Possession

Chapter Two

Conner

I was cursed, and the feeling only became more prevalently every weekend. Especially this last weekend, watching Oliver separate himself from me and the closed off emotionless look he donned as he walked me to my car on Sunday. It wasn't like I could tell him though, tell him about the stupid mistake I had made before I had asked him out that first time.

Originally it had seemed like a brilliant plan with no flaws. I had always noticed Oliver, hell I was probably more then a little obsessed with him. I would see him walking through the halls, and smiling with his friends as he ran around the track while I practiced with the team, and I wanted to know more. Only problem was I wasn't brave enough to take that first step.

To tell my team, my family that I wasn't perfect, that I would never marry a girl, and that it was too much for me. Problem was, Oliver was here right now, right in front of me and the only thing holding me back was fear. I couldn't do anything about it except hope I worked up the courage before I lost my chance with probably the greatest boy I had ever met.

It was then that he approached me, showing up in my room like a shadowy figure in some cheesy horror movie. At first I thought I had lost it, that the stress of my life was making me see ghost and specters, that I was finally crazy. Then the ghost smiled at me, his frame outlined in blue as he took a seat in my computer chair.

I recognized the ghost of course, his face was plastered all over the schools trophy case after all. Henry Torrent, the school largest record holder and the winner of the national championships eight years ago, the same night he got into a car accident on the way home and was killed. He was the poster boy for not letting your DD get drunk and then drive you home. A lesson that everyone had taken to heart in the area.

Smirking at me the ghost nodded to my bed, and in a echoic voice said, "I think I can help you with your problem."

"What problem?" I snarked, "this is just some dream, and if it isn't, you're dead how are you going to help me?"

Sighing, Henry inspected his nails, though I doubted ghost collected dirt under their cuticles, "I was in love when I died you know. He was everything to me, and I was going to tell everyone that night about my feelings, including him. I had one drink for some courage, and was so engrossed in what and how I would say everything I needed to that I didn't notice how drunk my friend had gotten until we ran face first into a semi."

"Again, what does this have to do with me?" I snarked, my nerves growing as I was starting to realize how real this situation was, and how real the ghost across from me seemed to be.

"When your die with regrets there isn't a whole lot you can do besides watch people and interact with small things," the ghost said, proving his point by trying to sweep his hand across my desk only to cause a few papers to shift about an inch to the left, "I pass the time by watching football and the team. So much time I noticed you, and the cute boy you can't seem to keep your eyes off of."

Blushing I almost denied everything but figured the ghost couldn't really tell anyone my secrets, "What about it?"

"Well," the ghost said, "I kept waiting for you to ask him out, approach him, something. Yet, it has been months and you haven't so much as waved to the kid."

"So," I said, "I am not ready to ask him out? Hell, I am not even ready to admit to anyone that I like guys."

Nodding his head, the ghost sent me a smirk, "That is where I come in. I will get that boy to go out with you, date you, whatever you want. I have the guts to approach him but I don't have a body, you have the body but no guts. What I am thinking is you let me possess you for an hour everyday and I will get the pretty boy to go out with you."

I stopped short, my fear making my heart race, but my mind not shying away from the idea. I realized it was because Henry was right, I didn't have the guts to ask Oliver out. However, Henry did and he was willing to get me a date if I was willing to sacrifice an hour of my day in return. There was just one problem, one question I needed answered before I agreed.

"What do you get out of it besides my body for an hour?" I asked, my voice shaking a little.

Giving me a knowing smirk, like he knew I was interested the ghost shrugged, "When you're dead the one thing you miss most is life. I get to experience life again if you agree, and maybe I can finally find a way to move on. To enter the afterlife and end this endless existence of only able to watch."

I stopped short for all of thirty seconds before I nodded, agreeing to the stupid deal.

Six months later and he had held up his end of the bargain getting me and Oliver together. However, Henry was proving to be quite the playboy during his hour when he took control. The exception was when we were with Oliver, in front of him it was almost like a switch was flipped. He would be a perfect gentlemen, getting Oliver something to drink, treating him with respect the whole nine yards. The second we left however, and it was his turn to drive, all that went out the window. He would make out with strangers, get girls and guys numbers just cause he could. He was someone I wouldn't wanna associate with because the rumors around him would act like a cloud and stick to everyone he interacted with.

Luckily, or I guess unluckily for Henry, nothing too serious could happen in an hour, and besides a few make out sessions with strangers there wasn't enough to jeopardize mine and Oliver's relationship. At least not yet.

Which is why, the second I left Oliver's house I cleared my throat, "Hey Henry, you there?"

The ghost materialized in the seat next to me with a snort, "Of course, though I could have done without the two hour make out session."

Sighing I focused on the road as I said, "I would like you to be a little more careful when you take over. At least until we find a way to get you to move on."

"Careful in what way?" Henry asked his opaque body fading in and out as we passed under street lights.

"No more making out with people who can start rumors around school, nor letting people see you. I don't want it getting back to Oliver, and ruining what we have because of it." I said turning down the country roads towards my house.

Sighing Henry gave me a look, "It isn't like you guys really have anything, you aren't even official boyfriends yet."

Glaring at the ghost he held his hands up in surrender, "Fine, college babes only. However, I think it is about time we started looking for a way to get me to move on."

Giving the ghost a questioning look I said, "What were you thinking?"

"Well," the ghost hummed, "My only regret was not telling the person I loved I loved them. So I was thinking I could write him a letter and you can give it to him saying you found it in your attic or something in a box of my old stuff."

"You think that will be enough," I questioned.

"Not a clue, not like being dead comes with a handbook," Henry said, his gaze a little lost as he glared out the window, "but I can't take him not knowing at all anymore."