GHOST BOY [boyxboy]

21: Sleep

• MARK'S POV •

I woke up, next to the white haired boy. He was holding me tightly and still fast asleep, mumbling some weird dream things, I guess he had a nightmare. After my confession he wanted me to stay the night so we could cuddle.

Which I ofcourse didn't find a problem, his parents were nice, really nice. Jake was a bit over protective since we had a history and completely heard me out, which was pretty hard, but fair..

I smiled to myself, this was okay, I felt better than I had ever done with April. I tried to snuggle even closer to Ethan, his hair smelled really nice and flowery. The movements in his chest were slow and steady, it was relaxing. Sometimes he would mumble a few words in his sleep, which was really cute.

I closed my eyes again, treasuring every moment of this night. Something I had never done before with all the other girls I'd been with.

But something in the back of my head kept telling me that I could lose him any moment, since he was so fragile.

I slowly opened my eyes to look at the details of his sleeping face. He had such a beatiful face. Tiny freckles, dimples, a tiny corner chipped of his left front teeth. The bruising on his jaw started to go purple and yellow.

My face fell at the thought of my fist connecting with his jaw, I sighted soft. Slowly moving my gaze upwards when a girl in a white dress stood in the room, a messy bun and a slit throat, blood was everywhere on her dress.

"Hi Mark" she said insecure. I was paralysed from fear and when I snapped out of it, I shot backwards and fell out of the bed. A dull thud and vibration of the things in the room filled the room and I groaned, I opened my eyes and the girl was gone.

Two sleepy icy blue eyes meet with mine as Ethan looked over the edge of the bed, "Are you okay?" He slurred sleepily while rubbing his eyes as he sat up.

I was still shaking, I looked at him. "There was a girl!" I said defeated.

"Yeah Cindy didn't mean to scare you, she just wanted to say hi and meet you, she likes you, you know" Ethan rambled still sleepily. "She's really sorry"

"But she was bleeding" I said confused.

Ethan helped me back onto the bed and snuggled against me again, he looked up at me concerned fully awake now. He looked at my trembling as more concern flooded his face, "Y-Yeah.. Sp-spirits go on w-with the injuries t-that caused their death remember?" He said quietly. "Cindy is really sorry Mark.. a-are you hurt?"

I shook my head really slow, I stared at him, it hit me like a brick that he saw those type of imagery all the time. "H-How do you live like this?" I asked him quietly.

"As you probably know I don't manage very well.. but spirits like Cindy and Adrian, those I just got adjusted to the sight.. o-of a slit throat and cracked open skull.. I screamed my lungs out the first time Cindy woke me up.." Ethan admitted quietly.

I nodded, trying to process this information. I looked down at the fragile boy, this eyes were watery so I started stroking his back.

"What spirit scared you the most?" I asked. Ethan looked away from me, "injuries? almost all of them.. almost none had a pretty end. Stories.. I think that one from Hazel, it still haunts me"

He stayed quiet, staring in the distance. I stroked his back, "Go back to sleep baby, Cindy and I will protect you, and I will meet Cindy another time properly okay?"

Ethan nodded and smiled at me, closing his eyes slowly, "And I'll protect you and Cindy okay? Until we go out for dinner after-- so you.. can meet her-- she's always busy-- saving bees from train tracks--" Ethan mumbled slowly drifting away in his sleep. What he was saying didn't make any sense, but it was cute.

"Goodnight baby" I said as I kissed his forhead, I slowly closed my eyes and fell asleep myself.

- - - - - - - - -

I was walking toward the football field, I had missed the last practice before this game since Ethan relived Lucy's death and had to rest.

I walked towards the dressing room, when I heard Chandler. "What the hell is going on with you lately?" He looked at me with squinted eyes.

"April is going nuts since you decided to disappear last night, she couldn't reach you. No one could! Where were you?! We didn't know if you would show up for the game!" He looked angry at me.

"Of course I'd show up but I'm busy lately, I feel like April and I are drifting apart. I'm just taking my time making sure those feeling are real" I explained, lying through my teeth.

"Yeah you're drifting apart, because you're out of nowhere all over that psychotic faggot" Chandler looked even more angry now. "What the hell is up Mark? I'm your friend, don't fucking kick me out."

"Ethan is not a faggot" I hissed.

"Oh did I find some tiny cracks in your cool behaviour?" Chandler said daring me. "He's a faggot Mark and he's fucking insane you know that" Chandler pushed.

My blood started to boil, I didn't have time for this shit. Ethan had promised to watch the competition, he's probably on the sideline on his own between all these assholes.

"Are you gay Mark?" Chandler hissed.

"No" I deadpanned, "You know I like women"

"Then what's it between you and wall-talker" Chandler pushed.

"It's none of your business, that's what it is" I said.

"Well it is since you're my best friend and you're acting completely out of character." Chandler told me.

"Let me change" I growled and walked into the dressingroom and started putting on my uniform.

I looked into the mirror adjusting my hair, since Ethan was watching the game. I smiled, grabbed a ball and walked towards the field.

Chandler following me closely, "I haven't seen you smile like that since you were in love with April"

I ignored him, searching the benches of the stands for a white haired boy. I spotted him and started to smile, he did a tiny wave to me, a shy smile on his face. I felt my insides warm up and really wanted to cuddle him again.

"Rasmussen, what are you doing?! Go warm up for the game!" The coach yelled from behind me.

"All he's doing is thinking about fucking wall-talker" I heard someone mumble from behind me.

I sighed and started to dribble with the ball, towards the goal. My thoughts were nowhere near the game, all my thought were with the ice blue eyes that were watching me. I kicked the ball into the goal and smiled, still I was one of the best players of the school.

After some warming ups, the game started. I decided to put all my attention on the game and everytime I scored I could look at Ethan, that was a pretty good deal with myself.

I scored in the 21th minute, the crowd was cheering and I looked towards Ethan, he was clapping, a proud smile on his face. He sat all alone on the corner of the bench, people didn't want to be near him. But Ethan started talking to something next to him, he wasn't all alone a spirit was with him. I smiled to the ground, Ethan looked so at ease, this was good.

Halfway through the game, I was dribbling with the ball toward the goal. Nearly there as a jock knocked me hard to the ground. It hurt a lot, my face felt wet, red liquid dripped out of my nose onto my hand. I slowly rolled over, the crowd had gone quiet, and the team started gathering around me.

Chandler helped me up, I cleaned my nose and the game went on.