Ghostly Affairs

Chapter 12

The morning sun filtered softly through the blinds, casting a warm glow across Lin's room. Lin lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, replaying the events of last night in her head. She couldn't believe how bold she had been with May. What was I thinking? she thought, a mix of surprise and embarrassment washing over her. Her heart had raced, her words had come out before she could control them, and her teasing had edged toward something more serious.

Maybe it was just the stress, Lin reasoned, trying to shake off the lingering feelings. Or maybe... She sat up in bed, running a hand through her tousled hair, trying to make sense of her emotions. It wasn't like her to act like that—so forward, so playful. She blamed May's infectious personality for rubbing off on her, making her do things she normally wouldn't.

Lin sighed and got out of bed, stretching before she opened the door to her bedroom. As she stepped into the living room, she froze. There, standing by the window, bathed in the soft morning light, was May. Her back was to Lin, her figure framed by the glow of the sun. Her posture was relaxed, and she seemed lost in thought as she gazed out at the quiet street below.

Lin's heart skipped a beat.

May turned at the sound of Lin's footsteps, smiling warmly. "Morning," she said, her voice soft and melodic, like the sun itself was speaking through her.

Lin stood there, stunned for a moment, feeling her pulse quicken again. She's... beautiful. The thought slipped into Lin's mind before she could stop it, and her cheeks flushed. The sunlight made May look ethereal, like a painting brought to life, and Lin couldn't help but stare for a few moments too long.

May tilted her head, noticing Lin's silence. "Something wrong?"

Lin blinked, snapping out of her daze. She shook her head quickly, trying to regain her composure. "N-no, nothing," she stammered, her voice betraying her flustered state. Get a grip, she told herself, mentally scolding her sudden nerves. She cleared her throat, forcing a smile. "Good morning," she replied, doing her best to sound normal despite the strange tightness in her chest.

May gave her a playful grin. "You sure? You look like you've seen something surprising."

Lin chuckled, though her heart was still racing. "Maybe I have," she teased back, trying to hide the awkwardness. She quickly crossed the room and grabbed her coffee mug from the counter, taking a moment to collect herself. "I'll make some coffee. Then we should probably get back to work. There's still a lot to figure out."

May's eyes softened, her playful demeanor fading for a second. "Yeah... about that. You doing okay?"

Lin waved her off, trying to keep her cool. "I'm fine. Just... a lot to process." She filled the kettle with water and turned it on, keeping her back to May as she steadied herself. Focus, Lin. You've got a case to solve. She couldn't let herself get distracted by emotions she wasn't sure how to deal with yet. "We're getting close, May. I can feel it."

May nodded, sensing Lin's shift in focus. "Yeah, we are," she agreed, though her gaze lingered on Lin for a moment longer than usual.

Lin felt May's eyes on her and decided to distract herself with work. "Let's go over the documents again. I think we missed something last time. We need to figure out who else was involved in your accident."

May stepped away from the window, her mood shifting as she joined Lin at the table. "Alright, Sherlock," she said, her tone lightening. "Back to detective mode."

The playful banter was enough to break the tension, and Lin felt a small smile tug at her lips as she set the coffee pot on the table. She grabbed the files they had been working through the day before, spreading them out in front of them.