Apparitions ( Graser10 & Stacyplays )

011

Z a c h a r y

    I hovered over my bowl of ceral as I gazed out into the dark morning. Snow filled streets and yellow streetlights making everything wonderful. Everyone's  Christmas decorations took a lovely toll on the area.

    A knock on my front door made me jump. Pjs still on, I hadn't even put on my school uniform yet. Cold air hit me and a red blotchy face shown through the scarf. Stacy held two Go Cups of something, and she pushed herself in forcefully.

     "Why are you here?" I grabbed her coat off of her, "It's freezing out and you're wearing your skirt."

     She shoved a cup at me, "School was just canceled. I thought you'd like to know before you came to pick me up. I made hot chocolate."

     I set my cup down and trapped her between me and the kitchen island, her hair ridden with snowflakes, "You're adorable. What sane person walks through two feet of snow to give her boyfriend a drink?"

     Not telling if she blushed, or was still cold, I hugged her, as she spoke again, "Can we cuddle in your room or your couch?"

     "My room sounds very nice." I was muffled now, buried deep into her shoulder.

     Stacy giggled, "Your breath is making me warmer."

Memory 06

S t a c y

     I'd straddled his waist in the heat of his bed. The nice comfy feeling making me want to fall forward onto him and drift into sleep. I started to wiggle, making him wake up immediately.

     "What?" He was rude in his groggy state.

     I tried not to roll my eyes, "No school."

     "How do you know?" He was suddenly more interested.

     Shrugging, I got off of him and stood up, "The TV, and Will called. Can I lay with you? You look warm."

     His squinted eyes looked at me, the hallway light casting my shadow right on his face, "Why? Is Josh's bed cold? I can turn up the furnace if you want."

     My mouth decided to let out a very disappointed voice, "Oh. Yeah, I guess you could do that. His room isn't cold. I just wanted to lay with- I forgot. It's silly. I know."

     "You forgot what?" Zach propped himself up on his elbow.

     Quickly, I looked away embarrassed at my stupidity, "The party, me dying, what happened. It just slipped my mind that things aren't right between us. Everything felt normal for a minute. I'm sorry."

     "I mean." He paused, "Stacy do you think I don't like you anymore?"

     "No. Uh. Yeah? Kinda? I don't know. Everything now is awkward, we can't have a decent moment without a stale part. And I feel like I'm in the way." I still looked away.

     Sappy Zachary shown through to make me feel guilty, "You still hate me from the party huh?"

     "Where you still planning on going to college out of state after I died? You need to follow your dreams Zachary." I felt guilty now.

     He shrugged, "School is still important. I want to continue on with good grades, but everything was so hard. You could've came and visted."

     I looked at my feet, "We would've broke up. Will and I would be going to Michigan State, and.... That whole dream we talked about from way back in middle school would be crushed."

     "And you couldn't stand that. I know. I just wished you didn't overhear that conversation. Everything would've been better if we talked over ice cream or something. You wouldn't if died Stacy." He shook his tired head.

     "I feel like I should've calmed down and talked to you before I ran out into the woods." I laughed.

     He started to laugh as well, "You slapped me and sprinted away. If we did this back in September, none of anything going on right now would be happening."

      "How bad was it? Afterwards?" I asked, finally turning around.

      Frozen, I could practically see the memories falling through his mind, "The day we went back to school they had a memorial for you. I-I didn't go, I didn't do anything. I sat in my room for two months until my dad told me I was going to therapy."

      "People thought I was insensitive, my whole family isn't here. I haven't even seen my brother since your funeral. Everyone abandoned me because they thought I needed to cope. But all I wanted was a hug. And I was too afraid to ask for one."

     Watching his movement as he wiped away a tear, I wondred if he was having a bout of scitzofrenia. His eyes closed, and body hunched up. I sat down next to him and wrapped my arms around his frame. Warmer, somehow, than his bed, he leaned into me.

     "Do you still want to lay with me?" He asked, the tears gone, and small smile apparent.

     I grinned, "Of course."