For the damned | ✓

3

"Hello," she replied back in a hurry, immediately offering him a drink," James, right?"

He nodded absentmindedly at her, turning to Delilah after. She had finally noticed what had been off about her friend though, attention on her as Theresa tried to gather herself. Even if she had said she had sworn off love, it was quite clear it hadn't sworn off her.

"Romance is in the air," Roshan mouthed at Delilah, shaking his head as if the scent of it alone made him nauseous.

She was about to reply when Mateo popped up out of nowhere, wildly waving his hands like he wasn't standing right in front of her.

"I found Jonathan," he said.

"Can you guys excuse me for a second?" Delilah said.

"Where are you going?" Roshan frowned.

"I can come with?" James offered, slightly hopefully.

"Tell them you're going to the ladies' room," Mateo told her.

"I need to go to the ladies' room," she repeated without hesitation.

Roshan nodded, James' cheeks flushing red in embarrassment. She was off before Theresa could come along, following Mateo to the first floor. It was quite difficult to do so when he literally walked through people and she had to weave her way through the crowd, but one way or the other she finally made it up. It would have been quite difficult to distinguish who was Jonathan among the swarm of frat boys around her, were it not for the ghost who was floating in circles around him.

"I got him here," Mateo said proudly.

She smiled in silent thanks, reaching Jonathan a moment later. He was the center of attention here and it was easy to see he thrived on it, a wide grin on his face as he ran a hand through his messy, dark curls. When she got up to where he was standing, surrounded by his friends, he looked her up and down, before letting his expression settle into a smirk. Mateo looked ready to fight beside her, seeming to forget Jonathan couldn't see him as he straightened his back and glared at him.

"What's up, babe?" Jonathan drawled," can I do something for you?"

"Oh, quit it," the ghost beside them said with a roll of his eyes," he always tries to act like this big guy around his friends."

"He should be glad I am dead," Mateo glowered," because otherwise..."

"Otherwise nothing," the ghost frowned, before adding when Mateo raised his eyebrows at him," Jonathan can't fight." He turned back to Delilah, gesturing at himself. "Tell him it's Logan."

"You can actually," Delilah said," I have to tell you something. Can you come along?"

His friends started grinning and shouting, Jonathan gesturing for them to stop, though he didn't really seem to mind. "Anything you want to tell me you can do in front of my friends."

"It's regarding Logan," she said.

Whatever amusement had been glittering in his eyes died immediately, replaced by the first real emotion she had seen in him. He put too much pressure in the cup he had been holding in his hand, the liquor splashing over him, but he didn't seem to notice. Instead he stared at her, his lips only parting when he realized everyone was staring at him.

"Let's go," he said curtly.

She turned around, two ghosts and a fraternity president right behind her. To be honest, this was her first time in the house and she had no idea where to go, so she just walked downstairs, pausing beside the stairway, the crowd hiding them from the view. He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms as he looked at her. It was only now she noticed the dark shadows under his eyes, the way he had completely closed off.

"What do you want to tell me about Logan?" he said.

She knew what to say, had done this many times before. Going in straight away with the fact that his dead friend was talking to her never worked, so instead she looked over at Logan, ignoring Jonathan's confused look.

"What is something only you know?" she said.

"What are you talking about?" Jonathan frowned.

"He hates the color green," Logan blurted.

"More specific," she edged on.

"When his parents divorced it didn't make him believe in love anymore."

"Too specific," Mateo said.

"Okay," Delilah said, turning her attention to Jonathan and taking his hand in hers so she could stop him from running. "I know you lost Logan and I am terribly sorry for your loss."

"How did you know him?" Jonathan said stiffly, gaze flicking curiously from her hand on his to her eyes.

"I didn't," she said," but I can see ghosts and he's come to find me to relay a message." Before Jonathan could interrupt her she continued on, eyes clear as she looked at him. "He's here right now. I know this sounds fake, but you can ask me whatever and he'll answer the way he would."

"Stop talking bullshit," Jonathan spat, fury coloring him sharply.

"I am not," she said," he just told me you hate the color green and that you stopped believing in love after your parents divorced."

Jonathan blinked in surprise, parting his lips, but she spoke again.

"Wouldn't you want to know for sure instead of living in uncertainty your whole life that you missed the chance to speak to him one last time?"

That got the anger out of him and he bit his lip pensively, a question leaving his lips a moment later.

"Alright," he said," if it's truly Logan with you, ask him my dream job."

"You don't have one," she said, repeating the words Logan was telling her," you once told him your dream was marrying rich. You think you'd make a good trophy husband."

Jonathan's eyes had widened as he looked around in disbelief. "Logan, is it really you?"

"It is!" Logan shouted back, jumping up and down in excitement.

"He can't hear you," Mateo informed him.

When nothing moved Jonathan shook his head, collecting himself again.

"Okay," he said," say I believe you, what is his message to me? Tell me." He swallowed, voice more sincere this time. "Please."

"I just really want him to know that I -" Logan began.

He never got to finish his sentence, because a second later he disappeared into the scythe that swished by, Mateo letting out a high-pitched scream. It felt like time was going really slow as Delilah turned to the person who was standing behind her, his eyes glowing with stars in the shadows.

"I thought I sensed a wayward soul," the Grim Reaper said.