For the damned | ✓

prologue

She moved to put on the flowy white dress patterned with forget-me-nots that she had in her hands and Mateo went through the wall, giving her privacy to change. Once she was done she spoke her mantra of the day to herself in the mirror, smiling as she caught her eye. This was going to be a good day and if not, she was going to make it one. Her phone went off and she glanced at it, picking it up and trying to block Mateo's chatter next to her out as she headed downstairs.

"I'm in front of your house, bitch, get out here."

"Good morning to you too, Rosh," she chuckled, grabbing an apple off the fruit bowl in her living room and looking out of the window. "You didn't forget James, did you?"

"It's exactly because I brought him along that you need to get out here right now, he's annoying the fuck out of me."

"You know I can hear you, right?" she heard James in the background.

"Thank you for letting me know, I wasn't aware you were capable of listening."

She chuckled, walking to her front door before they could kill each other. Her mother wasn't home often thanks to work, but she never had felt lonely growing up with Roshan and James. They lived in the same neighbourhood and had done almost everything together ever since they were young, though Roshan and James' personalities clashed so much it was a surprise they could even bear to be around each other at times. Still, she knew that beneath their constant bickering was a solid friendship, even if they disagreed.

Here they were, after all those years together, ready to attend the same college. Her mother was busy, so Roshan had offered to drive them there, his navy cabrio parked in front of her house, roof open. She took two of her suitcases and pulled them outside, Mateo's hands going right through it in a futile attempt to help. She smiled at him, before greeting the woman sitting on her fence, waiting for the Reaper to guide her to the next life.

"He didn't come today either, Dolores?" she said.

"Not yet," Dolores sighed," he sure is taking his sweet time."

"He's probably quite busy," Delilah reassured her," being one man in charge of the whole world after all."

"If you really do want to move on," Mateo told her," you should get at least five miles away from Delilah here. I've been on the run of the Reaper for six years now and surprisingly he still hasn't found me."

"I don't know where you got this theory from that I scare him away," Delilah said amusedly," he might have just forgotten you, with how much he has to do."

"Hopefully it stays that way," Mateo shivered," I don't want him near me."

A lot of ghosts she had seen were scared of the Grim Reaper she had noticed, but to her he had always seemed so kind. Someone who guided the lost and lonely without a price, so pure-hearted the world would most likely glow in his presence. So above all, hopefully Mateo's unlikely assumption wasn't right, because she would love to meet him one day and have tea.

"Who are you talking to?" Roshan shouted," did a cat catch your attention again?"

"Do you need help?" James called out right after, but before she could even answer he was already on his way to her.

Delilah quietly wished Dolores good luck before turning to James, whose serious face looked concerned once he neared. He always had been too quickly worried, even if it didn't fit his normally stoic expression. Autumn resided in his skin, even amongst the lingering summer warmth, the frost in his gaze melting once you got to know him better. Science was his only law in the world, but he still never complained while listening to her talk, even when she never had cared much for logic anyway.

"Why didn't you let me know?" James fretted, taking the suitcase handles from her hands," I would've come immediately." His eyes widened once he noticed the other two in the hallway, lips parting. "There's more? What are you bringing?"

"All my essentials," she said as she started pulling on the other two," I can't leave anything important behind."

"Just because you only need one bag for the five physics books you have," Roshan shouted," doesn't mean the rest of us don't want to arrive in style."

"You think that insults me?" James scoffed," style means nothing to me."

Roshan looked over his narrow sunglasses, raising an eyebrow. "That's very clear to me."

Mateo laughed, but Delilah just shook her head good-heartedly, James trying to take another one of her suitcases from her hands on their way over.

"I'd offer my help," Roshan said," but prince Charming over here already rushed to your aid."

"Oh shut up," James scowled at him, his cheeks tinting red.

Roshan rolled his eyes, before amusedly flicking them to her. He always had looked ethereal in blue, nails matching with his sweater, his golden jewelry glittering with every movement. James took the suitcases from her hands before she could even lift them, Mateo taking a place in the backseat even though no one could see him.

"I'm telling you from my wise perspective," he said," that guy has a crush on you."

Before she could even say anything Roshan gestured for her to get in, so she joined right beside Mateo. Once everyone was seated he drove off, her childhood home far behind her as they continued on. Tomorrow she would officially be studying astronomy and her new life would start.

Little did she know that in twenty-four hours she'd be running from the Grim Reaper.