My Fiance is a Ghost

Chapter 11

         "Are you nervous?" my mom asked me. It was the day before I would start my position and I was getting the jitters. I nodded my head and took a sip of the tea she had made. She reached across and gave my hand a squeeze. "Your father would be so proud of you" she said with a choked voice. Tears brimmed her eyes and I have her hand a squeeze back, "I know Mom, I miss him too." She brushed them away and straightened her top out, "And Colin too honey, from where you were to where you are now, you really are a strong woman!" she said smiling. I gave her a half smile, "thanks mom." 

        I look at myself in the mirror not sure how to balance dressing my age but dressing like a professional. I should've gone shopping beforehand but I procrasinated so now I was stuck with what I have. I found a modest black shirt, paired with with a white tank, and wrapped a simple white scarf around my neck. I pulled out a red light-weight cardigan and slipped on black flats. Then I brushed out my tangled hair and secured it in ponytails that sat high on my head but not too high. I put simple gold earrings on and a watch. Lastly, I applied two shades different shades of golden eyeshadow to my lids, used Lash Blast Mascara, and coated my lips in peppermint chapstick. I twirled around and did a pose for Colin. He grinned, "Sexy Teacher, I like it."  I threw my hands in the air in mocked frustration. "I am teaching 3 and 4 year olds, I have to be appropriate teacher not sexy teacher" I laughed. He kissed my forehead, "Well you look perfect then" he said huskily. He kissed me on the lips and back on the forehead once more, "I love you" he said. I told him I loved him back.

       He shuffled his feet and look uncomfortable for a second, "I am going to wait here until you are down with your day."  I didn't know how to respond at first. It was weird knowing it would be like an actually real life relationship situation. I would work all day and see him at night. I got so used to him for the most part being with me everywhere I would go that the thought seemed strange. "Ok" I said quietly, I peered up to his face. There was a sad look. I wrapped my arms around his waist, "Ok baby but if you ever get too lonely, you are welcome to stop by anytime" I said warmly. I glanced at the clock, "Time to go" I said pulling away and grabbing my bag. "I'll see you later" I yelled to him as I walked out the apartment. My sister's muffled voice came from her room, "GOOD LUCK!". I had forgetten she was even home. 

       Little kids ran past my feet as parent after parent entered and exited the room. One mother clutched my arm tightly, "My little girl Sadie, right over there" she said pointing at a little girl who was shoving kids out of the way, "She is very ambitious but also very demanding. I give her the space to grow so please don't take her creative spirit as aggressive behavior" she begged. I drew back, "Ok no problem, Ma'am" I said trying to seem sympathatic. When she left I made a face to my coworker Miss Vicky, she gave me one back which made me laugh. I hadn't talked to Miss Vicky for more than two minutes before I knew I liked him. She mustve been in her early forties, she has a short lady who zoomed around the room like a firecracker. She had a loud raspy voice and a crazy sort of laugh but you could tell she had such love for children. The way she handled them just had me in awe. I hoped by the end of the year to have picked up on some of her technics. "Excuse Me Miss?" a somewhat familiar man's voice said behind me, making me whip around. 

       "Will?" I exclaimed surprised to see him. "Hey!" he replied swooping down and giving me a quick hug.  I glanced down and saw a little boy who looked like a mini Will. "This is your boy?" I said even more shocked. He ruffled the boys hair, "Yup this is my little man, Mason, say Hi bud."  The boy just stared at me and then bashfully hid his face in his father's pants. I knelt down to Mason's level, "Hi Mason, my name is Miss Annika or you can just say Miss A, I hope we can become friends this year! There are some playing blocks over there if you wanted to play with them before class starts. Would you like that?" I asked. After a few seconds, still buried into Will's face he atleast nodded. The like a lightening bolt he ran across the room leaving me stunned. I stood back up and raised my eyebrows at Will, "Well that was fast!"  He chuckled shrugging his shoulders, "Don't let him fool you, he has the confidence of his father" he said with a boast. "uhh huh" I said just shaking my head and I scrunched my nose at him. I was about to ask him how he had been but then Miss Vicky announced it was time to get class going. I said goodbye to Will. "Well guess you will be seeing a lot more of me" he said grinning. I tried to hide my grin, "Guess so.."

       At first the kids overwhelmed me. There was Lindsey who beat up every kid who looked her way, Tomi who wanted to eat the glue stick everytime during art time, Sashennya who would cry all the time for no apparent reason, and Teddy who kept peeing through his clothes even though his mom swears she potty trained him. I usually came home very sore and very tired but I would tell Colin all my stories and he seemed really excited to hear about my day.  Will and I would talk every morning for a few minutes before class would start. We didn't talk about much really, sometimes I'd give him an update about how Mason was doing. He was a pretty good kid, he liked to talk a lot but got along with all the kids and didn't ever cause disruptions. Even though Will and I had friendly conversation, I felt guilty still.

        "So what do you do with your days?" I asked Colin one night. "I walk around town, play tricks on people...just the old ones who already think they are going batty" he said jokingly, "Umm there is a woman who owns a psyhic shop down on Perry's Street, who is legit, we talk sometimes."    I grimaced and drew up my lip, "How old is she?" I asked a little too accusingly. He gave me a sassy look, "55 so calm your ass."  I backed down a little, "What do you guys talk about?" I said sweetly. We bickered more often than ever and I knew I couldn't prevent it but it was hard to bite my tongue. He stretched his arms behind him, "Life, death, that kind of stuff." he said casually. "Did you ever ask why you are stick here?" curiously I asked. "Yeah... she said either you or I just can't let go and accept what was destined to happen" he said, making the pit of my stomach stir. "You can go anytime you want." I huffed. He calmly ran his hand through my hair, "I love you, I don't plan on going anywhere soon."  I was frustrated, "Is it me then?!"  I looked exasperated, "I don't know" he said loudly. "I don't know how to just accept death, is there some freaking guide book" I said, my cheeks were on fire. Then what Colin said made my heart jerk, "Do you want me to go?"   We just sat there in silence. "No...I don't. I am sorry..I'll drop this" I mummered leaning into him. I was starting to question myself though. Was I being truthful with myself?