The Ghost Inside - Chapter 13

“Sooo… how did the date go? You guys didn’t continue where you left off?”

“Daaaad! You’re the one who said we needed condoms!”

“You listened!” Dad cried out. “Look, son, I know I should be the responsible one, but there are plenty of things you can do with a girl that won’t get her pregnant.”

“If you acknowledge you’re the responsible one, be more responsible!” I cried in response. “Wait, other stuff? You mean like anal?”

“You already progressed the anal! Kids these days…”

“Why are you crying?”

“Nothing son… It’s just even my son… no… Hey, son, remember when I wanted to get you into a sport?”

“Huh, you mean when you wanted me to learn boxing?”

“Let’s go to the boxing realm now, I’m suddenly in the mood for a couple rounds.”

“Why are you looking at me so hostilely? You really just want to beat me up, right?”

“How could you suggest I’m jealous of my son? I just want us both to stay fit.”

“I didn’t even mention jealousy!”

Thankfully, Dad didn’t make my life too difficult. After he calmed down, he let me off the hook after complaining for a little bit about how damned lucky I was. After his lectures about how much harder he had it in the past, I took a shower and headed to bed. I think he could see that I had a lot on my mind. There was Amelia, who I thought was my girlfriend, but went ahead and started dating someone else. There was Tiffany, who might be my girlfriend now, too. Then, there was Ms. Smith, who seemed to both care about me and want to torture me at the same time.

Of course, it was mostly Amelia who had me messed up. I’d have to see her tomorrow, but I wasn’t sure what to do when I saw her. I thought she cared about me, but she was dating someone else. Suffice it to say, all of my worries added up to me having a somewhat fitful sleep. I usually slept in on Saturdays, but by the time I woke up, Dad was gone, and it was full light. When I glanced over at the clock, I jerked up.

“Crap!”

It was already noon. I was supposed to be helping Amelia with the school, but I had ended up sleeping right through the morning. Admittedly, no one had specifically told me a time to come in, but I presumed they would expect me there roughly around the hours of the school.

Cursing my own foolishness, I quickly got dressed and then headed out the door. It was another thirty minutes until I finally came out in front of the old school. As I took a step forward, I heard a crack of a branch. I stopped, suddenly considering that maybe Jack and his group were waiting for me. Jack knew I was supposed to be in this building, and the school was closed, so there would be no witnesses. It would be just like him to wait around the entrance to make me suffer.

I looked around nervously, the sound of my heart beating so loud I could hear it in my ears. After a moment, my eyes settled on the dark forest next to the old school. It had already been half swallowed by the school, and the only reason it hadn’t become completely engulfed was through the efforts of the ground maintenance. Generally, the school’s official policy was to advise students to stay away from the forest. They said there could be dangerous animals in there, and the risk of people getting lost was too high.

There were also rumors that a student or two wandered back into the forest and hung themselves. Although it was more often used by delinquents, the true delinquents who never even bothered in school, who drank and did drugs back there. Many of the students would say that I was suited for such a place, but even I felt a bit apprehensive about it. However, after a moment, a raccoon emerged from a nearby bush. I let out a sigh of relief.

At least there was nothing scary inside the old school. I quickly made my way through the front door. My eyes couldn’t help but fall on a jacket and a purse. They were Amelia’s jacket and purse. It appeared like she was already there, but I didn’t expect anything less. Amelia wasn’t the kind of girl to stand up to people on a promise she made. Of course, thinking about it made my heart hurt a little bit. I couldn’t help but recall the expression on her face when she talked to her boyfriend. She had looked genuinely happy.

Letting out a sigh, I decided I didn’t really have the guts to face her. I suspected she was working on the bottom floor, as that would be the most important area for the upcoming festival. Thus, I went up to the second story to work there. As I walked down the second-floor hallway to the first dirty classroom, I heard something fall behind me. I spun around to see that a floor mat that had been propped up in the corner had fallen. I frowned, walking over to the mat and picking it up. Although it was across from the stairway, I hadn’t walked close to it, so there really was no reason for it to fall over.

I couldn’t help but recall the story Chayenne had talked about. In her story, there were two places. The boiler room and the roof. I didn’t know where the boiler room was, but my eyes couldn’t help but fall on the stairway across from me. The stairs rose to a door, and that door led out on the roof. This school only had two floors, after all. I hesitated for only a moment before I walked over to the foot of the ascending stairway and jumped over the barrier they had placed there.

I walked up the stairway, stopping in front of the door. It was painted red, but time had caused a lot of the paint to chip up, revealing a silver color underneath. It was a thick metal door with a metal lever that had turned mostly black from tarnish. I reached out for the doorknob, but my hand froze. For some reason, I started getting nervous. I couldn’t help but let out a laugh. What did I have to be nervous about? As if to prove I wasn’t scared, I grabbed the lever deliberately and turned it, only to find the knob wouldn’t budge. It was locked. More than locked. Even a strong push didn’t move it. The entire door was probably rusted shut.

I laughed again, shaking my head. I was really letting a ghost story get to me? It wasn’t even a ghost story. As Tiffany pointed out, there were no ghosts! Still laughing to myself, and turned and started walking back down the stairway. As I reached the barricade, though, I heard a click and a creak behind me. The smile froze on my face as I turned back to see that the door that hadn’t opened an inch for me was now sitting open a foot or two. The light from outside was trailing down the stairway, stopping a step before the one I was on. I couldn’t help but gulp.

Part of me wanted to run away, but then I’d be admitting that I was afraid of ghosts. How could I be so silly? I wasn’t a child. I turned back deliberately, mustering all of my bravado as I marched right up to the doorway. I pushed through the door without a moment of hesitation. The door made a very loud scraping sound, but it opened up with some force. I then stepped out onto the rooftop. The first thing I noticed was that the rooftop didn’t have any protective fencing like the one on our new building. There was a small ledge about knee-high, but someone could quite easily fall over the edge if they weren’t being careful. The second thing I noticed was that I wasn’t alone on the rooftop. Standing on the edge of the platform, her back to me, was a girl with black hair. She was peering over the edge like he was considering jumping.

“W-w-wait!” I cried out.

The girl jumped, turning around. However, her footing became lost and she fell over the edge. Her fall was soundless. She didn’t even say a word. I let out a cry in her place, racing across the rooftop. As I reached the edge, I immediately got to my knees and peered over. Shock, fear, and even guilt were coursing through me. If I had been more tactful, maybe she wouldn’t have fallen. I hoped that she wasn’t seriously hurt. I looked around on the ground floor. It was difficult because there were countless trees in the way, yet no matter how hard I looked, I couldn’t see her body.

“What are you doing?” A voice asked.

It was my turn to jump. I let out a scream and spun, clinging to the ledge like someone was trying to toss me over. Yet, my eyes finally fell on a pretty girl with a slim, pale body. She wasn’t as voluptuous or as beautiful as Amelia, but there was a gentle kindness to her that made her beautiful in a way that was hard to put into words. She appeared to be a student in our school, but she was wearing an old-looking school uniform. Our school didn’t have a uniform, not in ages, although I recognize the insignia from decorations inside this very building. My eyes met hers. They were blue. I calmed my breathing as she stared at me curiously.

I blinked when I recalled she had asked a question. “I… I thought someone… you fell off the roof.”

I had only glimpsed the girl I saw fall, but this girl looked similar enough to her that I began to doubt my eyes.

“How could that be?” She responded, sticking her tongue out playfully. “You just startled me, and I jumped down real quick.”

I let out a breath. They were the same girl. I was willing to believe her. My eyes had played tricks on me. How else could she still be on the roof? She must have thought I looked quite silly.

“Um… why are you here?” I asked.

“I come up here sometimes.” She looked out over the forest. “It helps me clear my head. Plus, I… feel stronger here.”

“Stronger?”

“Strong enough that you can finally see me.” She blushed shyly, and I couldn’t help but close my mouth with a click when I realized I was gawking at her.

“This place isn’t really safe.” I tried to rephrase my words. “I mean, you shouldn’t be up here. There is no fence. You can fall.”

“I’m not going to fall.” She walked over to the edge, leaning over. “I can’t fall.”

She had her back to me, and she seemed to be looking at the place where she had nearly fallen before. I started to peer in the same direction when she suddenly spun around and clapped her hands. I jumped back a step.

“What is it?”

“We should celebrate. You finally see me.” She then froze for a second, and her face turned red, and she grew shy. “Wh-what do you think?”

I blinked. “What do you think of what?”

“Me?” She gave me a pouty look that felt strangely familiar. “Do you like me?”

When she said that, she moved to the side and then spun around like she was showing off her body.

“I… um… don’t even know you,” I admitted honestly. “And, uh… I have a girlfriend.”

Her expression suddenly turned sour. “Who? Who is your girlfriend?”

Her demand was so sudden that I felt a bit flustered. I couldn’t see Amelia. Things were still complicated there. I definitely couldn’t say my teacher’s name. I considered Tiffany, but when I opened my mouth, it was another name that came out.

“Emily.” I declared.

His sour expression suddenly looked stunned, and then she covered her mouth. “Pfft.”

“What?” I demanded.

“Hehehe, you’re dating Emily, huh?”

I felt worried for a second that this girl somehow knew that my code name for Ms. Smith and Amelie was Emily, but then I realized it was impossible.

“That’s right!” I responded confidently. “I love Emily, ah!”

When I looked, she was right in my face, her eyes wide and a big smile on her face. “I’m so happy.”

“Huh, why?”

“You should keep loving Emily and only Emily!” She laughed, wrapping her arms around herself as she did so.

I was starting to think this lady had a few screws loose, but she had to be a little crazy to come into the old school building and hang out on the roof all the time, right?

“Uh…”

“You know,” she gave me a serious look, her fingers playing with her hair. “I could be your Emily too…”

“Huh?”

Her expression dropped. “That nosy bitch.”

I blinked, but before I could say anything more, I heard the door behind me open with a rusty grinding noise. I turned around to see a familiar face step out onto the rooftop, although it wasn’t a face I expected to see today.”

“Tiffany?”

“Dylan, who are you talking to?” Tiffany asked, a strange expression on her face.

I blinked. “What do you mean, I was just talking with…”

I turned back behind me, and the girl I was talking to was gone. I frowned, walking to the edge and glancing over, but she naturally wasn’t there either. Where could she have gone? I looked back at Tiffany, who was staring at me oddly. I decided not to scare her by mentioning my odd encounter.

“Dylan?”

I shook my head. “Nothing, I was just getting some air. Why are you here?”

Her face turned a bit pink. “Amelia called me and said you didn’t come today. She asked me to come help her. When I arrived, I noticed someone on the roof, and I thought it might be you.”

“I see…” Although I said that, the edge I was standing at wasn’t visible from the front.

In other words, she shouldn’t have been able to see me or the other strange girl on the roof. In that case, what did she see? I shook my head, realizing I was being silly again.

“So, you missed me that much?” I teased, stepping toward her.

“A-as if, who would miss you?” She replied, but didn’t look at my eyes as she poked, her cheeks growing slightly redder.

“Ah… you’re embarrassed. You came all the way here on your day off just to see me. I can’t believe it. You like me so much. You want to finish what we started yesterday? My little pervert knows no restraint.” I decided to tease her.

“W-who is a little pervert! W-who likes you!”

I chuckled as I bridged the gap between us and whispered in her ear. “Are you using your toy right now?”

She jerked, but her expression told me that she was. Instantly, I felt blood flooding down below. My hand reached out and grabbed between her legs. She cried out, trying to push me away, but it was too late. I already felt the vibration. She really was a pervert!

“Don’t look at me like that. It’s gross.” She tried to back away, but I grabbed her and pulled her close.

“If you want me so much, you don’t need to work so hard.”

“Who’d want you?” She responded, but didn’t fight as I pulled her close.

I leaned down to kiss her, but in that moment, the scraping sounded out again. Tiffany pulled back, pushing against my chest as we both turned to the door. Standing there was Amelia, with an icy expression on her face as she looked at both of us.

“Ah! A-amelia, I can explain.” Tiffany quickly spoke up.

“You don’t need to explain.” Amelia stepped forward, her eyes narrowed. “It’s clear what’s going on.”

Tiffany lowered her head, a defeated expression on her face. “I’m sorry, I should have told you-”

“That you’re skank trying to steal my man!”

“-about… huh?”

Amelia walked up and grabbed my arm. “He’s mine! You can’t have him!”

“Yours…” Tiffany looked like she was having trouble believing what she heard. “So you two are really together?”

“Didn’t I see we were together?” I told her.

“Yeah, but… I thought… You really want to be with him?” Tiffany asked.

“Why are you asking that with such disbelief?” I cried.

“He’s mine. No other girl can have him!”

Tiffany’s expression suddenly changed, and she grabbed my other arm. “Tough, he’s mine.”

Amelia gasped. “You really are a whore! Get away from my man! We share a bond you can never understand.”

“You’re the one two-timing. At least I stick to one guy.” Tiffany fought back.

I could only watch this situation in front of me with a dazed expression. Was this really happening right now? Two best friends were fighting over me, clinging to my arm as they pulled me back and forth between them. One girl was fiery and limber, the other was cool and voluptuous. I didn’t know how to react, but I did know that if I let the smile on my face, I was feeling inside, I’d likely not survive on this rooftop.

“How dare you! He’s the only man for me.” Amelia declared.

“Oh? What about your boyfriend, Kevin?”

“I never met the guy!” Amelia shot back.

“So, you’re just going to lie? Dylan, check her phone. He’s even her background pictures.”

“Eh? Is that true?” Amelia asked me.

“You’re asking me?”

She quickly reached into her purse and then pulled out her phone, handing it to me desperately. I stared at her awkwardly, but then I took her thumb and touched the screen. The phone unlocked to a picture of an older guy with a goatee.

“See, that’s Kevin!” Tiffany declared proudly.

“H-How do I call him?” She asked, her expression strangely desperate.

“Uh, I-I guess, this button?” I was confused, but she looked so insistent that I clicked his contact, and the next thing I knew, the phone was ringing.

I set it to speaker.

“Amelia? What’s up?” A boy’s voice came on the other side.

Amelia leaned into the phone and spoke. “I have no interest in you. We are not dating. I love Dylan. Please don’t call or talk to me again.”

“W-what-?”

She then pushed a finger on the phone. It was hard to say if she knew pressing the red button would hang up, but she successfully disconnected the call. For a few moments, all three of us just stared blankly at the phone. Then, it started ringing again. He was calling her back. She suddenly snatched the phone out of my hand and chucked it off the roof. We all stared as the ringing phone went careening into the forest.

Amelia patted her hands. “There, that settles that.”

“Does it, though?” Tiffany asked.

The grinding noise sounded again, but as I turned, the door wasn’t opening up. Rather, a gust of wind was slamming it closed. The door slammed shut.

“Th-that… was locked… wasn’t it?” Tiffany asked.

“It was…” Amelia wore a defeated expression.