Can you love a ghost? // H.S✔️

13. I was needed here more

I sit in silence and take a moment to take it what Harry has just told me. The violence he's endured was horrific and I can only imagine how scared he was.

He notices the pain in my eyes and reaches out for my hand and takes it in his cold grip.

"Don't be sad, I'm the happiest I've ever been since then. I'm free from him and I'm free from seeing my mum from pain. She's happy now and at peace" He gives me a warm smile. I don't know where he finds his strength from.

"Where is she now?" I look around the room wondering why she isn't here with him or why he isn't with her wherever that may be?

"She's in her happy place" he looks back down to his music.

"Where is your happy place? Surely it isn't here" I wipe away my tears which have been falling.

"No you're right it's not here, I don't know why I'm here. I find myself coming back to this house all the time. I guess it's still home for me. I have my music here" he nods down to the sheet of paper he's stopped writing on. "And I guess someone somewhere thought I was needed here more" he looks at me with sadness in his eyes.

"For me?" I tilt my head in question. Who would think I need guidance.

"Maybe, maybe you just need a friend or something to pull you out of your reality for a while and make you happy. Everyone deserves to be happy" he puts his music back and closes the box and places it under the floorboards.

"That's true I do need a friend. I feel so distant from my life back in London. My friend was meant to come this afternoon after school but she never did and she's not answering my texts. I have an awful girl at school called Jenny who is set on making my life difficult" I hang my head as I realise my life isn't actually great at the moment.

"Yes I know, I've seen it all"

He knows all this? Sure he does he's a ghost I'm sure he sees everything.

"I feel so lonely right now" the tears come thick and fast. I never knew I felt like this before.

"Well there is no need to be now, I'm here. I'm your friend and you can talk to me." He smiles and wraps the blanket over me noticing I'm shivering.

"You're not. You're dead. I can't be friends with you. It's not real. None of this is real" I wave my hands around the room.

"It's as real as you want it to be" he looks around the room and closes his eyes as if he's remembering something.

"I..I just feel stupid. You and me, I'm sitting in this fucking room talking to a ghost! I'd be chucked in the closest mental hospital if I went around telling people this" I laugh at myself and at this ridiculous situation.

I have never been the type to believe in ghosts, I watch ghost hunts on the tv and always am the first to say someone's behind the camera making bangs or throwing objects around. I can't wrap my head around Harry.

"I don't think your stupid, anyway I like this" he points between us "I've not had a friend in years. People always move in here and I try and make contact and they freak out. Get some woman round the house to bless it or to ask me to leave. All I want is company. I get angry so I do make it so they leave the house, I leave the house and wait for the next family to arrive so I can do it all over again. It's the only way I get to interact" he lays back on the floor and folds his hands behind his head.

"What about me? My family. You haven't tried to get rid of us yet?" I pull the blanket closer to me.

"You're different, the first time I saw you in my room, I knew I couldn't make you leave. I didn't want to, I wanted to know you. Something felt like I needed to know you. You needed me" he stares up at the ceiling.

"So it was you that covered me over in this blanket?"

He nods.

"I have to go to bed, I have to be up and sort myself out. I'm meeting Louis tomo.."

Harry cuts me off "don't meet him, stay with me for the day" he sits up and looks at me, a begging look.

"And do what? My Dad is going to think I'm mad talking to nothing plus I can't wait all day until the night for you to show up" I laugh.

"I don't only come out at night you know, I'm not a vampire. Although that would be cool" he smirks.

"I just choose when I want to be seen, we could go to the bottom of the garden and chat. Make jokes? I don't know I'm so out of touch with what hanging out consists of now" he looks confused as if he's thinking about what happens in that situation.

I laugh "ok ok, let's do that. What time?" This is weird, how normal I'm being.

"I'm free all day tomorrow" he winks.

He is beautiful I look at him and look over his face. Such a sad life he's led yet he still holds beauty and grace.

"Where is he?" I ask without thinking.

Harry runs his hands through his curly hair "he was chucked into prison with a life sentence, he admitted what he did and showed no remorse. About five years ago they found him hanging his in cell during morning checks"

"Wow, so he's dead"

Harry stands up "yup I made sure no one came to find him. I watched him slowly die, slowly saw all life leave his body and watch him piss himself"

I stand up with Harry "you saw him? Were you there" I hand the blanket back to Harry.

"Of course I wouldn't miss it for the world. He saw me I know he did his eyes told me he couldn't believe it and he managed to whimper my name 'harry' I just stood there" he folds his blanket up neatly.

"Where is he now? Is your mum free of him still?" I wonder where all dead people go now?

"No he'll never be near my mum, he's in his happy place most likely. Surrounded by vodka bottles and cheap whores" he walks out the room and puts the blanket in the cupboard.

"I wish I could of met your mum" I close the door behind me and stand there not wanting to leave Harry.

"She would of liked you" he simply says "I'll see you tomorrow"

I look down and nod thinking of his poor mum. When I look back up I'm standing in the hallway on my own. I look up and down but Harry had gone where ever it was that he goes when he's not here.

I walk back to my room and get under the covers to warm up and I sleep until morning.

____________________________