The Ghost (Ghost #1)

Chapter 38

Lia

We're lying in my bed, unable to fall asleep.

Blake has already texted his dad, telling him that he's staying at my place for the weekend, so we could talk freely.

I've told him everything about my parents' abandonment, my homelessness, the rape, my dad, the time I spent with him, and even my fighting.

He took it pretty well once he heard all of it, the initial shock slowly wearing off, giving way to understanding.

My dad gave us the space we need, staying in his bedroom. He knows I should be the one to lay it all out to Blake. But I know that he's still awake, ready to intervene anytime.

"Remind me to never piss you off." Blake chuckles. I have my head in the crook of his shoulder, running my finger over his bare chest, tracing his dragon tattoo, while his arm is around me, stroking my skin.

He tries to dispel the tense atmosphere, and damn him, it works.

"I won't hurt you even if I'm pissed, unless you do something to hurt me." I assure him. I would never hurt him.

"Daamn, I'm dating the Ghost. That's way cooler than just Lia Clarke, the school's invisible nerd." I laugh at him. He always manages to turn everything to him.

"Why? Don't like boring Lia no more?" I ask him in mock seriousness.

"No. I love boring Lia. And her being a badass fighter is just an extra." He gives me a cheeky smile before kissing my forehead.

"Did you just seriously call me boring?!" I exclaim, pretending to be offended. He tenses under me, his hand stopping on my arm. He averts his wide eyes from me, mulling over how to get out of this.

"Just kidding. You're so easy to tease." I laugh at his dumbstruck expression. "You're taking it really well, you know." I quietly tell him, confused. I was expecting him to react like earlier, not just accept everything so easily.

"You've told me about your past before, so I knew most of it. You just omitted this one part and, after hearing about your dad and all, I get why you did that. I should have thought about your circumstances first before snapping at you. I'm sorry." He tugs me to him and I understand his wish, getting on his chest, my legs tangled with his and our bodies pressed against each other. He can't simply pull me onto him like he's used to because of my stab wound.

"I'm surprised I haven't put it together earlier, actually. – he pecks my nose as I lie on him. – First, you managed to break my clock, even though I've been smashing it with my hand everyday for months and it still worked. You've beaten up that dickhead really bad, you effortlessly threw Victoria 10 feet away from me by her hair and you're the exact same build as Ghost. I've been watching your fights ever since you first came here, and I never noticed it's you. Now that I think of it, your ribs were hurt right at the same time as Ghost disappeared, so that should've been my first clue." I lean my head on my crossed arms, just listening to him talking, but one thing catches my attention.

"What do you mean the exact same build as Ghost? You were checking her out?" I decide to play jealous and tease him.

"Uh, - he stammers – yeah." – he gives up with a sigh.

"Even today, well yesterday actually – he corrects, glancing at the clock – I thought you're... well... hot. I've always found you attractive, despite not seeing your face. There's always been something about you that made you different; the way you carried yourself, how you acted, how you didn't get corrupted by that damn place. The reason I've been even more of a player this year than earlier was because of Ghost. I knew I could never get her, so I just used the girls I could. Who would've thought my wish would come true, and Ghost would be mine." He cups my cheek, caressing it with his thumb adoringly and I almost melt.