Through The Ghost

Chapter Six

Ben shook Ghost from her spot on the floor. As soon as Joker had left, she passed out. Patrick and Patricia were still recovering from being overpowered and shocked to see Ghost talking to Joker. Frankly, Ben was shocked to see her speaking as freely with him as she had.

Ghost's eyes fluttered open and she sat up quickly, "Did I pass out?"

Ben nodded, "Yeah. You did. What happened?"

Ghost shook her head and thought for a moment, "Joker showed me a lot. A lot more then I think I have ever seen. I felt so free and it was so nice to not have any pain."

"He took your pain away?" Ben asked, completely shocked

Ghost said, her braveness fading fast, "Just while we were out of here."

Patrick asked, his face angry, "How dare you?! You just went with him? What did he tell you? What did you tell him? How on this earth did you let him play games with you? Where did you go?"

Patricia put a hand on his arm to make him shut his mouth.

Ghost explained everything that happened in her short and soft way, then added, "I only let him play with my mind because that's the only way he will trust me."

Ben knew she wasn't lying. She had a look about her that said she was completely truthful. Ben could also just feel her. He knew something wasn't settling right with her about the whole thing as well.

"What's the matter? I can tell something's not right..." He asked her through their link and gently touched her arm

Ghost turned to him and replied softly, "I'm not sure. Just he makes my pain and anger go away. Patricia and Patrick say when you're with your true love your pain goes away."

She tuned him out after that and swiftly left the room. She jogged to her dorm room and locked the door. Bekka wasn't back in the room yet, Ghost hoped she would return soon. Joker wouldn't dare come when an innocent girl was involved.

As if on cue, Bekka walked into the room, "Hey, Ghost. Classes sucked today...how was your day?"

Ghost wanted to slip and tell Bekka everything, but she knew if she did that, Bekka wouldn't see the light of another day, "Oh, suckish as normal."

Bekka laughed and said with a smile, "You want to go get coffee? I'm in desperate need for coffee. How about you ask Ben to come with?"

Ghost shrugged, "I need coffee too. Ben and I...well...things with him are...complicated."

Bekka nodded slowly, "I totally get it. What happened? You can tell me!"

Ghost said, "Why don't we go get our coffee and then we can talk about it all."

Bekka nodded, "Good idea, dear friend. Let's go!"

About an hour later, Ghost had explained that there was another guy, that didn't live on campus, that had told Ghost he was in love with her. Ben wasn't sure what to think of it all so he kind of put things on hold. So, after Ghost was done with the story, it was mostly true.

Bekka had nodded and listened through the whole thing. As soon as Ghost was done speaking, she offered advice.

"I think you should give this other guy a chance. It sounds like he's been through hell and back a few times. Ben is a sweet heart and all but this other guy seems to love you deeply." Bekka said, then added, "But, it's totally your call. Since, you know, you are the one going out with one of them."

Ghost nodded and took what she said to heart. Joker had nothing but flaws, though. And he was trying to take over the free world. Only that was something Ghost could never tell a soul.

Bekka offered, "You want to watch a movie to get our minds off our troubles?"

Ghost nodded, "Sure. Anything is just perfect with me."

Bekka grinned and turned on some chick flick.

It had completely lost Ghost's interest when a boy who looked just like Joker came on the screen.

"Hard isn't it? Especially when you don't know where to turn..." A voice said, creeping into Ghost's mind

Ghost replied, trying to look interested in the movie in case Bekka looked over, "No kidding...I know your voice...who are you?"

The voice laughed and said, "You know perfectly well who I am. You can't cut off all mind links, Ghost. There is almost always one open. You subconsciously left mine open."

Joker

Ghost sighed and replied, "Hello Joker..."

"Hello love. What are you doing?" His voice asked, something cracking as he asked

Ghost held back a scoff, "Like you don't know, but watching a movie with my roommate. You know the one."

Joker laughed, sending chills down Ghost's spine, "Ah. Well, she is a pretty one."

Ghost did scoff that time.

Apparently it went fine with the movie, since Bekka said, "I know right?!"

"Ah, are you jealous that I can see other girls beauty besides your own?" Joker said with a laugh

Ghost rolled her eyes, "Stop being so sure of yourself. What do you want with me anyway? You never clarified on that."

Joker took some time formulating an answer, so Ghost drew her attention to the movie.

"You are my mate. Us, being special, have chosen mates before the world was even created. Like wolves know exactly who their mate will be when they smell her. I need you." Joker's voice said, completely truthful

Ghost pulled out of his mind link and asked Patrick, "Is it true that we have mates like wolves do?"

Patrick replied almost instantly, "Oh yes. I knew the second I saw Patricia she was mine. But, with you females it take a little more time to know. Why?"

Ghost ignored the question and returned to Joker, trying to formulate what he wanted, "I'm still confused by the whole thing. Everyone says that Ben is mine. Who would be his if I'm not?"

"Since you aren't, some other girl. Maybe even a human. Our mates are not always our kind." Joker said softly

Ghost then snapped without thinking, "But you're evil. I'm not in any way."

Joker took his time replying, "I'm not evil. I'm searching for a way to set us all free of our pains. No one sees the good I'm doing. Everyone only sees the bad and how evil I can be. Ben could be just as evil, Ghost."

When he said that, Ghost knew he was done talking. He cut off their link and the pain in Ghost's chest returned. That's why the pain hadn't been nearly as bad. Their mind link was almost like being with each other. But why had the pain gone away with Ben around for the first while?

"One more question. Is there any way to tell for sure if someone is your mate?" Ghost asked Patrick

"Yes, but I'm not telling you until you explain. And I know about you and Joker's little conversations. We need to talk alone. Soon." He replied quickly

Ghost rolled her eyes, "When and where?"

Patrick replied, his voice a little more then angry, "In an hour behind your dorm building."