Where the Shadows are Heavy (Bastille)

CHAPTER 7

Anna was beautiful. And she was tall. Taller than Dan, especially in her heels. Her skin dark and warm, hair relaxed, she was dressed smartly, no doubt on her way to work. A complete contrast to Dan, who was pale, pasty, and sickly looking, his baggy clothes smelled, whilst Anna was the epitome of health.

He pushed his hair back ruefully, sinking into his hoodie. She smiled warmly at Chris, and then him as she strode into Will's house. Her heels clicked on the floor as she gracefully approached the kitchen, looking around for her phone. Her teeth white and perfect, skin smooth.

The whole time Chris was barely concealing his contempt in the background. He was civil enough to Anna though. He wasn't being a complete dick.

Anna zeroed in on her phone and quickly grabbed it, wasting no time checking it, and the case, looking relieved to find the little bit of paper still tucked in the back.

She turned back to Dan and held out a hand. Her nails looked almost perfect, painted in a dark red. He couldn't see any disgust on her face as he shook her hand with his own clammy one. He was honestly amazed. He returned her polite smile.

"Anna, Will's girlfriend."

"Oh, I'm, I'm Dan, Will's um friend." It wasn't strictly untrue. He'd only known Will for a few hours, but Dan thought he was chill, and he'd grown on Kyle fast.

"Nice to meet you." Even her voice was nice, it was warm, she was friendly and Dan liked Anna.

All he could offer was his awkwardness as he nodded and mumbled a yes in reply.

He could hear Kyle snickering behind him, and tried his best not to react, he didn't want Anna to think he was weird. That was, if she didn't think he was odd already. Even if she did, in the past two minutes he'd known her, Dan had decided that she was too polite to call him out on his weirdness. He guessed could see why Will trusted her so much, and Dan hardly knew her.

So why did Chris dislike her? Perhaps he was one of those people who thought others who were too nice weren't to be trusted. Dan just didn't get that vibe from Anna. Unlike Chris though, he knew that Anna wouldn't react as positively to Will's death, or Dan's 'talent'. It's not like Chris had exactly acted positively as it was. Dan knew he was merely tolerating him.

Looking down at her phone again, Anna frowned slightly as she inspected the chip at the corner of her phone, she just shrugged though, before turning to Chris.

"Have you seen Will?"

"No, like I said on the phone, he hasn't been answering his calls." Chris said through gritted teeth.

Anna tried not to look dissuaded, she obviously knew Will's friend wasn't a great fan of her, but she said nothing.

"Maybe I should call him again."

Dan's eyes widened, as he realised that Will's phone was over on the table. He began to edge his way casually in the right direction, trying not to rush. Chris had noticed, because the next thing he heard was him telling Anna she didn't need to call her boyfriend.

"He's probably working."

She looked unsure. But her brief hesitation gave Dan enough time to idle over and grab Will's phone. He turned it off and tucked it into his hoodie.

"It can't hurt to try, right?"

Chris darted a look in Dan's direction and Dan nodded slightly.

"Okay."

Anna was already pulling Will's contact information up, and pressed her phone to her ear, concentration on her face, as she called him. A hand went to her mouth to bite her nails, but she pulled it down, lines of worry traced into her face when Will didn't answer his phone.

Dan was trying to block out Will's hurt as he watched his girlfriend desperately try to contact him. He couldn't do anything, no matter how hard he tried, since Kyle was holding him back, and stopping him becoming physical in an attempt to touch Anna.

"You'll scare her. She can't see you remember." Kyle hissed in his ear.

"But..."

"Will."

He retreated slightly, hurt written over his face.

"He's supposed to meet me today, we're going out, and he said he'd call me in the morning. Will always calls me when he's said he would."

There was a sorrowful smugness to the ghost then. Kyle quietly watched the scene unfold.

In the kitchen, a stiffness stretched between the living, as Anna clearly didn't know what to do, and Chris clearly didn't want her in the house anymore. He'd hardly moved since he'd shut the door behind Anna.

"I'll go. Please call me when you see him." She deposited her phone in her bag. "Bye Dan, it was nice meeting you."

She headed out.

"I don't know why she's concerned, it's only been half a day since she last talked to him. Who almost cries because their boyfriend hasn't talked to them in twelve hours? She's so possessive."

"She's just caring." Said Will.

"She's nice." Said Dan.

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ayyeeeeeeee its a double update :))))) I got ahead of myself, and this chapters rlly short so I idnt rlly want to post it alone ;)

- K XXX