Paranormal

8. Fire

tw: death

Dan

Today is one of those days. It is one of those days that I just want to run away from this house or sleep and never wake up. Sadly, I can't do either of those things. I just hide under Phil's covers instead. As weird as it sounds, his sent sort of calms my thoughts down a little bit.

Phil had to leave early in the moring to do some stuff for Youtube. When he comes back later in the afternoon, he finds me in the same spot.

"Dan, you haven't moved since I left," he gasps when he walks into his room.

"Oh," I say.

"Its been ten hours!" Phil says. "Is something wrong?"

"Do you know what day it is today?" I ask him even though I already know the answer.

"It's Monday," he answers.

Its June twenty sixth."

"Oh. I'm sorry," he says in realization.

"Today marks twenty nine years since my death." Phil gives me a sad look. I sigh. "I just...miss being alive," I whisper as I pull the blanket over my face.

I feel the bed dip beside me. Phil slowly pulls the blanket back so that I can look at him. He lays so close to me that I can feel his body heat.

"Did they ever figure out who did it? Or why?" he ask.

"The police didn't, but I know who did. I was Oliver Brown."

"How do you know?"

I squeeze my eyes shut as I remember how it all started.

"Oliver and I used to play on the same football team in collage. We weren't best friends, but we didn't hate each other either. Well, in the begining at least. We got along pretty well. Everything changed, however, when I met his girlfriend. She was a pretty blonde. I think she was popular too. As soon as we met, she was trying to get in my pants. I obviously rejected her and tried to say away from her. I mean, she had a boyfriend and he was my friend! I wasn't about to do that!

"As the days went on, Oliver noticed how his girlfriend was acting towards me. I expected him to talk to her, but instead he confronted me!"

"So, I heard you're hitting on my girl," Oliver says as he pushes me back into the locker room. We just finished changing after football practice so, there is no one else in here.

"What? No, I'm not," I gasp in disbelief.

"Oh, yeah? Then explain why I always see you two together around school," he continues to walk toward me as I take steps back.

"She's the one hitting on me! I don't even like her!"

"What, is she not pretty enough for you? Are you calling my girl ugly now?"

"I don't like her because I'm gay!" I tell him.

Oliver gives me a dusgusted look. Before walking out.

"I thought coming out to him would help him understand that I really didn't like his girlfriend in that way. I obviously didn't think it through because telling someone you weren't straight, at this time, was like telling them you're the devil. People weren't as open minded as they are now. Thankfully, though, he didn't tell anyone. Oliver would just give me dirty looks and try to stay as far away from me as possible. I expected that.