Beyond The Grave

(3) Beyond The Grave

There's This Guy. He Lives In My Room. Oh, Yeah, And He's A Ghost.

Chapter 3

"What about Miles?" Finn asks, his tone guarded.

I fidget in my seat.

After I'd announced I had to tell him something about Miles, he'd reluctantly let me in.

"Okay, um..." I start. "What happened to Miles wasn't your fault," I let out in a big rush.

Finns face slowly hardened. "And why do you think that?" He says, with an edge in his voice.

"Because..." I trail off.

"Just say it, woman!" Miles whispers in my ear.

I take a deep breath. "Because Miles told me."

"What did you say?" Finn asks, deadly calm.

I start talking in a rush, desperate to get everything out. "Please, you have to believe me-"

"Believe what?" He interrupts.

"Listen. Miles is a spirit, ghost...whatever. He came to me. He wanted me to tell you that how he died... it wasn't your fault."

"Get out." He darkens. His eyes, his voice, even his hair seemed to get darker.

"What?" I'm startled.

"I said, GET OUT." He grabs me by the arms, and pulls me up, roughly. He starts dragging me toward the door.

"No," Miles whispers.

I know how much Miles wants this, and I cannot give up on him.

When I pushes me out the door, I hold on to the frame and plead with him. "Please, I'm telling the truth, you have to LISTEN to me-"

"No." He says firmly, and shuts the door, HARD.

I cry out in pain, and fall to the ground, clutching my poor hand to my chest.

He obviously hadn't noticed that my hand was on the doorframe- he'd shut my hand in the door, hard.

I bit back tears.

"Taylor? Are you okay?" Miles whispered, slipping an arm round me.

I shake my head. "No, it's not okay, Miles, because he didn't believe me, he didn't even listen to me, and-"

The door opens again, and an annoyed looking Finn steps out. He looks down at me, where I'm still sitting on the ground. "What are you still doing here?" He demands.

A tear slides down my cheek, and his gaze falls on my rapidly bruising hand. His eyes widen. "Sh*t. Are you okay? How did you do that?"

My anger flares. "YOU did, idiot. You shut my hand in the freaking door!"

"Crap. I'm really sorry. Look, why don't you come in?"

I manage a grim smile. "What, so you can shut my other hand in the door?"

~~~

"I really am sorry. Not just for shutting your hand in the door, but also for throwing you out in the first place."

I shrug. I'm back in his house, sitting in the same seat as before, with an ice-pack on my hand.

I'd reluctantly accepted his offer to have another go at chatting. I hadn't wanted to, but I knew Miles wanted me to. He didn't say so, because he owed me, what with my hand and all, but it was practically coming off him in waves.

So here I am.

"Anyway, I'm listening now. Say what you want to say."

I shrug again. "I did. All Miles wants me to do is make sure you believe it wasn't your fault. You couldn't have done anything to save him. He explained exactly what happened, and I agree with him. He was an idiot. Sorry, Miles," I add, throwing a glance in his direction, "But it's true."

When I look back to Finn, his mouth is hanging open. "What, he's here, like, right now?"

"Yeah."

"Right. I... I want to believe you, but I don't know how."

We sit in silence for a few minutes. I watch Finn. Because I'm watching him, I can practically see a light bulb hovering over his head.

"How about... I ask questions, ones only Miles will know the answer to. Miles will tell you, and then you'll tell me. That okay?"

I glance at Miles, who nods, eagerly. "Sure. Shoot."

"Okay, right. Who was Miles's first crush?"

Miles laughs. "Ooh, I know, it was in 3rd grade, it was so funny-"

"Hey! I know! Could I ask you questions, questions only Miles will know the answer to? And then Miles could tell you the answers?"

I interrupt him. "Miles, the question wasn't 'how funny' was it, it was her name is."

Miles blushes. "Sorry. Nancy Simmels."

I look back to Finn, who is watching me, wide-eyed. "Sorry about that. He has a tendency to babble. Anyway, the answer is Nancy Simmels."

"Whoa. How did you do that?"

"Err, Miles told me?"

"Right, next question is... what is the fake number we give to girls?"

I turn to Miles. He is grinning. "I love this one! It's 770 2219. With lines through the seven's." When I look confused, he explains how it works. "You write it down on a piece of paper, and turn the paper up to the light, and see what it says. It's awesome. You should try it." (a/n really do try it!)

"Err, okay, its 770 2219?"

This time he doesn't even speak. He just sits there, shock clear on his face.

"Do you believe us now?" I ask him.

"No one... no one knows that except from him."

I smile. "Wasn't that the point of the question?"

But Finn isn't listening. He's staring off into the distance. When he speaks, there's wonder plain in his voice. "Miles? It really is you!"