Truly Madly Ghostly

Chapter Four : One Drunk Night

"So you're a shrink, huh?"

Charlotte sipped coffee from her mug before giving a reply to Alex. "Not yet. But almost there."

"So, tell me, Charlotte," Creases formed around his eyes, as if he was going to bring up a sensitive topic. "Are you already like a typical shrink?"

Her brows furrowed. "First explain how exactly is a typical shrink?"

He shrugged. "Someone who doesn't believe in things which are not scientifically proved, someone who blames the brain and the chemical reactions in it for everything they can not explain."

She took a moment to relish on the refreshing taste of another sip of coffee. "It's because the brain and it's haywire functions--the chemical reactions as you said, it's truly the reason of things that can not be explained. Nature follows logic, Alex, mother nature has set rules that she's bound to follow herself as well, and there's nothing... absolutely nothing beyond it."

Alex's brows furrowed cutely.

At that very moment, Charlotte so wanted to bounce on her tippy toes from such cuteness, throw away her coffee mug, and reach over and squeeze his cheeks with her fingers. But she resisted.

"But what if there is more beyond, Charlotte?"

She inhaled a sharp breath and smiled. "People have their personal opinions, Alex."

"So, you mean to say you wouldn't believe if you ever see a ghost? A soul... still existing without the body?" It so much sounded like he got a bit worked up with the topic.

For a long moment Charlotte wore a blank face before letting out a chuckle. "Trust me, Alex, I would go to one of my professors, if I personally ever encounter a so called soul, and have them prescribe me some drugs. Or I'll go take a couple psycho therapy sessions. That would be enough to calm my brain down."

Alex's brows were furrowed intensely for some time before his expression eased out. "Of course," he said under his breath and wheezed out a chuckle. For some reason that sounded forced.

Charlotte wondered if Alex had ever encountered a hallucination--an apparition perhaps. And he might feel quite sensitive about that experience of his. There was nothing unnatural about him feeling that way though.

Human beings are mostly defensive creatures. They don't appreciate being proved wrong, let alone being proved to be suffering from any form of psychological disorder.

Charlotte let out a discreet sigh, the corner of her eyes set on Alex in the next balcony--close yet too far.

He had chosen to stay over to his territory this evening and had declined her offer to make him some coffee.

His loss.

The coffee was heavenly.

More than a week had passed. And there was not an evening or a night that she'd not hung out with him, out here in the balcony. Sometimes he would cross the railings and come to her's, and sometimes he would just remain at his favorite spot on his own balcony--a hip resting on the railing, playing guitar leisurely, reminding her of how she'd seen him the first time, it seemed like a long time ago.