Stuck Here (Ziall)

Chapter 16

(Zayn’s POV)

 I had just revealed to Chad, Niall’s best friend, that not only was Niall murdered, but also someone very close to him murdered Niall. I could tell he had so many questions, how I knew being at the top of the list. “We don’t have all the evidence, but from what Louis and I, mostly me really, have come up with… It all points at Mr. Tanner.”

“That can’t be.” Chad stumbled back, hitting the kitchen countertop and holding it to keep him from falling to the ground. “Mr. Tanner- He- Sure he had this thing about Niall, but he wouldn’t k-kill him.” Chad sputtered. He groaned and pressed a hand to his forehead. “And what do you mean my brother might be right? Does he see Niall? Is Niall a ghost or something? Is he here?!” Chad began to frantically look around. He watched his brother run around and finally jump up onto the couch. I watched, seeing what Chad couldn’t see: a memory of Niall playing with Miles and sitting on the couch with him. “He is- isn’t he?” Chad asked.

I nodded. “Just a shadow of him, though.” It was hard to explain to people who don’t know much about spirits and all. I had been dealing with them my entire life, so it was second nature to me. “Think of it as an echo. He left pieces of himself in places that he connected with the most. Here.” I gestured around Chad’s house. “His own home. The ravine where he died and the school.” I listed the places off, one by one, ending with the most important: the school. “The Niall around here and at his home are stuck in time, though. It’s like he’s living life on repeat, not knowing what happened to him.”

“And at the school.”

“He knows he’s dead. He doesn’t like it, but he knows.” I sighed; drinking up the last of the water that Chad had offered me. “That’s what the whole Louis thing was about.”

“That was Niall!?” Chad pushed away from the counter and approached me. “We have to go back to the school. I have to talk to him. I have to apologize to Louis. I have-“ Chad began rambling on and on and I needed for him to stop. I was already drained from being in contact with Niall for so long and Chad’s shouts were not helping my headache.

“Woah, Chad. Chill.” I eased him down from his hype and spoke quietly ad my own voice even pinched at the nerves in my neck. “What we need to do is get into Tanner’s desk.”

“I can do that.” Chad offered suddenly. “What do you need in his desk?” He was so willing to help and I liked that part of him, but I didn’t want him to get hurt, especially with him being so close to Mr. Tanner. Things could end up badly if Mr. Tanner had decided to make Chad his next victim. I had worried about that idea before just by having Chad being to close to the substitute and now that things were heating up, my worries only increased.

“Chad, are you sure about this? About getting involved?” I needed to make sure that he was in it for the long run. I needed all the help I could get to take that damned teacher down for Niall’s death. So far I had Louis on my side, only gathering information and not much more. Chad would really be an asset. I still couldn’t believe how easily it was for him to believe me and my words about Niall still being in this world.

“Yes.” He said eagerly. I sighed heavily. “What? You don’t think I can help solve my best friend’s death?” Chad walked around his kitchen, hands clenched at his sides. “Zayn, I can help. I want to help.”

“Okay.” I agreed. “But first. I think you need to talk to Niall.” I looked over to the living room where the shadow of Niall that was playing with Miles had looked up at the sound of his name being called. He gave me a strange look and those blue eyes shined. Oh how I wished I knew him before all of this. Maybe I could have made something out of those secret glances that he gave me instead of having my heartthrob over an ephemeral being. “How do you feel about a night trip to the school?”