Judges

Chapter Thirty Two

1994

I move through the streets, silently, looking for my own house. There has to be some way to find him. To communicate.

For the first time, I can do anything I want.

Technically, I'm cheating death, but I have to find Jared, and explain. I have to explain everything  to him.

The city blurs as I run, and I see him walking slowly down the street ahead of me.

Jared.

He looks the same as when we first met.

 "Jared." I say as I catch up to him. He looks over.

"Jared, I'm here. Right now. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

 "What are you doing here?"

I gasp. "You can see me?"

"I can hear you. I can only see you if I squint."

"How?"

"I don't know. I guess heaven isn't as flawless as it seems."

I laugh. "I came back to apologize."

"I know. You don't have to. I realized afterwards that everything was sudden, that I wasn't talking to the Augusta I had been thinking about all year. And what does it matter, we're only fifteen. I made the mistake here."

"I'm not judging you anymore." He's quiet. "I'm actually breaking the rules by coming back, I technically can't be here."

"Is that why no one else can see you?"

"I suppose."

"Let's be real here, since I know you like that." I flinch. "I really do care about you, and I know you must care about me somewhat, breaking the rules to come back."

"I do, I said I do."

"Then let's let this take time. Do you have to go?"

"I'm going to follow you to school today, you might run into the real Augusta. She's back, I guess, now that I'm gone."

"I think you should see her. She's quieter and less pushy than you." He laughs.

"Fine."

We walk to the school, and just as the bell rings Jared sits down in homeroom behind the real Augusta, who sits next to a blonde girl who I recognize as Julia. They chatter quietly as Mrs. Grove drones on about thermal energy.

Jared doodles on his notebook.

Augusta raises her hand a few times to ask questions while Julia makes snide remarks about Mrs. Grove's hair under her breath.

I decide to sleep, and rest my head on the desk that appears to be 'empty' to everyone else. Outside it starts to rain softly, but all of a sudden the lights begin to flicker. The students start to mutter and ignore Mrs. Grove.

"Class, class, please pay attention." The lights flicker again and someone yells, "If the lights go out I'm outta here!"

"Nate, I will call your mother if you don't settle down. We have to learn about energy today."

"Screw energy, we can't keep learning with the lights flickering like this, it's a major distraction.  I want to go home."

The rain gets louder and hits the windows with a thud, thud, thud, hard rhythm.

"Mrs. Grove, this is some freak weather we're having. Dorian Wickham on the news said that we were supposed to have clear skies today."

"Dorian Wickham. Hmph, who trusts weathermen nowadays?" says Mrs. Grove. "If the lights don't stop I'll go down to the office to see if we can do something about it."