***
Layla- Age 16--The Cafeteria
****
"Dang you, Layla," he said, "you never give up."
"Peter!" I circled him with a warm embrace.
"Wait a minute," I said.
I slapped him.
"That's for leaving me, killing my best friend, and letting her try to kill me," I said dignified.
"I liked the hug better." he shrugged.
"Let's leave this place, before someone realizes I'm talking to a ghost." I said.
"You can't cut school."
Same old Peter.
"Watch me," I said, "We have to sort some things out, and if they see me talking to myself in the lunchroom, they'll put me in a crazy house."
"But..uh...Lay..you," he tried.
I got him with the "crazy house" line.
***
Layla- Age 16--The School Parking Lot
***
"You got a car?" he asked.
"Fastest on the lot," I said proudly.
"But the wreck-" he started.
"Was your fault," I said.
He looked at me with eyes that said, 'please-don't-do-this-or-I'll-feel-guilty-so-let's-change-the-topic-of-our-conversation-right-now.'
"No." I said, "We have to talk about this."
There was a silence.
"Why did you leave?" I asked.
"Because...I could see it. You were falling in love with me. And I was falling in love with you. But I couldn't...I couldn't do that to you. Being with a ghost...that's no life. No happiness. I wanted you to be happy. So I left." he said, looking to me for a hint of sympathy.
"How did that work out for you?" I asked, like a policeman, interrogating a criminal.
"Well, you sure found a way to make the worst of it," he smiled, his dimples taking over his gorgeous face.
"And I'm sorry about Aimee," he said, looking away.
"Is she here right now?" I asked, knowing that Peter could normally sense the presence of other ghosts.
"No," he said plainly, "I feel terrible about what happened."
"Me too."
There was another silence.
"What were you doing on the side of the highway, anyway?"
"Checking on you. I had no idea you would freakout like you did," he said with a laugh.
That was nice of him, but still I said, "I didn't want her dead. It was an accident."
"I know," he said, picking up my hand slowly.
"Let's go home."
***
Layla- Age 16--The Manor
***
When we came inside, I felt overwhelmed by Peter. He loved me. I loved him.
We came into a passionate kiss, that grew more and more intense.
I don't know how long it lasted, but when he kissed me, It was incredible. It was addicting. I wanted more.
It must have lasted at least 30 minutes.
He broke it off.
"I'm not finished," I said, throwing myself into another kiss.
"Stop," he said with seriousness in his voice.
"Why?" I asked with disappointment.
I had waited SO long.
"She's here," he whispered, "Aimee."
"Well, well, well," Aimee said, clapping her hands.
"I always knew that there was something different about you."
I shuddered in her presence.
"You can talk to ghosts, AND you can touch them?" she said with a smile.
"And they can touch you?"
I knew where she was going with this.
"Layla, you are very special," she said, touching me slowly.
"Stop it! Aimee, stop!" yelled Peter.
"Oh, sweet loverboy. Whatever is the matter?"
"You," he said. "Leave this house."
She laughed.
"Make me."
He couldn't. Ghosts couldn't touch other ghosts. That was a fact.
"Oh Peter, don't worry." she chuckled, "I know just how to hurt her without putting one bruise on her body."
And then she disappeared.
"Don't worry, said Peter, "Everything's gonna be alright," he pulled me into his arms.
And with that, I believed that it would. That everything would be be A-OK.
Boy, was I wrong.
