Linked

9: don't do it.

"Hey," Suji answered without looking up from her phone as Sol, Jamila, and I entered the apartment.

I sat down next to Suji on the couch and laid my head on her lap. "I nearly died."

"And I'm glad you didn't," Suji answered, still refusing to look up.

Sol flopped down on the floor and grabbed the remote that was sitting on the coffee table. "We just stopped a robbery by the way," he said bitterly as he turned on the TV and went to Netflix.

Jamila awkwardly sat on the couch next to the couch Suji and I were on.

"What are you doing?" I asked Suji.

"Making a Tinder," Suji answered, eyes glued to the phone.

"I was gonna make one but I changed my mind. I need to actually see and know the guy I'm talking to. You can't believe those profile pics," I said.

Suji finally looked up and narrowed her eyes at Jamila. "First there's a demon. Now there's a ghost. Why the fuck is there a ghost in my house?"

Jamila hesitantly waved at Suji. "Um...hi..."

"She's fine. She helped us deal with the robbers," I told Suji before a thought came to my mind. "Will I get fired? I mean, I left before the police came..."

"You're obviously gonna get fired," Sol answered as he flipped through shows.

"Don't change the topic! There's a ghost in my house and I don't like it!" Suji cried.

I lifted my head off her lap and sat up. "Sol, you never got the zip ties off my wrists."

"Stop complaining. I saved your life. That should be enough. Besides, you look cute in zip ties," Sol said, clicking on the show The Sinner. "Yo. Is this show good?"

"Never seen it," I answered before facing Jamila. "Have you seen it?"

"No," Jamila answered.

Suji stood up. "Stop ignoring me!"

Sol, Jamila, and I grew silent.

"Finally," Suji said in relief.

Ortega barged into the apartment. "Yo! Where's my phone!?"

"Ugg! I just got them to shut up!" Suji groaned.

"I took your phone," Sol answered, taking Ortega's phone out of his pockets.

Ortega froze. "Who are you!?"

"Sol Eguiluz," I answered.

"But isn't he dead!?" Ortega cried.

"He's a demon now and my soul is linked to him because of you," I answered.

"Wait! A demon!? And how is your soul linked to him because of me!? I have no memory of doing that!" Ortega cried.

"Sol was trapped inside of a compass you stole from Lucky 7 and I dropped it and it freed Sol and caused us to get out souls linked," I answered.

"Whoa! I did!?" Ortega cried.

I sighed. Looks like I'm going to have to explain how things became the way they are every time Ortega sees Sol. It's going to get annoying very quick.

"There's a ghost in here," Sol said.

Ortega's eyes lit up. "For real! Cool!"

"Hi!" Jamila cried, even though she knew Ortega couldn't see or hear her.

"Yo, get me some scissors," I told Ortega, showing him my wrists. He nodded and entered the kitchen.

"Heeeyyyyy!" Suji screamed, shutting us all up. "No more interruptions! There's a ghost in here and I want to know why before I kick her out!"