Before She Goes

Chapter 6

The night fell quickly. After my conversation with Mike, Dawn got our coffee and surprisingly, the iced coffee did help cool my mind down. I guess I'll be drinking iced coffee from now on. Speaking of, I think I need more cause Ghost Girl wouldn't stop talking about Mike and about how I should help her. I just kept pretending that I wasn't hearing anything.

My mom and I were eating dinner silently like we always do. We used to laugh every dinnertime and listen to music when my dad was still alive. But when he died, it felt like everything died with him too. We stopped listening to music so we wouldn't ball our eyes out. Now everything is just quiet and lifeless—dead.

"Oh, I can't remember what burger tastes like," Ghost Girl was eyeing my food, looking like a hungry bear who's watching its prey.

I grabbed the salt and shook some on my plate, pinching a few grains and flicking it at her in annoyance.

"Something's happening, oh my God!" She exclaimed, hands shaking. My eyes grew wider, hoping that it would finally make her disappear, but then she started laughing, "Gotcha!"

My face dropped and I just returned to eating my food, this time rather violently. It caught my mom's attention, she munched on her food slowly as her eyes stayed on me.

"How many times do I have to tell you that salt doesn't work on me?" Ghost Girl tried tapping her hands on the table but it just went through.

"It's worth the shot," I muttered to myself.

"Honey, what's been going on with you lately?" My mom blurted.

That caused me to look up, "What do you mean?"

"You've been acting strange, I mean you threw books at me last week. You've also been talking to yourself, you haven't slept lately, and one time I saw you got out of the bathroom with wet clothes. What's going on, Sage?"

"Nothing, Mom. Absolutely nothing." I continued finishing my food while mom was still staring at me.

I could feel her stare through my bones. "Ever since your father died you've been so...distant. Not just to everyone but also to your own mother... It's like you're shutting me out."

Even I don't know what's going on with me. I'm also lost and I don't know how to handle everything that's going on, "Sorry... I just..."

"Sage, baby, I lost him too. So I understand how hard it is. But we still have each other and I'll do my best to keep you safe and happy," She reached for my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"It's just been stressful at school," Which was not a lie, just not the complete truth either.

She stared at my face and tried to see if I was lying or not, she just sighed and said, "I understand. If you need to vent or share anything, I'm here, okay?"

"I love you mom. Thank you,"

"I love you very much, dear. Finish your dinner."

"You're lucky to have her, you know?" Ghost Girl spoke. I took a glimpse at her from my peripheral vision. She had a frown on her face, "I'm sorry for bothering you. I didn't know you had things going on. I just want to be reunited with my mom and go to the afterlife."

The way her lips turned upside down, the way her eyes watered but not a single tear has fallen down, I knew what she was feeling. That was the exact expression that I had when my dad died.

Having that talk with my mom and Ghost Girl, I realized that I maybe I've been too hard on people. Or maybe I'm too hard on myself...maybe both. But I can't help it. Let's just say I've been through a lot and that helped me become the woman I am today. Pain changed me.