Unseen

-34-

         Without a clear goal ahead, James and I just sink in a normal routine. We go to college together, listen to the teachers, and I watch him work, too. As I have him I don't feel that need to ramble because I'm bored out of my mind, I just have to wait until we are alone to talk to him, and that is not hard when it's not me talking to myself the whole time. Having some feedback helps to tone it down a notch.

When we are alone I help him as much as I can with his college work, things I didn't do in so long because what was the purpose? I am dead, it doesn't count. But I get to do something productive with James, and that is really cool.

There's something magical about doing art with James, helping him with his sculptures, or even the dull task of organising his photographies, even more, tracking the progress of his work. It feels really good to be part of something, to add a bit of me on to something other people can see, even if they have no idea I was involved. Besides, it's my way to pay him back.

James has been so focused on helping me with my unfinished business, revenge, and all those things we've achieved already, that he was left behind with his college work. The least I can do is helping him to catch up with everything he missed for being busy with me. And I enjoy helping him, so it's a win-win situation.

It feels like a normal life, just the two of us, something I haven't had in so long. These days with James have made me feel more alive than ever, even when I was really alive. I don't have people tormenting me, and even if I don't have my family, I do have him, constantly reminding me he loves me. It's not always with words, sometimes it's with a tender touch when he brushes a lock of my hair away from my face, or the way he smiles lovingly, or how he insists to wrap me in blankets when we watch movies together, even if I don't get cold. Sometimes it's the way he holds my hand over the table when he's eating, just to make me part of what he's doing. And sometimes, it's just the way he says my name.

It's really nice. But also extremely heartbreaking because this is just temporary, until I learn my lesson and can cross over, to reunite with my mother. It makes me reluctant, so reluctant to actually do that. Every day I fall a bit more in love with James, discovering just how kind and caring he is with me, even if he is cold and even rude to other people, to me he shows a side no one else has seen.

Maybe it's wrong of me, but I kind of like that he doesn't let anyone else in, just me. I actually enjoy how he pushes other people away, because he has me. Like he did to Adeline the other day.

The girl grabbed his arm when he was leaving after Photography, making him wait until everyone left before smiling at him.

"Hi," she purred, surprising me. Until today, just thinking about it gives me the chills. "I thought we could talk for a bit. You're always the first to leave. I barely see you, lately."

"Hm," James only muttered, quickly turning to look at me, almost asking me to help him. I laughed, thinking of scaring Adeline, actually considering to give the girl a back hug.

"Roxy says that it's a matter of time you ask her out, but she's wrong, right?" Adeline asked next, clearly surprising James who stared at her wide-eyed.

"What?" James muttered. I had to press my lips tightly together not to laugh.

"I knew it," Adeline smiled, content with the kind of response she got from James. "I knew you wouldn't like a girl like her."

"Oh?" I still find extremely funny that James only gives her monosyllable answers, and Adeline is doing all the talk.

"I think you're just shy so I thought of helping you out a bit," she added, stepping closer, pissing me off in that occasion. I took a threatening step towards her, even if she couldn't see me doing so. "Why don't you and I go out? I'll let you take me on a date."