Phantom [h.s]

Eight

I don't see Harry for three days. I don't exactly know why, but he never showed up in my room or anything like he usually does, so I just assumed he was busy.

Which is odd, considering that he's dead.

Today is Friday, and tonight is the party at Nate's house that Ria invited me to. For the rest of the week, both Ria and Jenna have dedicated themselves to persuading me to come. At lunch, it was all that they'd talk about. What's so great about this party, anyway?

When I ask them this at lunch on Friday, they both look at me with wide eyes.

Jenna leans forward across the table, lowering her voice. "Have you seen the size of Nate's house? It's almost like a hotel."

I raise an eyebrow. "So?"

"So, he throws the best parties. Literally everyone goes. Both of us are going, along with Max and Ava. Oh, and Zoe, Roy..." She rattles off more names that I don't know.

"Look, I'm sure it's fun and everything but I think I'll pass." I pick at a French fry on my lunch tray.

"You'll be missing out," Ria says.

"I'm sure I'll get over it." I force a smile.

Ria and Jenna exchange a look.

When I get home after school, neither of my parents are off work yet, so I have the house to myself.

I think about starting my homework and almost want to vomit at the thought, quickly discarding that option.

I look out the bay window in the dining room at the backyard. Across the vast green space I can make out the small gate and dirt path that leads into the forest.

Before I can decide against it, I push out the back door and walk through the yard, the tall grasses tickling my ankles. My father had said he needed to mow the lawn out here, but I like the grass this way.

I push through the rusting gate and begin down the path. It's so different to walk through the forest during the day than it is at night. The trees don't look as tall and dark, and the sun casts rays down through the foliage, lighting the path.

The walking distance seems longer now than it did when Harry took me here, and I wonder if it's because I'm alone now. I start to think I may be going the wrong way, but I soon see the top of the willow tree up ahead.

I step into the clearing, taking a moment to appreciate the beauty of it when the sun shines through it. The strands of the willow tree sway easily in the breeze, the two swings moving gently with it. I see movement out of the corner of my eye and look over to see three small rabbits hop out of the clearing. A silvery blue butterfly lands on a blade of grass a few feet away from where I stand.

I hear rustling and look up at one of the trees bordering the clearing. Green eyes that match the leaves of the tree lock with mine and Harry smiles at me from a branch high above the ground.

"Afternoon," he greets me, leaning back on his palms. "I saw you coming from your backyard."

"Yeah," I say.

"Want to join me up here?" He asks, a sly smile sliding across his face.

"No thanks," I say.

"Ah, yes," he says. "Acrophobic. I remember now."

"Minor acrophobic," I correct him.

"Of course."

A breeze blows my hair over my shoulder. "So...what are you doing up there?"

"Watching the world from above."

"Why?"

"Trees are fun."

I hold my hands behind my back, kicking at some dirt on the ground. "Your friends invited me to a party tonight."

He raises an eyebrow. "Which friends?"

"Ria. And Jenna."

He looks thoughtful for a moment before pushing himself up on the branch and effortlessly dropping down to the ground. He lands on his feat and straightens up, taking a few steps toward me.

"Where is it at?" He says, stopping a few feet away from me.

"Nate's house."

His eyebrows shoot up. "Nate's? Oh, you've got to go!"

I cross my arms over my chest. "Why?"

"Nate throws the best parties. The best."

"So what?"

"What, you against parties or something?"

I flinch. "No, I just don't like them. Is that such a sin?"

He notices my change in mood and tilts his head slightly to the side. "You should still go. You'd have a lot of fun."

"If it's so fun, why don't you go? Oh, right." I regret the words as soon as I say them.

Instead of acting hurt, Harry half smiles. "Ouch," he says, almost humorously.

"Sorry," I say. "I didn't mean that."

He shrugs. "I'm not offended."

I look away from him. I'm glad he isn't.

"Can I ask you something?" I say, looking back up at him.

"Anything," he says, sending me a dimpled smile.

"How am I supposed to help you...you know...find who killed you?" I pause. "I mean, why do you even need me? What help am I?"

"Well, that's simple," he replies. "You're alive."

I stare at him.

"How odd would it be if someone you thought was dead was investigating their own murder? I've been waiting for someone like you to move into Cadence Manor for a long time, now."

"So whoever moved in would just be the chosen one?"

"The chosen one?" He lets out a laugh. "Sure, if you'd like to look at it like that." His eyes move back to me. "But no. I wouldn't have trusted just anyone who moved in."

"So...why me?" I think back to how he ran his icy fingers over my fading scars in the car the other day and shiver.

"You interest me, Jane," he says. "You're very different than most people that live in this town."

"So, how am I supposed to help you?" I ask again. "I mean, do you have any persons of interest in mind or anything?"

Harry runs his tongue over his lips, looking up at the sky. "Not exactly," he says.

"That's helpful."

"Quite."

"Well," I say, shrugging. "I don't know what to tell you, Harry."

Instead of answering me, he just stares.

"What?"

"Nothing." He smiles slightly, looking away from me.

"Is there something wrong?"

"No," he says, locking eyes with me again. "I just haven't heard anyone say my name in a while."

I am struck by yet another thing I take for granted as a living person.

"Harry," I say again and his smile widens, eliciting a small smile from me.

He looks up at the sky, towards the sun, then back at me. "It's almost five thirty," he says. "You should go get ready for the party."

"What? I'm not going to that," I say, shaking my head. "And how did you know it was five thirty?"

"The sun's close enough to the horizon, it's a rough guess." He half smiles. "And yes, you're going to the party."

I cross my arms over my chest.

"You'll go, and you'll ask about me."

"Ask about you? Won't that seem...suspicious?"

"Everyone will be half drunk anyway."

I let out a sigh. "Fine. Fine, I'll go."

He grins.

"But how are my parents going to let me out?"

"Tell your dad you'll watch the documentary on the formation of the Grand Canyon with him on Saturday."

"How did you-"

"Observation, Jane."

I roll my eyes. "Alright, fine. I'll ask him. But if he says no, that's it."

Harry smiles. "Meet me back here when you get home."

I nod. He still smiles at me, and my lips involuntarily smile back at him.

A half hour later, I'm standing in front of my closet wondering why the hell my wardrobe sucks. Do I honestly own anything aside from t-shirts and jeans?

I finally decide on my nicest jeans and a top that's not made out of t-shirt material.

I stare at myself in the mirror. Should I do something with my hair? Should I dig out the small supply of makeup I own?

I manage to find my purple tube of mascara and end up getting some of it on my eyelashes, but the majority of it around my eyes. I've never had a steady hand when it comes to makeup.

I wipe the excess mascara off and sigh.

I roll my eyes at my reflection and grab my bag.

My father is stirring something on the stove when I walk into the kitchen. My mother had to stay late at work for a staff meeting, so she isn't home yet.

"Jane, you look nice," he says.

"Thanks," I say. "I was invited to a party."

He raises an eyebrow. "A party?"

"Yeah. I'll be back by midnight."

I start to walk past him, but he stops me.

"Whoa, who said you could go?"

"Please?"

"Where is it?"

"This guy's house."

"Do you know him?"

"Obviously."

"Jane."

I huff, remembering the excuse Harry told me to use. "I'll watch that documentary with you this weekend. On the Grand Canyon."

He stares at me like I just told him I'm going to dye my hair neon orange. I have never, in my seventeen years of living with him, offered to watch a documentary with him on my own will. I guess telling him I was dying my hair would elicit the same amount of shock from him, anyway.

"Don't tell your mother," he sighs and I grin, wrapping an arm around him.

"Thanks, Dad!"

I pull on a pair of flats and hurry outside to my car before he can change his mind.

I'm not surprised to find Harry lounging in the front seat of my car.

"Told you he'd go for it," he says when I get in.

I nod and put my key in the ignition. "You coming with me?"

He snorts. "No, I just wanted to see you before you left. And bask in the fact that I knew your father would let you go and you doubted me." He grins.

I roll my eyes. "You're such comic relief," I say and he laughs.

"Have fun," he says to me, opening the car door and stepping out. He leans down to look at me through the window. "And be careful."

I purse my lips. "If I get murdered, it's on you."

"Sure, blame the guy that's already dead."

"Who else is there to blame?" I ask, stifling a laugh.

"Point taken." He smirks at me one last time through the window before straightening up. "See you later."

I watch him walk around the side of the house, toward the forest.

I shift my car into gear and pull out of the driveway, hoping I'm not making a mistake by going to this party.