2:56 :: h.s

cinq

{ Trigger Warning }

23:58

On my bed is a girl.
An incredibly pale girl.
Her hair is wavy, long and brown.
She wears black jeans, black Converse, and a blue, red, and black plaid shirt that is buttoned all the way up and the sleeves are rolled to three-quarter length.
Her eyes are blue-grey and glassy, almost doll-like.
Her legs are crossed and her hands are in her lap.

I'm at loss for words.
What the hell do I even say?
Who is this chick.
Why is she in my room.
How did she get in here.
And why the fuck is she just smiling at me.

"Hello," she says plainly.

"Who the fuck are you and how did you get into my house?" I ramble.

Her smile falters and stares at me blankly.

"Are you going to answer me or just sit there?" I say and raise an eyebrow.

She blinks, "why are you being a dick?"

I widen my eyes.

Is she being serious?

She gets into my room - somehow - and then has the audacity to ask me why I'm being a dick.
Who does this chick think she is?

"Why are you being a bitch?"

She raises her eyebrows. "I'm sorry, but the last time I checked, you were in my house."

Is she crazy?

"Who are you?" I snap, my patience wearing thin.

She rolls her eyes and stands, she's about seven inches shorter than me, "I'm Rae, and you're a douche. Close the door."

I turn behind me and do what she says.
The last thing I need is for my mother to come in here and see a girl by my bed.

"I'm actually Harry, but whatever." I defend and cross my arms over my chest.

She mimics my actions.

"Why are you here?" I ask again and move to pick up my blanket, chips, and phone.

"What are you listening to?" She asks as she steps over to me, squats down, and takes my headphones out, pressing play so it sings throughout the room.

Well, I know when you're around 'cause I know the sound, I know the sound of your heart. It's not about reciprocation, it's just all about m-

"Hm . . . that's awkward." She mumbles and pauses the song.

I furrow my eyebrows and take my phone from her hands.
When I hold my phone in my hand, it's colder than ice.
I look up at her with a confused expression.
She's frowning, not making eye contact.

I stand to my full height, "why are you here?"

She looks up at me then stands as well. She shrugs, "I've been here since you moved in."

I've been naked-
Okay, Harry, that is literally the least of your worries.

"Why have you been in my house?"

She plops down on my bed, legs hanging over the side, back flat against the sheet. "This was my house before it was yours."

"I don't even know what that means." I say with a huff and slide down to the floor.

She slowly rises and looks at me for a moment.
She blinks then gets off the bed and crawls to sit next to me against the door.
Her hand reaches to mine in my lap and as soon as her skin touches mine, goosebumps take over my entire body.
I jerk away slightly but then relax when she looks at me with begging eyes.
Her hand grips mine and pulls it into her lap.
Her thumb runs along my knuckles, stopping at the ring.

"You can take your hand back now," she whispers, "I can tell you're getting cold."

I do pull away because I feel like if I had left it any longer, I would get hypothermia.

"You go to HHS?" She asks.

"Yeah."

"So, you've heard about the girl who killed herself?"

I furrow my eyebrows, "I mean, not really from anyone at the school. But I know this was her house. My mom met her mom to discuss the house."

"Hayley?" Rae asks and looks at me.

I nod.

She smiles a thoughtful smile, "yeah. . . She was fucking terrible."

"My mom said she was nice?" I say with quizzical tone.

"To other people, yeah. But to me, no way," she scoffs.

"How do you know her?"

She picks at the fray on her jeans, "she was my mother."

"But I thought they only had one-" Then, it all clicks. "Oh my God."

She nods, "there ya go. Finally makes sense, huh?"

I stand up and begin pacing, tugging at my hair and shaking my head. "No. No. No. How-wha-I-" I'm at loss for words.

She rises and steps in front of me, "I wish I knew how, but honestly I don't. I tried to kill myself and somehow it worked but at the same time it didn't."

I stop pacing and look at her, bewildered, "so let me get this straight. You're dead. Like, hanged from a ceiling and died?"

She blinks a few times, composing herself from my choice of words, I assume. "Yes."

"But you're here? How are you here?" My voice begins to raise.

"Quiet down, will you. I don't want to wake up your mom. And I already told you, I don't know."

I shake my head, "this is impossible."

"Clearly it's not. Do you need me to touch you again to prove it?" Sass taking over her tone.

I jump back when she comes toward me, "this is a dream. This has to be a dream."

Rae rolls her eyes, "how about this, you go to bed, wake up tomorrow morning, and if this isn't a dream, I'll come by around four. Sound like a plan?"

I shake my head and laugh, "I must be going mad."

"Shut up and go to bed," she says and heads to my window.

I check my phone as I watch her walk down the street in the rain.

It's 00:46.