Imaginary Friend (Tate Langdon Fic)

Six

2016

Three years and one excited twenty-one year old with a master's degree in Music Business later, I'm finally heading home. I worked my butt off to get this fancy degree. I sacrificed my friendships and my relationship, but man was it worth it.

I'm currently in a taxi looking out the window to see all the palm trees and familiar streets. After three years, I finally get to see Tate! I'd be lying if I told you I wasn't nervous. Three years is enough time for Tate to fall out of love with me. The mere thought of seeing Tate uninterested in me made my heart ache. I still loved him with all my being.

The taxi finally slowed down and halted to a stop in front of the house that's been my home for practically my whole life. The house that also homed many lost sprits; but I only cared about one sprit right now.

I paid the driver and walked around the trunk of the car to get my luggage. I walked up the first two steps of the house, passing the gates. I saw the front door of the house slam open and out came an all too familiar blonde hair boy running towards me. I smiled wide, dropping my luggage, just in time for Tate to slam onto my body making me fall into the grass.

Tate and I wrapped our arms around each other tightly in a hug. Tate buried his face against my neck like old times. I laughed and buried my face into his hair. God, I've missed his soft curls.

After awhile of hugging, Tate pulled away and looked up at me. His eyes were lit up like a Christmas tree, his smiled wide, showing off his beautiful white teeth and the dimples I loved so much, the edge of his eyes crinkled from his smile. He leaned down and kissed every inch of my face, not wanting to leave an inch of skin unkissed.

Finally, leaving the best for last, Tate pulled away slightly and leaned back down to kiss my lips. I smiled into the kiss, tangling my fingers into his hair, trying to bring him closer which made us smush our faces together. The kisses was one I've waited for, for three years. It made my body radiate with warmth and filled my stomach with thousands of butterflies.

We both pulled away at the same time, breathless from the kiss. I looked into Tate's soft eyes; they looked relieved.

"I'm glad to see you didn't move on." Both Tate and I said at the same time, which made us laugh.

Tate got up off of me and reached down to pick me up. He threw me over his shoulder and walked towards the front off of the house.

"Tate my luggage." I told him.

"Moria will take it in. All I care about right now is you." He said as he climbed the stairs heading towards my room.

Tate carried me into my room where I looked around. Nothing really seemed to change from how I last left it. Still bare for the exception of Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Queen, and of course, Nirvana posters taped up on my wall; all bands in which Tate influenced me to listen to. Some things where incorrectly placed which lead me to believe Tate spent the three years we were apart in my room.

Tate put me down gently on my neatly made bed; Moria must have also been in here.

Tate laid down next to me, resting his head on my chest over my heart. "I missed my college graduate so much." Tate breathed out.

I kissed the top of his head "I missed you too."

After a couple minutes of cuddling, I decided I wanted to shower. I looked down at Tate and saw he was fast asleep. I smiled, running my fingers through his hair. I squirmed my way out of his grip which made him wake up. "Where are you going?" Tate asked, his voice groggy from sleeping.

"I'll be back. I just want to shower." I told Tate. He nodded and closed his eyes to go back to sleep.

I grabbed my old towel I left behind when I left and went into the bathroom. I closed the door behind me and walked to the sink. I dropped my towel off at the sink and turned around to the tub to get the water ready. I pulled away the shower curtains and screamed. A masked man dressed in all black was hiding. The masked man's eyes showed fear that I've found him. He lifted up his hand, which was holding something, up to my chest. I looked down and noticed he was holding a gun. I went to scream out for Tate but it was too late. The man shot me.

I fell back onto the cold tiled floor of the bathroom, hitting my head on the hard marble sink. Every second felt like years as I found it painful to breathe and my vision started to fuz.

"No!" I head a muffled voice say.

I looked to my left towards the door to see Tate run towards me, falling onto his knees. He brought my top half of my body onto his lap as he cradled my head.

"You can't die! No! You're not suppose to! You're suppose to die until you're a hundred years old. You were suppose to leave this house and have a normal life with a husband and kids. You can't die like this! This is all my fault! I should have known someone was in here! I didn't protect you! I promised you I would protect you but I failed you. Ri please listen to me! Stay awake, please! Don't you die on me! Don't you dare!" Tate screamed as a flood of tears poured out of his eyes falling onto my face and chest.

I tried to reach my hand up to wipe away the tears falling from his eyes but I was too weak. Tate noticed my movement and grabbed my hand, bringing it up to his cheek. He held my hand in place. I looked into his eyes, "I... I... lo-love... y-you." I painfully managed to breathe out in a whisper. "I get... t-to be... w-w-with... you... forever." I coughed up blood.

I felt the world spin, my breathing became wheezing. I closed my eyes and fell limp in Tate's arms.

I opened my eyes and looked around. I was in my room, in bed. I looked to my left and saw Tate asleep; his arm wrapped tightly around my waist with his head resting on my shoulder. I looked down at myself remembering what happened. I was wearing the same clothes, faded black skinny jeans, a white tank top and a red flannel shirt. There was no blood and I felt no pain. It must have been a dream.

"You're awake!" I heard Tate's deep voice say beside me.

I looked over to him again and he was smiling, his eyes slightly red, probably from sleep. I smiled at him and nodded. "I had a dreamed that there was an intruder hiding in my shower and he shot and killed me." I told Tate of my dream.

His smile instantly fell. "It wasn't a dream." He whispered.

My eyes widened and the color in my face drained. I looked at him shocked. I bolted up off the bed and ran to the bathroom. Everything looked clean. As if nothing ever happened.

I felt arms wrap around my waist from behind and Tate resting his forehead against my shoulder. "Moria cleaned up. I didn't want you to see yourself like how you were when you woke up." Tate's muffled voice said from behind me.

I turned around to look at him in disbelief. "I don't believe you." I calmly told Tate.

He sighed and grabbed my hand, pulling me down the hallway and down the stairs to the front door. "Remember how I told you sprits can never leave this property?" Tate asked and I nodded. "Let's cross the front gates together, okay?" He asked and I once again nodded.

He held my hand tightly as we walked outside to the front gates. We stopped and looked over at each other. "No matter what, please know that I do love you and that I will always love you. I'll be right here for you, through everything." Tate said reassuringly.

I nodded and looked in front of me to the front gates. Tate and I both took seven steps to walk past the front gate. One minute, we were outside and the next, we were walking into the back door of the kitchen.

I clenched my jaw and shut my eyes tight. My breathing became heavy as I realized what Tate said was right. I was dead.

Tate noticed my change in characteristics and instantly wrapped his arms around me, bring me up to his chest. We both fell to the floor as I sobbed. I'm dead. I'm really dead.

Both Tate and I stayed on the kitchen floor holding each other crying for what felt like hours, but in reality, it was ten minutes. I finally pulled away as I felt my breathing become normal. I looked up at Tate, placing my hands on either side of his face. "I always wanted to spend forever with you and now I can." I told him happily.