Between Two Hearts

Proud

Rory's pov

"Okay before you freak out let me explain." I subconsciously pinched my skin and widened my eyes. My mouth dropped open as I saw the two emerald green eyes connect with a body of the only boy I've ever loved.

"Am I dreaming?"

"No. "

"Am I high?"

"Not- not that I know of?"

"Am I dead?"

"God no."

"Then what the hell. Aren't you dead?" He looked down at his body and held out his arms. Then nodded in approval.

"Well yeah, seems like I'm in fact still dead." I started to breath quicker and shallower and I felt myself at a loss for words. I hadn't hallucinated since my mom had died. And even then it wasn't this realistic.

"Ro, babe. You need to take deep breaths. Let me explain." I blinked and took a deep breath.

"I am dead, I died and came to a place called AfterLife. I met pride-one of the seven deadly sins. Even though he's more of like a little dumb puppy rather then a- anyways" he took a step closer and I felt myself gulp.

"Pride told me about haunting, and I knew right then that I would do anything to come back. I'm not ready to leave you and my life yet. So I illegally went to this creepy forest like it was out of a horror movie and well" he gestured to me in front of him.

"Now I'm here." Caleb smiled and I stood there frozen.

It felt like minutes of an awkward silence.

"Rory?? Are you there?" I collected myself as best as I could.

"Physically yes. Mentally? That's debatable." He looked at me with sad eyes and everything kind of set it.

I was here. Caleb was here. And we were together. This is everything I've wanted in the past months. Why does it feel so- fake? It feels like when you're driving And it's raining and you go underneath a bridge, and just for a second everything is calm and peaceful. And then the shit hits the fan and everything spirals out of control again and the rain comes back.

"Is it, it's really you?" We took a step towards each other.

"It really is." Caleb grinned at me and I smiled while studying his ghostly face. I reached out to touch his cheek in hopes he was actually real and I wasn't just imagining this 

I felt his rosy cheeks again, his soft warm (yet creepy cold) skin, I saw his happy sparkle in his eyes yet again, the glimmer in his golden hair, the new somewhat transparent body he had, and the less bright skin and more of a grayish color. 

"C-Caleb?"

"Yes?" I felt tears come to my eyes while my cheeks starting getting redder and my frown turned into a smile.

"It's really you. It's really you!" I jumped into his arms and hugged him tightly. Where I would usually feel and heart his heartbeat was replaced with an empty sound. A tear rolled down my cheek, I couldn't tell if it was happy or sad.

"My Caleb."

"My Rory." I let go from him and stood back.

"Sorry, I must've been squeezing the life outta you. I just really missed you-"

I heard him clear his throat and I realized what I said.

"Oh my god I didn't mean that, is that like mean to say to a dead person??"

"For some people I think, I was just messing with you though."

~~~~

"Soooo, what's happened since I have been gone?" I sat down next to Caleb on my bed and gulped, knowing I had to tell him. And knowing what was gonna be the outcome.

"Well.. uhhh." I looked at him and he raised his eyebrows. I reposition where I was sitting to face him, cross cross applesauce style.

"Okay so, we'll one. Mia and mason finally started dating or something."

"Fucking finally. " we chuckled and I continued.

"Um, your parents missed you a lot. I thought they wouldn't talk to me without you here but I sleepover your house a lot still. So, that's nice." I noticed the sad look on his face, I put my hand on his leg and looked at him. He came back from zoning out.

"Caleb, don't feel bad. It's okay. "

"I just, I caused everyone so much pain. "

"Well. Think of that as a way of showing how much everyone loved you. " he let out a sad smile and I sighed knowing that I had to tell him now.

"There's one more important thing. Um I-" I cleared my throat and brushed my hair behind my ear.

"So there's this um, guy. " I looked at calebs eyes to see something flicker in his eyes and his face change.

"You know when we went to the beach? The guy from the beach and I well, we're dating." His eyes widened and he swallowed.

"Oh. "

"Oh?"

"Congrats?"

"What is it?"

"He's your first boyfriend. And I wasn't here to be by you. I'm missing out on everything important. "

"No you aren't, you're here now right?"

"I guess. "

There was another shift in the energy and this time it was a comfortable silence instead of a awkward one.

"Your mom would be proud of you rory." I looked back at him, pain shooting through my heart.

"I'm proud of you too, in case I didn't say it enough. I'm proud of you." I smiled and another tear fell down my cheek. Caleb patted his chest and I scooted over to next to him.

I laid my head on his chest and pulled the blanket on us, more like pulled the blanket in me but- you know.

He stroked my head and played with my hair until I fell asleep. And for once, I prayed that this wasn't just a dream.