Phantom Love

Phantom Love: As the Darkness Becomes Light... Until We Meet Again

[I don't really like the title... I wanted something to do with the ending of the chapter but also to do with the song I choose.. that didn't work. Oh well.. I might change it later. LAST CHAPTER WHOOOOAAAAAA!!!!! I honestly want to chop it up into separate chapters but no!!!! Im making this one big giant MONSTER CHAPTER!]

[Nico P.O.V.]

    When Rose and I got back to school to check on Roland, he was gone. Rose said that one of two things could have happened to him: he snapped out of his trance somehow, which was highly unlikely for a ghost with low skill, or... he passed on already.

     Rose said that Roland never really showed much progress during training. With the skill he showed, she said that we should be lucky he lasted this long.

     Sighing, I unlocked my front door and walked inside. I threw my backpack against the over-turned couch and lugged my feet up the stairs.

     At the rate this week started, I don't think cleaning this mess will ever make it to the top of my "To Do" list.

     I walked into my room and yanked my shirt over my head. A shower wouldn't boost my mood any, but it would help.

     ...

     Ten minutes later and what do I find?

     Roland hovering over the bed, glaring at the cartoons on the TV.

     Relief filled my body. It felt like I was holding my breath, one hundred feet underwater, and suddenly, I was free.

      I dropped my towel and rushed to him, pulling him into my arms. "Roland! You're okay!?" That's when he shoved me off.

      "Don't you dare touch me!" He got up. "You know, I don't even know why I came here. I think I just wanted to trick myself into believing whatever little excuse you would spin up to save yourself again!"

     I knew he was about to flash away. I knew that if he did, I would never see him again. I knew that, so I grabbed him.

     He vibrated in my embrace, like his body didn't know where to go. He collapsed in my arms, groaning.

     "Damnit, Nico..." He tried to push me off of him, but he was too weak.

      "Roland, please, I don't want to fight. Why spend our time fighting?"

       "So you can continue manipulating me?" He looked up at me, tears in his eyes.

      I used my thumb to wipe the tears away. My attempt only caused me more heartache when my finger went right through it, leaving it unaffected. I turned us around, making me closest to the bed, and sat down. I let Roland go and looked down at my feet.

    "Roland. I'm sorry."

    "You can't just expect—"

     "I'm not done." I took a long, deep sigh. "Roland, I'm giving you the choice right now. I'm sorry I caused you so much pain. I'm sorry I didn't know all of these years. I'm sorry I betrayed you. But the thing that I'm the most sorry for is that, even for a second, you weren't on my mind. So, I'm giving you the choice. You can leave right now, and I will never cause you pain again. I'll never force you to second guess and doubt yourself again. I'll never make you feel unnoticed again."

     It was silent. It was as if the world had come to a stop. Despite my calm demeanor, I was shaking inside. My heart was pounding at the thought of never seeing Roland again. I knew I couldn't begin to think of a life without him.