Chapter 2: Unfinished Business.

(Meredith)

“Mary! Mary!”

What?

“Mary, wake up!”

Five more minutes.

“Mary! You’ll going to be late, wake up!”

“Fine,” I groaned and opened my eyes. First thing I saw is Tristan.

I shrieked and fell from my bed. Ow! That hurts.

Tristan chuckled, “Get use to it. You’ll be seeing this face for awhile now.”

“What are you doing here?” I asked annoyingly, “I remember last night that I told you to stay at the living room.”

I thought that what happened last night was just a dream but this soul, which he prefers to be called than a ghost, still sticking to me. Well, it’s not like every day you could see a soul waking you up.

“First of all I’m not a dog and I don’t like staying there I might encounter a ghost or something,” he replied as he leaned on the desk.

“You’re a ghost,” I deadpanned then I asked curiously, “But you could see other ghosts?”

“No but you know, you don’t know what you’ll encounter,” he shrugged.

Yeah like how I encountered you.

I stood up from the floor and rubbed my aching hips. Suddenly my door opened revealing my Dad.

“Are you okay? I heard a scream,” he asked as he tied his necktie.

“I’m fine dad,” I smiled apologetically, “I just saw a cockroach.”

He raised an eyebrow, “You’re not afraid of cockroach.”

“I am if it is flying,” I commented.

“Well, you better hurry up. You’ll be late for school,” he said then walked down the stairs.

“Wow, you’re now better at making excuses,” Tristan complimented.

“Yeah, thanks to you.” I grabbed my towel and walked towards the comfort room. I need to prepare for school.

“You know what, I’ve been thinking last night because you know I don’t sleep that -,” he blabbered as he followed me.

But I interrupted him. I raised my hand to stop him, “Could you please give me some privacy and even if you are a soul I still need to use the bathroom.”

He raised both of his hand in defeat, “Okay, Okay I’m a gentleman and even if I like you I won’t do such things that you don’t like.” He floated away.

I sighed. When we got home last night it’s been crazy. When Tristan talked to me I need to find a place where I am alone because people will think that you’re a weirdo. I was also convinced that Tristan is really not a stalker because he doesn’t know the names of my parents and Felix. Also I think he has a power when trying to convince people.

I believe in God and I also believe in things that I couldn’t see but still it’s different if you could really see the things you believe in. Once you encounter supernatural things that you know that there is but you didn’t expect to experience, it gives you more curiosity in life that may change your beliefs. Sometimes it’s better for us not to know everything because it may change everything which we thought is true.

After dressing up and preparing my things for school. Tristan and I went downstairs to eat breakfast and of course Tristan couldn’t feel any hunger so he’s not included.

Mom was already in her working dress with an apron on her waist as she prepared Felix’s lunch box. Dad was already sitting on the dining table eating his breakfast and Felix was also eating while reading a book.

“Does Felix always do that?” Tristan asked, “He doesn’t look like a seven year old to me,” he awed.

“Sometimes,” I whispered so that he could only hear me.

Felix turned his head towards us.

“Good morning,” I beamed at him as I sit on the chair, “What are you reading?” I asked him as I took a bite of a sausage.

“Supernatural Beliefs by JM Guido,” he replied.

I choked on my food.

“Mary, chew your food properly,” Mom reprimanded me.

Felix hurriedly handed me his cup of water which I took and emptied, “Thank you,” I coughed. “Why are you reading that? You should read story books or books that suits your age.”

He gave me a ‘are you serious’ look then shrugged. Felix loves to read and the things he likes to read are those books that are beyond his age, not those sexually matured books but those that makes him more knowledgeable.

“Wow, your brother is really awesome,” Tristan somehow was amazed and amused at my younger brother. Well, I can’t blame him, Felix is adorable. “Do you think your brother has powers that can feel you, that you’ve been thinking about supernatural things that’s why he’s reading that or it’s just a coincidence?” he blabbered.

I rolled my eyes and ignored his annoying blabbering. At the small time that I met Tristan I can say he talks a lot and he always make jokes. I actually don’t know why he is so energetic and so positive when I thought that ghosts are all so gloomy because they died.

After we finished our breakfast, we all went to our respective cars to go on our respective ways. Of course, Tristan went with me because he really doesn’t have anywhere to go besides we still need to talk about his unfinished business.

I’m still nervous whenever anyone talks to me because honestly I think that they could sense something different, especially when I make excuses. I just hope I could get through this day.

“Good morning, Mary,” Oh, please.

The mean girls cornered me, what a good way to start a day. That’s sarcasm.

“I see you still have no sense of fashion,” Monica criticized, “And here I am wondering why Iris still wants to stick with you.”

“You don’t look bad,” Tristan defended, “You look good actually.”

"Maybe Iris is also a loser just like her, just like what they say, birds with the same feathers flock together,” Sheryl commented then they smirked.

Their face is really suitable on my fists. If I really don’t value myself, I’ve already punch them.

“What’s wrong with them?” Tristan scowled.

“I’m surprised that you knew that phrase,” I countered, “It’s good that you learned something from school, I thought your brains got drained.”

It looks like I hit the spot because their smirks changed into scowls. Not that I’m scared of it, I just don’t want to give them satisfaction that they can bully me.

“Nice comeback!” Tristan cheered. They are three but at least I have a ghost that got my back.

“You think you’re that intelligent,” Dionne scoffed, “Oh please, you failed Ms. Policarpio’s subject, you’re that stupid.”

How did they know about that? I didn’t announce it to the whole university that I failed!

“And you didn’t fail to any subjects?” Iris suddenly interrupted our heated conversation as she stood beside me, “You three were on a brink of failing but you got daddy’s wallet to pay for your grades,” she mocked them.

“What?” Dionne shrieked.

“Do you want me to write it on the newspaper? I’ll make sure to humiliate you,” she threatened, “Let’s go Mary, they’re not worth your time,” she once again grabbed my hand and dragged me out from those mad girls.

“You’re really going to do that?” I asked as I grinned. She sometimes do unexpected things, some are even risky.

“That’s an empty threat,” she replied, “You know me, I won’t move unless I have enough evidences to eradicate those kind of people.”

I chuckled.

“Iris is really something else,” Tristan commented as he followed us. It’s not surprising for him to know Iris because she’s sort of popular. Not like those mean girls popularity. Like I said before she’s very beautiful so guys likes her and she also joins different organizations that is related to society.

“Oh, it’s Paul,” someone catches Tristan’s attention.

I looked at a tall man with brown shaggy hair. He’s walking a few meters away from us and he’s somehow, have a gloomy aura around him. “Who’s he?” I asked.

“Who?” Iris questioned as she looked at me then towards the direction I was looking. Oh, that was meant for Tristan, “That man in blue shirt? I don’t know him.”

“He’s my best friend,” Tristan replied, he looks like he’s worried.

I didn’t bother to ask since Iris is here.

“Iris, let’s go to class before we get late,” I changed the topic for; first, I don’t want to be questioned by Iris on why I’m asking who’s that man and second, because we really do need to get to class.

***

After some morning classes and Lunch with Iris, and Tristan who was just following me around, I excused myself from her saying that I need to do something at the library. I thought she’s going with me but fortunately, she needs to attend some sort of a meeting in one of her organizations. I need to be alone with Tristan so that we could talk and brainstorm on his problem.

At the library, I grabbed a random book, sat on a desk with computer that is far from other students and plugged my earphones on my ears. Tristan sat on the chair beside me.

“Okay,” I started, “You told me that you think that you still have some unfinished business here on living world and you have that written name of your mother on your wrists.”

“Yep,” he nodded in agreement as he showed me his wrists.

I started to surf on the internet about ghosts and souls, and I found something that caught my eyes, “Ghost is a soul that has not or cannot move on to Heaven or Hell because of an unfinished attachment to this world,” I read, “I told you you’re a ghost,” I teased him.

“And I’m also a soul, but it doesn’t matter,” he rolled his eyes.

I clicked another article and read, “The primary reason for ghosts to be barred from afterlife. They want revenge, their story to be told, or simply to be informed once and for all that they are, in fact, dead. To get rid of the ghosts, the hero or heroine will have to either do extensive research in old newspaper articles or communicate somehow with the ghosts. Ghosts with unfinished business almost always have purpose-driven immortality; once their business is finished, they vanish in a flash of light.”

I looked at him curiously, “You want to take revenge?”

“What? No!” he shook his head, “It was really difficult but I’ve already accepted my fate because I cannot do anything about it.”

“By the way,” I didn’t know why I only ask this question now, “How did you die?”

“It was a car accident,” he replied, “Another car collided with mine.”

I nodded my head in sympathy then commented, “Maybe you want to take revenge on the owner of that car.”

“I don’t really think so. Yes, I was mad that I died young but it was a decision that I made,” he said thoughtfully.

“What decision?” I wondered.

He looked at me then charmingly smiled, “On being a Clark Kent, my Lois Lane.”

“Stop flirting,” I grimaced then I went back to work, “Maybe you want your story to be told?”

“Yeah,” he scoffed, “I really wanted my life to be written in a book because it’s very inspirational,” he joked.

I rolled my eyes, “Then you want to be informed once and for all that you are dead.”

“I think I could clearly see that. I am floating, I’m transparent, I have no organs, nobody can see me or hear me except for you and I’m not breathing,” he said sarcastically, “Yeah, I know that I’m dead.”

“Could you please be serious,” I frowned, “You’re not helping at all.”

“I guess those are for other ghosts but that’s not for me. Look for anything else,” he suggested.

I scanned other articles and another one caught my attention, “It means it has something that it needs to accomplish from its life or before it is properly rested,” I read. “I think this matches you.”

“I think your right but what about this written name of my Mom on my wrist?” he questioned.

I searched about it for awhile but I saw nothing related. “I don’t think someone died then their soul still lingers around because they still have some unfinished business and then they came back to life and wrote their story on the internet,” I said.

“So we have to figure it out by ourselves?” he wondered.

“Definitely,” I agreed.

“How?” he asked.

“Well, since we don’t know the right answer we have to assume things,” I concluded, “Did you promised your mom anything before you died? Or anything related to your Mom,” I inquired.

“No, I didn’t promised anything,” he shook his head, “But if it helps, my mom’s birthday is coming on this Saturday. We have a big family and I usually go home whenever’s there is an event on our family because we value our relationship,” he shared.

“Do you think it has something to do with your Mom’s birthday?”

“It has a possibility,” he shrugged, “Were going to our house this weekend?” he suggested.

“If it helps,” I nodded, “How far is your family’s house from the city?”

“Three hours, we live in Orlakes,” he answered.

“That far?!” I exclaimed, few students were disturbed and looked at me weirdly. I smiled at them apologetically and when I was assured that they weren’t looking anymore I turned to Tristan again, “What am I going to say at my parents?!” I whispered.

“Tell them that you have a research at Orlakes,” he recommended, “Well, it’s half true and half lie because you really need to research about me.”

“Fine,” I sighed, “I’ll give it a try.”

“Yehey!” he cheered happily, “Oh, before we go there can we dropped by at my apartment? My family may already cleared my things but I wanted to check if they forgot or missed something, they might didn’t see things that I hid,” he asked.

“Like what?” I raised an eyebrow, “Porn?” Well, it’s only natural for boys to have those stuffs.

“I don’t need porn,” he scoffed then he wiggled his eyebrows, “When I have you.”

“You do your thing while thinking of me?!” I asked disgustingly, “Eww!”

He shook his head and waved both of his hands, “No, that was a joke!” he laughed, “I like you but I never did that on you because I have a high respect on you and I’ll never think bad things about you. That’s how I love you,” he winked.

I grimaced, “Even if you’re a soul now?”

“Even if I’m a soul now,” he nodded.

“Promise?” It’s easy to believe because it’s difficult to doubt people.

He raised his right hand, “Cross my heart, hope to die.”

“You’re already dead,” I muttered.

***

Beware: Grammar maybe bad.

Thank you for reading. Please comment and vote!