The Medium Kid

Chapter 8

Alfie stared at the number on his phone screen. Koda had said yes after asking him why he needed it. Alfie said that if his mother visited when Koda wasn't there, he would call. That wasn't a lie, but he also wanted to try and make a friendship now that he had the opportunity. Alfie had been crushing on Koda for so long; he never thought about them just being friends. He wasn't sure if Koda was gay; he didn't get the vibe, but he was a nice person, and someone Alfie would gladly have in his life.

He thought about texting Koda all morning. What could he say? A simple hello, or plans about their date with a ghost this evening? Alfie eventually put his phone away. He didn't want to feel needy.

"Alright, let's go!" Molly yelled down the hall, and Alfie hurried after her. His bag was twisted around his arm, things were falling out of his sketchbook, and he had half a slice of toast in his mouth. "If you don't get yourself together, I'm going to start waking you up in the morning because you're clearly not setting an alarm."

"Please don't," he muffled through his breakfast. "I'm a responsible eighteen-year-old."

"That's the funniest thing you've said all morning." Molly joked and guided him to the car. "Come on; we don't want to give your art teacher more reasons to drop you from college."

Alfie remembered that his mother had told Miss Pecan about his abilities to see ghosts. His stomach churned. He didn't know how she would react, or if she would react at all. "What if I do get kicked out?"

Molly reversed from their driveway, scowling because the sun was in her eyes. "Honestly, I'll be surprised if you do. Miss Pecan has given you plenty of chances when she could've kicked you out last year."

"True." Alfie twisted the ring around his index finger. He wondered if he ever disappointed his parents by not being very academic. He barely made it through secondary school, but they understood that his mind was busier than the average teenager.

When they reached college, Alfie was on time, and his art teacher didn't even look his way when he entered. Usually, she glared until he sat down. Today, he felt another pair of eyes on him, Koda's eyes.

Alfie glanced at his table full of friends and Koda looked away before their gaze could connect. Alfie sighed and spread his work out around his empty desk, just the way he liked it. Nobody ever sat next to him, and he was glad.

Alfie had his sketchpad, a drink, headphones, and a surprising amount of motivation to be productive. He rummaged through his bag until he realised that he forgot his pencils. Usually, he would sneak to Miss Pecan's desk and steal some, but she seemed like she wouldn't be moving for a while and already noticed that he hadn't started to do anything.

Getting kicked out of college would mean no daily dose of Koda Oaks, no staring at him from across the classroom, no drooling over his beautiful smile, no opportunity to talk to him. Though, Alfie had his phone number. Quickly he went straight to his contact list and scrolled until he found his name.

"Give me a pencil." Alfie text Koda and stared until his phone buzzed from across the room. He watched the frown appear and the tilt of his head that he loved so much.

"Who is this?" Koda text back.

"Ya ghost boy."

Koda then looked up, and Alfie smirked, receiving an incredibly attractive eye roll. Koda sat back in his chair, made sure his friends were not watching his phone, and replied with, "I'm naming you that in my contacts."

"Just give me a pencil." Alfie tried not to grin too hard.

"Why?"

"Because I have a full stack of them right next to me. Why'd you think?"