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Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

THE LAST TWO MONTHS IN SCHOOL

After that day, everything became routine.

I went to school everyday, I started seeing people's spirit more often, like all the time actually. I couldn't help it, I didn't know how to stop it.

Then I normally would go to eat with Manu, we became kinda close, not that much though, I wasn't going to risk saying I knew his secret, that he can see spirits and that the black ones are afraid of him.

The spirits started talking to me every now and then. One time, one of the spirits, a black one of course, came really close to me, I was in the girl's bathroom and he went through the door, it was Jason's spirit, he said 'you should look in Emmanuel's room, he is hiding something from you.' I knew that he was, but I thought he was talking about the spirits, anyway, since that day I would sneak into the third floor and try to open the door but it was always locked. I wanted to know what he was hiding but our conversations were always about my day and his work.

Actually, little by little I started sharing more of me, about how it felt being in the lunatic, being an orphan and all that. He talked about his work, I started to know more about him, like the days he came home quiet I knew someone died, or the days he was pretty chatty it was because he saved someone's life. I learned he likes order, so opposite from me in that aspect.

He likes everything in it's place and I'm just a mess. He likes justice, that everyone get what they deserve. He is a hugger and hugs stopped being awkward once I got to know him better, he held my hand sometimes but I don't like that vey much so I let go must of the times.

After eating he would dropped me off at school so I could catch up with my homework and all that. Lily and Jason were always there making fun of me, calling me a slut for "dating" a Doctor which was not true, we never kissed or anything. Madison punch me in the face once and my lip started bleeding pretty badly, she punch me because she said I'm a gold digger. Manu got his revenge, they expelled Madison from school and he was trying to press charges but I begged him not to.

After that I started seeing the spirits more clearly, they were constantly present and I didn't know how to stop it.

Sometimes I couldn't differ spirits from reality, I was starting to get scared, but everything goes away whenever Manu is around, or at least the black ones are gone.

After dinner he would take me somewhere, everyday was a different place.

One time he took me to my first time horse riding and he said - Tell me something about yourself that no one knows.

It was 9:00 pm, I was nervously riding my horse, we were on the beach and I was hearing the waves crash with one another, I looked at him smiling, I wanted to tell him about the spirits, about his secret, but fear got in the way, I looked away and took a big breath, I looked to the sky and saw the big white moon shining over us, I giggled.

- What? - He asked smiling.

- Um, this is stupid but when I was little I thought the moon used to follow me around. - I laughed.

- And what made you change your mind? - He asked.

- The moon? Following me? Why he would do that? - I laughed and looked at the sand and took the fresh air in.

- Cause you're beautiful, if I was the moon, I would follow you around too. - He said smiling.

I giggled.

Every day was an adventure with Manu. He took me 3 days in a row to this fair downtown, there was this huge carnival for a week and it was festive and all. I've never attended to another one before and it was amazing! They even had a fair wheel and we played all those little games they have in there, I was so excited I begged to go back there and so we did, for 3 days!! He won a huge bear and he gave it to me, he bought cotton candy, a pink one, and it was delicious.

We went hiking, swimming, running, biking, every activity possible, we did it.

I was more open, I was talking more, just nonsense but I felt we had a connection.

Even though I never told him about the spirits I felt safe being around him, I felt protected.

After the activities or homework (it would vary on the day) I had soccer practice. Manu told me I could drop it cause he could pay for the whole school but I said no. I love soccer and I didn't want to owe him more than I already do.

I was getting better at it; we won every game of the season. Manu was there in every single game. I became friends of some girls from the team, Chloe, Theresa, Roselyn and Annie, we became kinda close, we hung out a couple of times after school, whenever Manu had surgeries or emergencies at the hospital.

Weekends were only for Manu and I.

I taught him how to play soccer even though he sucks at it.

We would go to movies or rent some, eat all day or take naps, sometimes we fell asleep on the couch but it wasn't awkward at all as weird as it sounds.

And then we had every dinner with the team every night.

We all shared what was the best and worst thing of our day and we laughed at each other for the nonsense they said.

I became pretty close to Joe, the laundry guy. I would spend most of my free time with him in the basement just talking and laughing. Also Esther became kind of like my best friend, we go shopping every Sunday just for fun and drink coffee. Mary is always sweet to me; she says she loves me like a daughter. Elijah and I play in the garden every now and then, one time I got him all wet and he had this huge water war, I got sick after that but it was totally worth it. Rebecca was normally quiet and I love that about her, so I would sneak in the kitchen and just watched her cook in silence.

And it was like that for 2 months, a fun entertained routine.

Every now and then Manu and I don't do anything, we just stare at each other, or lay down on the grass looking at the stars.

Those are my favorite moments, the ones that I know he's there, next to me, loving me without even touching me, without saying it out loud, when I can just feel it in the air, by the way he breathes, by the way he looks at me.

I realize I had feelings for him when I called him by his nickname without him asking, we were watching the stars one night, at least I know I was, he was looking at me and I could just feel his breathing.

- What? - I asked looking at him. It was 3 weeks after I started living with him, I still had a lot on my mind and I wasn't sure how to act around him.

- You're so beautiful Sophia. - He said admiring my face.

I know that I was blushing but I was hoping the darkness of the night would help me out.

- I am not. - I whispered.

- Yes, you are Phi. - He smiled and looking at me suddenly made me feel peace.

Those butterflies they talk about in the fairytales are true. I didn't know what to say or to do; I could hear my heart beating.

-Phi? – I asked a little confused.

- I like nicknames, it brings certain closeness, don't you think? - He said moving his head a little closer to me.

- I do, Manu. - I whispered.

And so I knew, I knew I started to love him even when I actually didn't know the true meaning of love. I just felt it in my heart that this was right.

I don't hear him say anything so eventually I decide to look at him; by my surprise he has his eyes closed, with a big smile on his face.

- I love you Phi. - He whispered.

The moment he said it I felt something in me started changing, I felt... warm. Like somehow the world had given me another chance to do LIFE right. I wanted to say it back so badly, I wanted to scream it at the top of my lungs, I wanted to play with his hair in the dark but I knew it was too risky... love is too risky.

We didn't say anything after that, we just stared at the stars for the rest of the night and it felt just right.

He only calls me Phi whenever he's about to say something extremely cheesy, he never says it in front of people nor very often, he says it has to be in special occasions which for me they always are when he's around.