Amaranthine (Editing)

Chapter 9 - Haunting Past

Chapter Nine: Haunting Past

I couldn’t get over the unease that the dream had left me with. Talk about the world’s worst cliff hanger, I had to know what happened next and yet no matter how much I slept I couldn’t get back to the dream.

It was now Wednesday afternoon and I haven’t been to school since Monday, I have spent the past two days sleeping as much as I could, trying to go back, but it never worked. I also have not seen Liam since Monday, he promised when he got back he would start answering my questions…I knew exactly where I was going to start.

Stacy came over Tuesday after school to bring me my homework, and thankfully a bowl of her grandma’s chicken noodle soup. She stayed for a while and chatted—I apologized immensely for my odd behavior at Lisa’s, but she said she and the others understood, the “flu” apparently can make people loopy.

I was tired of my fruitless attempts at bringing the dream back—no matter how much I concentrated or how much I slept, I couldn’t get it back—thanks to Emily, who thought apparently it was more important for me to hear about Amanda’s new boy of the week and how she got caught with him in the gym storage room, then for me to find out what happened next with Liam’s wife, or who that lady was that he was with.

Okay well it wasn’t like Emily knew I was having a dream slash vision of the past about my new phantom friend. So I couldn’t necessarily blame her, but I was still irritated that she had woken me up for the useless piece of information.

Finally I got out of bed and made my way to the shower, after that I pulled on a pair of jeans and tossed on the first t-shirt I found. Tossing my hair up in a quick bun, I made my way downstairs. I didn’t know how this whole necklace-connection-to-Liam thing worked, but I was about to find out.

I stomped in to the living room and yelled, “Liam!” Slowly I did a complete three-sixty scanning every inch of the room—nothing. “Liam, I don’t know if you can hear me, or how this stupid thing works, but if you can, you better get your phantom ass in here!” Again I circled the living room, this time making my way to the kitchen.

“Okay, now…I am talking to myself,” I said quietly, barely opening my mouth and shifting my eyes around while I tip toed around the house. “God, and I thought I was crazy before. And here I am trying to summon an incorporal 17th century Irish man from a necklace that is stuck around my neck. Yes you’re totally sane Rileigh.”

After I circled the house one more time I plopped myself down on the love seat in my mother’s study. “Well that was pointless.” I leaned my head back for a moment and when I brought it back up Liam was standing directly in front of me—wearing the same loose fitting white shirt and black pants as always, thank goodness his clothes went incorporeal with him—I brought my hand to my mouth just in time to keep the slight scream from escaping as jumped back in surprise.

“Actually luv, I found it rather fascinating.” Liam remarked as he crossed his arms and leaned against my mother’s desk.

The only words I could form at that instant were, “It worked…” and those barely came out a whisper. Liam in turn let out a slight chuckle.

“Yes, I heard your shouting, next time, not so loud huh? And now that my phantom ass—” he mocked me, “is here, what is it?”

Once my heart beat finally slowed to a semi-normal pace I stood up and stomped over to Liam, “What is it? What is it? Are you freaking kidding me?”

He raised an eyebrow, acting as if he had no idea what I was talking about.

“You took off with some cryptic prior engagements crap—which by the way I find entirely hard to comprehend considering I'm the only one who can see you—then you’re gone for two days! Two days Liam! I said I had questions, you said you would answer such questions. I have tried being patient but I have lost all patience with you. So now, you’re going to start talking!” I felt my face heat up as my voice rose with each syllable. By the time I was done my rant I realized if I was any closer to Liam I would be standing…well…in him.Awkward.