Truly Madly Ghostly

Chapter Eighteen: Infinity

Suddenly, the door shut so fast on her face that she jumped in fright.

Whoa!

She stumbled back multiple steps in shock. With her mouth agape, she stared at the now-closed door.

Did Alex do it?

What was wrong with him!

"Alex?" she called out.

Silence reigned for a moment before it was interrupted by the sound of heavy things scraping against the floor. It was the same as that night—noises that seemed to be of furniture being dragged across the floor.

Charlotte didn't wait more out at the corridor, in front of his door. There seemed to be no point of it. If Alex had heard her and wanted to invite her in, he would have already, and would have definitely not slammed the door shut on her face, would not have ignored her calling him.

But as she came back to her apartment, dropped her bag on her study desk, and sighed, cupping her forehead, she wondered if Alex was just mad at Dias and Carlos, and how they were bringing weird people every now and then up at his home. She knew she would have been mad if they were continuously doing the same thing to her.

And it would have helped if she had known what exactly was going on here. What was this mysterious case of Dias, Carlos, and the weird people they bring?

After having a ham sandwich for dinner, she ran a bath. 

A little bit of white wine was left in a bottle in her freeze, pouring it into a glass she brought it to accompany her. Her muscles relaxed as she submerged into the lukewarm water. She rolled her shoulders and let out a low groan of pleasure, then knocked her head back. Her eyes closed of their own accord, and the tangy taste of wine felt marvelous on her tongue. 

She might have nodded off at some point like that because when the sound of a guitar came to her ear, she stirred and moaned.

Lifting her head she looked at the open bathroom door.

It was coming from the balcony. And it was familiar, very familiar.

As the tune continued, she rested the side of her face on her folded arm over the edge of the tub. The music his guitar created was so beautiful that she felt the urge to cry rushing back.

Her feeling had intensified with her realization from yesterday.

There was no stopping this fall, was it?

Sighing, she stood from the water, and thousands of droplets poured from her naked body to the waves below. The noise of water clashing water felt significant for some reason.

Shrugging on her white robe and grabbing her towel, slowly, she padded bare feet out at the balcony. Drops of water dribbled down her hair, creating a trail behind her.

Making her shiver, the night air bit into her sodden skin, or it might be more because of Alex's eyes on her. His music faltered for just a brief moment before it took a turn to a more intense melody. His eyes shone with admiration. 

She bathed in moonlight.

--

"It's too loud," Charlotte harrumphed.

Tina made a face too. "I know, even I'm not a fan of such ear-blasting music. Damn Rick and his constant nagging."

Rick was their classmate, and despite being out of their close circle of friends, he was still a good friend. He had been nagging in Charlotte and Tina's ears for the last week to have them attend a party at his home. Most people of their age from the college were going to be there—even Andy and Sammy. So Rick, being a little crazy in the head, found it really hurtful to his esteem that Charlotte and Tina didn't want to come. "Don't be like boring grandmamas you two," he had said, at last, taking the route of riling up Tina and getting her to say yes to the party, which worked.