My Last Halloween

Chapter 5: Man in the window

   The bus reached my neighborhood and I stepped off. James followed right behind me; he only lived a few houses down from me. We've never been over each other's house for the 2 years I've known him. I would see him outside sometimes just sitting in the front but that's about it. He kept to himself mostly unless invited somewhere.

He tapped me on the shoulder and pointed up.

"Looks like it's going to rain." he said.

"Oh darn, I guess I can't go out running anymore." I said sarcastically.

"Ha, well hopefully it doesn't rain tomorrow night while we're out."

We proceeded to walk down the street moving a little faster than usual so the rain didn't catch us.

"Do you think Jasmine is the relationship type?" James said breaking the silence.

"Huh? What do you mean?" I asked, confused by his question

"I don't know, I was just wondering what you think about her when it comes to relationships; like if she seems like she would be a good girlfriend."

"Well...I don't know, I never thought about it." I said trying to figure out where this was going.

"You know she's not really that nice to certain people. I'll admit she can be a little stuck up sometimes and you know that." I added.

"Yeah but she really isn't all that bad. She's nice to us and she's really only a bitch to people who deserves it in my opinion."

It was just like James to try and see the good side of people. It's true, Jasmine wasn't a bad person but I wasn't so sure about her being girlfriend material.

"I've liked her since last year. I just never really brought myself up to saying anything about it." he said nervously.

"Really?" I said kind of surprised by his honesty. "I gotta be honest with you man Jasmine has a few issues."

"Yeah but people aren't without problems. I know that she's going through a lot, she told me about her family problems one day. I think she reflects all the negativity in her life on other people because she doesn't know how to deal, ya know?"

This is the most expression I've ever seen James show. He made a lot of sense. Jasmine had a hard time freshman year. After that she was determined to be known and feel important. Guess I never really noticed that stuff.

"Some people just need a chance to show they can be better than how some people perceive them. Like an opportunity to come forward so they can act on it. Maybe I could help her ya know. She only acts that way sometimes because she thinks she has to." he added.

"I think you're right man. She really only acts up around people she's not comfortable with. Hey, if you really care for her I say go for it." I was really moved on how much he cared about her.

"Thanks David, it means a lot. Maybe I'll try talking to her over the weekend."

"That sounds like a plan to me." I said with a smile.

We reached James's house and departed as I continued up the road. I still had a few minutes to get to my house and I felt the rain starting to come down. I started Jogging up the street as soon as the rain started coming down a little harder. I was two doors down from my house when I slipped and fell forward.

I almost went face first and my clothes were now half soaked. I looked ahead just as I was about to get up but I froze. I saw something at the end of the street. An old house people believed to be abandoned. There was a man in the window from what I could tell; an old guy in a black and white suite just standing at the window. He wasn't moving at all, just standing there, staring at me. His face was pale and wrinkled and he had this demented look in his eyes. I quickly jumped to my feet and looked back at the house. There was nobody there. He was gone just like that. Was I seeing things? Maybe all the rain pouring down blurred my vision.

I ran over to my door and went inside. I went upstairs and changed out of my wet clothes. I looked out my bedroom window at the house and didn't see anything. Was my mind playing tricks on me? I figured I was just being delusional...or did I really see someone?