"No. I would call you crazy... again." The hairs on the back of Koda's neck stood on end. He froze and didn't dare turn round. He didn't believe in ghosts, but Alfie was staring at something behind him like there was somebody there.
"I guess there's some truth to that." Alfie studied Koda's mother and the medium saw their similarities. They both had dark hair with the glow of chestnut against the light. Though his mother's eyes were brown and Koda's were hazel, the shape was the same; round with dark eyelashes. They were big eyes and in perfect proportion with the rest of his face. "Well, your son's here. You have the chance to talk to him."
When Alfie spoke to someone who Koda couldn't see, his mind started to spin. Crazy was an understatement. He didn't know Alfie at all. Why should he believe anything he said? "I can't." He quickly stood up, moving straight through the apparition of his mother. He shivered and zipped up his jacket. "This is too weird. I don't know what you're trying to prove here, but I don't want to be a part of it."
When he turned, Alfie jumped out of his own seat and ran around him. "Koda, please. I've been trying to tell you this all week. Your mother wants to talk to you! Please don't leave; she'll make my life so hard if you don't stay!"
Koda placed his hands on Alfie's shoulders, and the teen stopped. His heart, once again, sped up to unnatural speeds. His entire body warmed, his senses screamed. Alfie could only focus on the weight of his hands until Koda used them to move him out of the way. "I'm sorry. I don't believe any of this."
Then his hands were gone, and Koda was moving quickly down the hall.
"Just give me a chance to prove it to you!" Alfie wasn't prepared to give up. He would do anything for Koda and getting him to communicate with his mother would help him find closure in her death. "Koda!" His crush stopped, but he didn't turn around.
"I still wake up in the morning and expect to see my mother sitting in her chair in the living-room. I tell her I'm home when I walk through the door and I forget that I'll never get a reply." Koda turned his head and stared at the short kid from the corner of his eye. "How am I supposed to talk to the ghost of her when I can't accept that she's gone?"
Alfie heard the crack in his voice. He wanted to hold him, and he wanted Koda to crave his comfort. It pained Alfie to know that Koda had no idea who he was, but that was Alfie's fault. He was never brave enough to reveal his feelings. "You need time," Alfie said quietly. For once, his voice wasn't lined with sarcasm. He felt just as vulnerable as Koda. "I'll give you time, but please don't give up on this. I want to help you."
Koda let out a long and pained sigh like it hurt to breathe. Alfie thought he would reply, but Koda moved forwards and left without looking back.
When the door closed behind him, Molly popped her head out of the kitchen, staring down the hall at her son. "Do you know him?" she asked, frowning when Alfie looked visibly defeated. His shoulders drooped, and his permanent smirk curled the opposite way. He looked tired, fragile and small.
"Do I know him?" Alfie repeated to himself, forcing out a humourless laugh. "I'm going to bed."
Molly watched him desert his office and drag his exhausted body towards his room. She knew that when Alfie could see spirits, they drained his energy. It wasn't just mentally tiring; it was physically hard for her son to maintain the connection, especially when he was stressed.
"I love you!" she called after him and heard his mumbled response and fading steps as he went upstairs.
* * * * *
Alfie didn't see Koda's mother after Saturday's events, or Mister Dorinto. His Sunday was filled with clients, so he forced his other troubles away and focused on the ones in the present.
When Monday morning arrived, Alfie decided that he wasn't going to make himself depressed over something he couldn't control. Koda didn't believe in ghosts. No matter how hard Alfie tried, some people's beliefs were impossible to crack open, and Alfie didn't want it to feel like he was forcing Koda to believe in something he couldn't.
Maybe the lack of Koda's mother meant that she moved on and found another medium, but Alfie didn't believe that. Ghosts don't usually move on unless the medium blocks their connection and tells them to leave.
Alfie was early for his art class. He had rejected his father's lift and walked, which seemed to be more effective. His mother hated it when he refused lifts because he used to use it as an opportunity to skip lessons. Though his art teacher was right, he did say he would try this year.
Nobody was outside the room when Alfie arrived. The door was locked, so he slumped onto the cold marble floor. The college had excellent aircon, but it was a little too good in Alfie's opinion. He felt chilly.
He pulled his knees up to his chest and listened to the tapping of different shoes against the floor. As always, the rhythm calmed him, but a pair of feet were getting closer, and he knew it would be another student, so he didn't look up, even when the big feet stopped right in front of him.
"Where's your sketchbook?" A deep voice asked.
Alfie's eyes went from looking at the ground to almost staring at the ceiling in less than a second, catching Koda's gaze along the way. "What?" He was shocked. Koda never willingly talked to him at college. Up until last week, Alfie was sure that his crush didn't even know he existed.
Koda looked around before crouching in front of him. "I'll let you borrow my paper if you help me with- with my mother," he whispered. "I know people pay for your time, but I don't have anything right now."
Alfie sat up. Koda Oaks was only a few feet in front of him. He wanted to slide himself as close as he could and gush over the fact that his crush had unquestionably been working harder at the gym. "I'll always help you out. Don't worry about it. I would never charge you."
"Why?" Koda asked, feeling relieved that Alfie didn't demand a large sum of money on the spot.
Because I'm in love with you, Alfie wanted to say, but it seemed like Koda was starting to trust him and he didn't want to freak him out again. He pulled himself up and held out a hand. "Paper please."
"So, you'll help?"
To see the gleam of hope in Koda's eyes was enough to rise Alfie's happiness out of the grave. "Obviously." Then Koda smiled, and Alfie melted into a hot puddle of affection. He had one of those smiles that made the whole world stop and stare, curling his eyes to make him look cute and innocent. "Um," Alfie cleared his throat before he threw himself at the poor boy, "what changed your mind?"
"You said I needed time and you were right."
"I'm always right."
Koda crossed his arms with a snort, but he couldn't deny his statement yet. Alfie had been right about his grandfathers necklace and right about giving him space. He barely knew the short kid, but he didn't mind his unfiltered personality. It was a breath of fresh air.
"Anyway," Alfie continued, "You only needed one day? You seem to be in a more positive mood."
"I needed enough time to rationalise all of this. I don't believe in ghosts; I don't believe that you can see them and speak to them. I don't believe in your crystal crap either, but I am curious, and I want you to change my mind. Just because I don't believe in ghosts doesn't mean they're not real."
Alfie had narrowed his eyes, but he was amused. "Everything about what you just said is never to be said again. If you insult my crystals one more time, I will burn your sketchbook."
Alfie had a tone that made it hard for Koda to figure out if he was joking or being serious. "What do your crystals even do?"
"Don't make me go down that road because we will never find our way back. Now give me your paper before Miss Pecan sees me empty handed and eats me alive."
Koda's limbs were getting lighter. The dark cloud above his head stopped feeling so dense. For a moment, he forgot about the death of his mother even if he talked to Alfie because of her. The short kid was the only person who didn't treat him like cracked glass, ready to shatter with a gentle breath.
Carefully, he tore some A3 card from his art pad and handed it to his classmate.
Alfie took it, and by accident, the tips of his fingers touched Koda's hand. His insides burst like fireworks. his entire arm tingled with excitement, but it was just a second of contact before Koda moved away, unaware of the emotions swirling through Alfie.
Alfie wanted to tell himself off. He had to calm down. It was just a crush, and he shouldn't feel so head over heels for a guy who probably wasn't even gay.
"So um, how do we do this?" Koda asked. He felt his friend's eyes burning into the back of his head from down the corridor.
"Are you free tonight?" Alfie asked, chewing his lip to stop himself from grinning like an idiot. He has wanted to ask Koda that for years.
"Yes. Shall I come round?"
Alfie could have sworn that he saw a nervous glint in his eyes, but it was gone faster than it appeared. "Yeah. Anytime after six will do."
"Cool. I'll see you then." Koda turned and made his way through the other students, stopping next to his group of friends who glared in Alfie's direction, but Alfie didn't care.
All he could think about was the fact that his crush was coming over to his house, and Koda gave Alfie a chance to prove to him that he could see and talk to ghosts. Yes, Koda might have been hesitant at first, but Alfie was winning his trust. All he needed was for Koda's mother to turn up because if she didn't, it might be game over. Or maybe he could summon Mister Dorinto to move objects in front of Koda's face.
Either way, Alfie knew the spirits would help.