Don't Ghost Me

Chapter 6 - Strange Electricity -

After knowing Cait was fast asleep, Reggie paced outside the studio. Unsure of whom to approach first, he contemplated discussing the peculiar sensation of electricity he experienced near Cait with either the boys or Julie. Reggie held onto a glimmer of hope, desperately wishing that this was just a minor issue.

"Hey, Reggie? Are you alright?" Julie's voice startled him, causing him to jump. With concern in her eyes, she looked at him as he struggled with whether to reveal what was going on.

Inhaling deeply, he shook his head. "Something weird is happening, and I don't know if I should be worried." He described the intense sensations that had consumed him every time he'd come in contact with Cait. Reggie further clarified to Julie how she could still see him.

Julie's mouth hung open in surprise, her eyes widening as she tried to process what she was told. She tapped her chin lightly with her index finger, a slight frown on her face as she shrugged, perplexed by the puzzle Reggie had presented. "I think we should tell Luke and Alex. Maybe they can help and, if not, maybe find someone who can."

Reggie nodded, his face etched with concern. "Maybe a medium could help..."

Julie nodded in agreement, instructing Reggie to locate the boys and discuss the matter with her the following morning. "Don't say any of this to Cait. She's already been through enough, and if she finds out, she'll worry too much." Julie's lips curled into a smile, her head tilted to the side as she fixed her gaze on Reggie. "You make her happy, Reggie. And it brings me joy to see her smiling after everything she's going through."

Reggie's face flushed, and he kicked at the ground while jamming his hands into his jacket pocket. "There's just something about her that makes me feel alive."

"That's really sweet of you to say," Julie smiled.

When she turned to go back into the house, Reggie's voice broke the silence, calling her name. "Do you think when we finished our unfinished business, we'll be given a choice to stay or go?" With hopeful eyes, he mustered the courage to ask what had been weighing on his mind.

Julie had a distant gaze as she pondered it, then shrugged with a smile. "I have hope, Reggie. It would make me sad if you guys left."

Julie vanished into the house after bidding goodnight, leaving Reggie lost in his thoughts. He had a hunch about where Luke and Alex might be, so he embarked on a search.

After searching for a few hours, Reggie finally found his two friends sitting on an empty baseball field, their laughter echoing across the grassy expanse. Alex was pretending he had hit a home-run, his arms raised triumphantly in the air, while Luke chased after him. Luke was quick to notice the unmistakable gloom on Reggie's face and wasted no time in asking what was troubling him.

"Something strange has been happening," Reggie stated, his voice filled with concern as he explained everything. "I'm not sure what's going on, and I think we need to find someone who can help us. Julie asked for us to come talk to her about what we've decided in the morning."

Luke and Alex exchanged glances, their eyes filled with uncertainty, and then they both shrugged. "I think maybe it's because you're in love," Luke stated, playfully shoving Reggie.

As soon as Luke made his statement, Reggie's mind raced with a new thought, causing his eyes to light up. "Luke, do you sense the electric charge when you and Julie are in each other's presence?" Luke's face went blank, leaving a long pause in the conversation.

"I haven't really noticed," Luke said, his voice filled with a hint of regret as he shrugged apologetically. "But I'll let you know tomorrow when we see Julie."

Reggie's mind buzzed with countless new thoughts. Against all odds, he held onto the hope that this abnormal electrical phenomenon was not a cause for alarm. However, an instinctive sensation in his stomach compelled him to seek immediate help. The fear of seeing the disappointment in Cait's eyes fueled his anxiety. Guilt washed over Reggie like an unexpected tidal wave.

"Do you think I should tell Cait about this?" Reggie's face filled with worry as he asked. The weight of hiding something like this from her was unbearable to him. Cait deserved to know the details of what they were up against, if it was something they needed to worry about.

With a gentle touch, Alex comforted his worried friend by placing a hand on his shoulder. "If that's what you think you need to do, then go for it."

Luke shook his head, gently removing Alex's hand from Reggie's shoulder, and pulled him closer, wrapping his arm around him. "She's been through enough, Reggie. And if you add this to her plate, I don't think it will go over very well. It's clear that she cares for you deeply."

As Reggie reminisced about their shared kiss, a warm smile tugged at the corners of his lips. The strong current of electricity in that moment was enough to make his cheeks turn a deep shade of red. With a knowing look, Luke locked eyes with Alex and chuckled, crossing his arms.

"You kissed her, didn't you?" Luke asked in a teasing tone. "Reggie, boy is in love!"

Reggie let out an embarrassed laugh and jokingly shoved Luke aside as the trio strolled around the deserted baseball field. As Luke's words reverberated in his ear, he couldn't help but ponder if he truly loved Cait. They had only met yesterday, and they were practically strangers to each other. Cait expressed to him that she experienced a profound sense of familiarity, as if they had been acquainted for years. A chuckle escaped him as he contemplated the alternate reality of her presence during his lifetime. If he hadn't eaten that questionable hot dog, he wouldn't find himself in this predicament. On the other hand, his encounter with Cait would never have happened. Or would it? If Cait's mother resembled her, he would have likely come across her at some point. These overwhelming thoughts made him feel lightheaded, causing him to seek a seat for some respite.

"Are you alright, Reggie?" Alex asked, observing a noticeable drop in his friend's energy levels.

Reggie mustered a feeble smile, his lips quivering slightly, and nodded with an unsure motion. He felt an unsettling feeling, like something was off. Since ghosts didn't sleep, he didn't experience any feelings of tiredness, did he? His fingers combed through his hair, feeling the softness of each strand, before he let out a heavy sigh.

"I think we should head back to Julie's," Luke said. "It would be good for Reggie to be there when Cait wakes up."

As Reggie smiled at his friend, he felt a deep appreciation for his understanding of how much it meant to him to be there for her. He imagined the joy that would light up Cait's face when she woke up to a heartfelt note from him, reminding her of his presence.