Goth Ghost

Chapter 2: A Clouded Mind

Nicki's POV

I felt my car stop to a halt as I saw the pet shop's vibrant walls in the distance. I climbed out and swung my door closed with force. I noticed the sunflowers growing beautifully in Nico's flower-patch. It was his idea to add some spice to the place. I kept walking and slid open the glass-slide door.

Nico was at the counter, selling a packet of chicken-flavoured dog treats to a girl who I guessed was about 10. She smiled and skipped past me, her innocent aura making me smile and feel like I wasn't pure enough. "Look at you, finally coming to work, I see," Nico said. His long black hair was tightened into a braid. It sucks to have a guy-friend with better hair than you. "Yeah, whatever. I overslept," I replied as I rolled up my sweater-sleeves and searched through the wooden racks for a dishcloth. Ever since I started working here, Nico always insisted I pay extra attention to the animal-themed glass-figures standing everywhere around the shop. They were the most prominent feature in the entire store, he said. Ugh. I'd rather care about more important stuff. Not that I care about anything really, I just don't like the way the glass Collie stared at you, like he's trying to drive a demon into your soul.

"You? Overslept? Yeah right. You barely sleep. You just don't give a shit," Nico said as he started scanning new stock. The beeping of the scanner added to my annoyance. "Just because it's true, doesn't mean you have to make a big deal out of it. And I DO give a shit." Nico looked at me with sarcastic eyes. "Yeah. You care about getting high with Quinn and eyeliner. Fuck the rest." That part almost really stung. But it didn't sting entirely. I can't get hurt, I'm made of iron on the inside. I have to be.

"Hey, I know that, okay? Quinn's trying to become both a businesswoman and a party-girl and I need to keep up somehow, don't I? I just want to be young forever. Is that a crime? Unlike some of us, I want to cling onto my youth and what's left of it," I said, the Siamese-figure feeling the wrath of my angry-cleaning-mood. "Whatever Nicki... Hey, what happened to your lip?" Nico said, dropping the scanner and moving closer to me. His thumb lightly touched the unknown cut on my bottom-lip. I instinctively looked at his eyes. His dark, almost black eyes. His gaze moved from my lip to my eyes. We stared at each-other like that for minutes. "I-I don't know. I guess I got into a scrap when I was drunk last night," I replied, the feeling of awkwardness still there. He shook his head. "You should cool it with the parties, okay? I...I don't want you getting hurt," Nico said as he caressed the cut once again. It stung, but it felt good. "I won't, Nico. I'm fine." I moved backwards and started cleaning the Parrot-figure. Nico and I are actually pretty good friends, even though he'd never admit it. He actually cared. Nico cleared his throat and put on the T.V. He went back to scanning and I was focused on the figures and TV. It was the Morning Report. What came after made my heart stop:

"This is Kelly Roberts, reporting to you from CNN. This morning, a dead body has been found in an apartment in Los Angeles. The victim has been identified as Marcus Grey. Mr. Grey was known for his popular blog, named Goth Ghost. The L.A.P.D closed the case off as a suicide, but many of Mr.Grey's loved ones, disagree and will henceforth share no more to the public media...". On the screen was a picture of him. He had hazel eyes and his hair was chocolate-brown, sticking out from underneath a Vans beanie. He was looking at whoever took the picture with such deep emotion, he was smiling but it seemed like he was about to have a breakdown all at the same time.

I couldn't breathe. Goth Ghost...dead? My body froze. I heard a shattering sound beneath me. I looked down on the floor to see the parrot-figure lying in shards. Nico stood up hastily and started yelling at me. I didn't hear a word. I couldn't. How? How can he be dead? Goth Ghost, or Marcus Grey, can't possibly be dead. There's no way.

"I have to go," I said as I grabbed my car-keys from the checkout-counter. "What? Where? You need to work, Nicki!" Nico shouted after me, but I was already out of the door. I started the engine and drove straight to the L.A.P.D office.