Ghosts, Ghouls, and High School Fools

Ghost, Ghouls, and High School Fools [21]

“I changed my mind. I don’t need Limbo.”

“Don’t be a wuss. You’ll be fine.”

“Fine?” Fine? I’m standing at the edge of a cliff, staring out at the water below. Jonathon wants me to launch myself off and somehow alter my rate of falling so I survive the crash landing into the water. Doesn’t he know that hitting water from heights is like diving into cement?

“I have faith you won’t screw up.”

Well, that’s reassuring. “Let’s just say I do screw up. What will happen to me?”

He rubs the bridge of his nose. “I’m not answering that.”

“Why?”

“If I tell you, you’ll freak out, which WILL make you screw up.” He places a hand on my shoulder. “Time to go.”

I gulp, looking back out at the water.

“Do you remember what I told you?”

“Take a breath, reach out with my senses, and imagine myself slowing down.”

“Good. As I said before, time to go!” With that, he pushes me. He freaking pushes me!

I scream as I begin to fall. I vaguely realize Jonathon is yelling at me to concentrate. In a moment of panic, I follow his instructions. Taking breaths, I heighten my sense and imagine myself hooked to a parachute that slowly lowers me to the water. Almost immediately, I get a strange sensation of vertigo. The image of water stops advancing as rapidly as before. Amazed, I barely get a breath in before I’m submerged.

I burst to the surface with a whooping cheer. “I did it!”

I look up at the distant figure of Jonathon. He’s motioning with his arms for me to go to the left. Looking, I see a shore. Getting the hint, I swim towards it. He meets me in the surf, a smile on his face and his arms outstretched to me. With a smirk, I pull him in.

I cackle as he sputters when his head pops back up. With a glare, he wraps an arm around my middle and tosses both of us back into the waves. Squealing, I feel his hair, wet and flowing in the ocean, cover my face. I shove his head away from me, laughing when I hear him grunt. He shoves me under again before stepping out of the water. I sit just for a moment before launching myself onto his back.

He pretends to stagger before falling to his knees and rolling us so I was squished on my back. “You’re heavy!”

He wiggles down until his middle is between my legs, his butt on the ground. Giving a great sigh, he leans back, wrapping my legs around him and cushioning his head against my breasts. Gee, what a convenient pillow. Pervert.

I will admit, I was quite comfortable. The warmth emitted from his back paired with his gentle caresses on my calves lulled me into a relaxed state. I run my fingers through his hair, scratching my nails against his scalp. He makes a noise that sounded suspiciously like a small moan.

“Jonathon?”

“Hmm?”

“What’s going one?”

His head turns a little to glance at me. “What do you mean?”

I bite my lip. This is such an awkward thing to ask a guy. “What are we? Are we like…”

“A couple?”

Blushing, I nod and look away. I feel him move as he gets up, turns around, and hovers above me. His arms settle into the sand on either side of me and his head falls forward until his forehead is against mine.

“Is that what you want?”

“I…I don’t know. Sometimes I feel like you were put in my life just to drive me crazy. Sometimes I think you think I’m just some ignorant human girl who has no place within the supernatural world. But other times, I feel like you really care for me. I’m so confused.”

He soaks in my words, nodding. “I understand. Will you let me speak without interruptions?”

I nod.

“At first, I did think you were an ignorant human girl. I also thought you were put in my life just to make me insane. But then I realized that the supernatural is something you’ve had to deal with every day of your life. You aren’t phased by much and have such a determined attitude about the unknown. You’re brave, almost fearless, and I couldn’t help but respect that.” His fingers ghost over the scarring left from my stomach wound.

Then, he lays a hand against my cheek. “But then, I began to see another side of you. You were silly, carefree, and just so damn cute. I tried to ignore it, I knew it would only lead to trouble, but I’m drawn to you.”

Did he just say I’m cute?

“So then…?” I can’t help but ask.

“I don’t know what will happen. I can’t predict the future. Being with me will only complicate your life, most likely place you in danger. But I still want you with me. Is that horrible of me? Selfish of me to want you despite the fact you could be harmed?”

I run a finger along his brow and along his cheekbone. He closes his eyes, sighs, and leans into my touch. My arms come around his neck, hugging him to me. His nose nudges against my neck and below my ear.

“No.” I whisper. “It’s not horrible of selfish, because I want the same thing.”

He pulls back and smiles, rubbing my jaw with his hands. His fingers gently outline my lips before he dips down, capturing them with his. I arch into him, needing to feel the heat of his skin against my still damp, chilled flesh. An arm comes around my waist, pulling me up into him. The other arm cushions beneath my neck, supporting his weight.

My hands drift down to his chest, rubbing the muscles as they settle on his waist. Just as felt like I would self-combust, all of a sudden I was no longer in Limbo, but being dragged across the grass, pain searing across my scalp.