Roach

Chapter 31

The next morning was filled with hustle and bustle of moving. Merrick had to not only find, but ensure we had our passports. Looking at royal coat of arms, really makes me miss being home. I hope Mum is okay, I hope no one told her I was dead. That would be a bad way to start Christmas.

Ghost and I sit next to each other the whole way to Manchester. Merrick drives us to the airport, our plane tickets are first class, and beside one another. Ghost's eyes kept searching for something on the plane, he looked uncomfortable. He's wearing a face mask over his balaclava since we're in public, a baseball cap. One with the signature rose of Englands rugby team. Honestly it makes me a bit jealous of it, since he never once told me he enjoyed watching the games. I always felt his eyes were out of spite, and he enjoyed football more with the rest of the guys.

When we land, I take a deep breath, excited to be home after all those sporadic trips. I wasn't able to visit as much as I wanted, due to Shepherds command really. We'd always get strange off days that never covered travel time, never covered the long plane rides home. Except a handful of times, like Cal's wedding, one random Christmas, and one of Mum's birthdays. Ghost practically drags me through customs and the like, getting our luggage and getting in a cab that'd take us to where all the rental cars are.

"Ghost? You doin okay? You seem to be limping more than normal..."

"I'm fine, bug," he glances over to me. "Amazed you even noticed since your head's been in the clouds since we landed."

"Guess I can't believe we're really home. Like it's a dream... guess it means I gotta worry more about Mum than before. Since I'm really here."

"Well, I hope you can contain yourself long enough for us to get a ride and eat. I have a reservation to keep."

"Oh? Is that so?"

"It is."

He gives me this playful, almost teasing, look over his sunglasses before looking back to the man that's helping us. Ghost seems to be hustling his dream car, all while I'm worried about Mum over the dinner he asked me to.

"Is this a date?" I ask, though my eyes go wide when I realize it wasn't asked in my head.

"You noticed?" A small chuckle escapes him. "Well, bug, if you must know. It is. I did ask you out and you took the bait. You can't turn back now."

"A date... w.. wait-- Ghost--"

He doesn't look at me again, as he finishes the deal. The cars brought around and brought to us faster than it should. It feels like everything's moving faster after he said that. Ghost takes my luggage and puts it in the boot. He gets in the drivers side then looks at me as I try to grasp at what's really going on.

"Thought you liked me, mate. Now get in before I leave you."

I do as he's told. There's not else I can do, since "did he just admit he liked me?" I question, thankfully in my head this time. As he drives, I keep trying to find his angle. There's no way someone like him would, in anyway, like me enough to "ask me out".

Ghost drives us through Manchester, finding parking fairly quickly. We get out and walk around some of the lightly colored brick buildings until he stops in front of "HAWKSMOOR". The sign rests on a black trim that bleeds down to large black doors that are already open. It reveals brown double doors which lead into a beautifully built interior. Ghost holds up two fingers and lightly talks with the guy saying "We should be under Simon Riley." His name stops me, I know it, yet it's so foreign. As of 'Simon Riley' doesn't exist, only in the faint sense of the word. He hardly ever uses his real name. Hearing it tickles my ears, as if I'm hearing a secret that shouldn't be.