All Mixed Up

The only ghost here is mine

Prep for the Mika Festival started a few days ago and with just a few short days left, Ella and I stay behind to help.
"So your so called 'project' is a go in a few days, right?" She asks, leaning dangerously off the edge of a small wooden stool to hang up vibrant cloth bunting in the classroom.
"Duh, that's what I said." I remark, drawing swirls, hearts and balloons on the whiteboard for a little extra decor. Although, it'll probably be gone by the end of tomorrow.
"And how do you think it'll go?" She asks, finally jumping off the stool and sorting her skirt out.
"Well," I start, not having really thought about this. "It's me doing the project so obviously, it'll be perfect."
"Like the way yours and Emil's date went perfectly?" She spits the last word - still in a friendly manner - and continues to grab more decorations.
"Shut up! I thought we dropped that!" I playfully smack her and the rest of the evening goes by like a minute.

And apparently, so does the rest of the week.

It's the day of the festival and actually, who would've thought? It seemed only yesterday we were having a friendly argument in our homeroom while hanging bunting and drawing pictures on the board. After waving goodbye to mum and dad though, I take the limousine (much to my displeasure) to Mathias' house. Upon noticing the all black vehicle, he stumbles out the front door of his house-mansion whatever it is and enters the car.
"A limousine?"
"I know. It's a bit too flashy."
"How many do you have?" He asks me, looking around at the interior as the car begins to drive.
"Like, two I think?" I answer back, unsure.
"We have ten to be precise." He brags, causing me to roll my eyes in frustration.
"Whatever." I answer back. He rolls down the window, the wind instantly making his hair go mental and his eyes close. Right now he looks so free. He looks like someone who DOES NOT HAVE DOZENS OF FREAKING SECRETS.
"So when you kissed Emil-" before he could finish, I correct his false statement.
"Emil kissed me."
"Well, when Emil kissed you, it meant nothing?" He asks, rolling down the window and returning to normal.
"Well I don't know about nothing," I start, putting into a different perspective in my mind. "But we don't exactly like each other like that."

After a ride of arguing about Emil's feelings, the car pulls up at the gates of the school and already I can hear loud music and see bright lights flashing and throbbing against the otherwise dark night.
"What should we check out?" Mathias asks, slamming the limo door and standing at the gates, hands confidently on his hips.
"What about Class B's haunted house?" I ask, my planning running utterly smoothly...

...so far.

"Sure!" Unexpectedly, he takes my hand and pulls a red, flustered Kaia into the school building.

Hopefully he can't see my blush in this darkness.

We come to the sign that invites us into the class-made haunted house or whatever and whatever is inside...I'm ready. The door opens without us even having to touch it and we both step in together. Once we're in, the door slams shut behind us, leaving us encased in a pitch black darkness.
"Hey Mathias?" I whisper, clutching onto his arm.
"Yes?" He whispers back, our whispers weirdly the only sound in the room.
"Do you think there's anyone else here?" Immediately after I point it out, a light flashes on and someone dressed as a zombie jumps out, causing me to shriek and bury my face, without even realising I have, into his chest. Darkness comes as quickly as it left and we find ourselves in the same situation as a few moments ago but the only thing different is Mathias is laughing and stroking my long blonde hair, telling me it's okay.
"Mathias!" I cry out, punching him lightly for laughing.
"Calm down, Kaia, it's okay." He takes me out and pulls me away, his blue eyes staring deep into my green ones.
"You don't need to be scared, it's only students dressed as zombies." He chuckles and looks back in, not daring to step in without me. Great Kaia, you didn't even last one minute!
"Pfft," I chuckle, turning away to hide my crimson-flushed face. "As if I was scared." Weirdly enough, he leans closer and pinches my cheeks the way a grandma would to her grandson.
"Aw you're so adorable!" He teases. In annoyance, I smack it away and turn to him, his comment still processing in my mind but I speak before I could fully understand. "I am not- wait, you really think so?" My crimson shade goes fifty shades worse as my comment is answered with his cute little energetic laugh. The laugh that even blindfolded I can recognise.
"Sure, why not?" Before I can even think about answering, there's a squeal outside and both of us turn to the window, our faces lighting up briefly as the firework fades.
"I forgot about the fireworks." He states and walks over to the window. I pause for a moment, looking at him gazing happily at the explosions of colour and light out the window.
"Beautiful, aren't they?" I utter, joining his side and leaning against the window pane.
"Certainly." He breathlessly answers. Seeing my pathetic reflection staring back at me in the window, a take a breath and turn to Mathias, his eyes still fixed on the show outside.

Go on, Kaia. Do it.

"Mathias, there's something I have to tell you."