all the races we had yesterday afternoon, but it was incredibly fun. Perhaps I liked swimming before I forgot everything.

Nights at Kota house had been comforting to say the least. On the first night he brought up a big plate of chicken, roast potatoes and peas, explaining that he told his mother that he was really hungry after his first day of school and needed energy for all the work he was going to do that night. He took out a hidden set of cutlery from his pocket and we feasted of the delicious dinner.

After dinner was done, plates taken away, Kota finally finished up with his homework and we both got ready for bed. I was nervous. First night in an actual home, on an actual bed, near an actual boy. Kota was already on the slide out bed when I returned from the bathroom with my borrowed pyjamas. With red cheeks we both said goodnight to one another, turned he lights off and laid awake until be both began drifting off to sleep. It was only when Kota woke me up with a desperate voice that we both realised I scream when I sleep.

His eyes were wide and his hands hovered over me as if he was uncertain whether to touch me in this state. My half sleepy mind made the choice for him as I reached out towards him automatically and hid my head against his chest, my cries shaking my body. His arms were around me instantly, rocking me slightly and telling me that I was ok and to breathe deep breaths in time with his counting.

"Does this normally happen? Do you usually scream in your sleep?" He asked after he had me brush my teeth- an odd but helpful request.

Feeling less rattled, I answered him the best I could- "I'm not sure...it's hard to know these things when you have been sleeping alone for a while. I would wake up crying like that though...sometimes..."

His face morphed in to a pained expression - one I was desperate to remove. It must have sounded very lonely. And although it was, Kota didn't deserve to be brought down just because of my bad experiences. I told him that it was ok. I told him how I would walk around a bit to feel better and then I'd fall right back to sleep. He shook his head, a sad smile on his face.

"You're too easy to read."

He told me to lie down on the bed and then laid down beside me. He softly took my hand and encouraged me to close my eyes and try to sleep. He explained how his mother used to hold his hand like this to remind him that she was still there after he had nightmares. He said he'd stay right next to me until I fell asleep and then he'd go back to his bed.

He didn't though. When I had woken up, feeling the most well rested then I had been in a long time, I found myself cradled into his chest. There was not much awkwardness when we had spoken that morning - how we had slept, how we had woke up felt almost natural.

And that's how I would find myself waking most mornings. The slide out bed was no longer needed.

It had only been less than a week since I had stared into the eyes of two handsome boys who'd came late to class on that fateful morning and shifted the whole world as I knew it. And here I was, waking up next to one of the only boys in the universe who could see me while I wore a silly little necklace that makes me invisible.

How I would have lived my life if those boys from the Academy didn't have their mission at the high school in this area was something I tried very hard not to even consider.

"That was a very long sigh," observed Kota, cutting through my dangerous path of thoughts as he sat up and placed his glasses atop his nose. His voice was slightly husky from sleep and his hair was delightfully messy.  "Care to share what it was about?"

Heat creeped up my face. "I didn't even realised I sighed at all," I admitted.

"It was definitely not a simple thought that you sighed over then."

I shook my head. "No, I was just thinking about the past week and where I would be now if I wasn't with you."

He took my hands and gave them a squeeze. His eyes met mine, sincerity shining through. "You would have been with us eventually. We would have found you, Sang, no matter what. I know it." My heart stuttered and warmed at how confident his words were. Who was I do deny something that sounded as though he'd bet the stars on.

He glanced at the time on his phone and sighed for a completely different reason. He stood up and stretched before saying, "It's a new day and we've got a busy weekend ahead of us - we've got to get ready to go to the shops, pick up a few supplies for Luke and North and help up at their new shop..."

A new day he had said before he went off listing the tasks of the day to me. I smiled and hopped out of bed, grabbing the clothes set out for me by Gabriel the day before. I wouldn't dwell too much in the past or on the what ifs. Kota was right. It was a new day.

A new start.

XxXxXxX

And we are officially back!! Yay!

I hope you liked this first chapter of the next part of the story. I will try my best to not leave you guys without new updates for weeks, especially since I have only one exam before uni is finished for the year.

I hope you're all well and I shall see you in the next chapter!