I could still smell the blood, death, and violence in what was left of Gorman’s tomb. Dalton’s devilish voice replayed inside my mind. The wooden door had been burned to a crisp, but there were no other remnants inside to give away to any residents of what had actually went on in here.
The local authorities attributed it to vandalism and were keeping their eyes out for any unusual suspects. They’d never find what they were looking for. I touched the wall where the demonic sea of black entities had been; still hearing their screams as though it were yesterday.
“Going back to the past isn’t going to take the pain away. You shouldn’t be here Adelay.” I turned around to Xander’s ghost standing behind me. He was so beautiful, so innocent. He didn’t deserve what happened to him. “What are you trying to find coming back here?”
Honestly, I didn’t know, but something had brought me here. Then as though everything became suddenly clear, I knew what I was looking for.
“I’m looking for my life that has been stripped away from me, the amazing love I lost, the innocence I…that you and I both once had…but most of all Xander, I’m looking for you! I’m looking for my best friend. I need you more than I ever have, and I need you because I can’t have you back. I can’t touch your skin, and know you are here with me. I can’t expect your annoying morning call before school to bitch at me for not waking up. You’re dead Xander, and you’re dead because you were friends with me. I’ll never forgive myself for that.”
“Oh, Adde. I am here with you the only way I can be. I’ll never truly be gone.” He touched my tear streaked cheek, compassion showing strongly in his large almond shaped eyes.
“And to add more to the struggle, I see the man I love everyday single day. He’s like a star you can see shining so brightly right there in front of you, seems so close you can just reach out and touch it with your fingertips; but when you try it’s impossible. No matter how hard you try you just can’t. No matter how bad you want it, it continues to stay just out of your grasp. Maybe I came back here hoping something would take me too, and my misery would be gone.”
“Please don’t cry, Adde. What’s done is done. There’s no going back to the past, there is only the future. If it’s meant to be then something will bring you guys back together. Don’t ruin something that is right now for something that used to be.”
He kissed my cheek as he dissipated, leaving me alone once again. I walked away from Gorman’s tomb feeling more lost than ever. Maybe what Davin and I had wasn’t true love. Maybe his feelings for me were all just an illusion and that’s why he had moved on so easily while I continued to torture myself by continuing to love him so much.
It was snowing much heavier now as I made my way through the tangled maze of gravestones. My hair was a sopping wet mess by the time I made it back to the cemetery entrance. Sully was leaned against his shiny black Mustang with his hands inside his pockets, waiting patiently for me to come out. His midnight blue eyes sparkled against the contrast of glittery snow underneath the sliver of moonlight. I collapsed into his open arms, burying my face against him.
He tenderly stroked my drenched hair, not caring that it was soaking through his shirt. “Come on princess, let’s get you home.”
I had just changed out of my dripping wet clothes, slipping into some baggy sweats and a tank top when there was a gentle rap at my bedroom door.
“Come in,” I called out mousily. I already knew it was Sully before he poked his head in because my parents were gone for the weekend again, and I was starting to like having him here when they were away. It made the house not seem so lonely.
“I’m going to turn in for the night. Are you doing okay?”
I nodded. “Yeah I’m pretty tired, too.”
“Alright then…” He paused. “Sleep well, Adelay.”
“Goodnight Sully.”
Over an hour later, and I was still lying restless and wide-awake in my bed. According to my clock -with its fluorescent green numbers seeming extra bright, as though taunting me with each passing minute that I was unable to fall asleep- it was a little past two am. Oz purred away, sound asleep against my side, only opening one eye when I sat up, climbing out of bed. The cool floorboards creaked underneath my bare feet in the dark hallway.
The door to the guest bedroom was slightly ajar, emitting the lamp's soft yellow glow from inside; so, I knew Sully was awake too. I crept closer, gently pushing the door open the rest of the way, hoping I wasn’t invading his privacy. He was lying there, eyes towards the ceiling with his arms crossed comfortably behind his head, only wearing loose black pajama bottoms, revealing his incredibly cut chest and stomach that was always hidden underneath his shirt.
Every muscle was defined all the way down to where his pants hung low on his hips. He was so unbelievably sexy, replicating an Armani underwear model. He looked surprised to see me standing there gawking at him like a kid in a candy store.
“What’s wrong, princess?” He sat up, looking truly concerned.
I sheepishly looked down fumbling on my words. “I uh…I can’t sleep. Can I um…”
He lifted the covers for me to climb in next to him. His body was cold through my clothes just like Davin’s had always been. They both carried a steady chill, never warming up more than a few extra degrees.
“Why did you
