Little Green Stars

Chapter 11-Cause & Effect

Define test it?! Okay, his crazy is coming back.

"Before we test it, we need to do the next step. Do you remember what it is?"

I search my brain for more Dwyer, but nothing comes up.

Jin takes out his phone and types away. "Okay, what I thought, make a prediction," he says, scooting close to me for the first time.

"Okay, well, obviously, we already know what's going to happen!"

"Do we, though?"

"How do we not? I'm going to do what I've been doing the past four nights."

"Look, when you fall asleep tonight, there's two possibilities. You're either going to try to kill me right here, or you're gonna leave the room and go to my bedroom."

"So, you're predicting what?" I ask, feeling the anxiety creeping back in.

"Whatever is going on has to do with that house. So if I'm not sleeping in your old room, maybe you won't have a reason to come haunt it." Jin says.

"Are you suggestions that if you're not in my old room when I go to sleep, then I won't leave my body to go haunt you?"

"I think it's a good starting prediction," Jin says and begins writing it down.

"But what if I try to hurt you right here?"

"Then we'll know it's me and not the house, and then we'll just have to try another prediction tomorrow night...if I'm still alive, that is."

"And if I still leave?"

"Then we'll know the house is the problem and not me," Jin says, looking up to meet my eyes.

"How are you so nonchalant about all this when you were freaking out earlier?"

"Honestly, you've been scaring me shitless for days. When I saw you, I was thrown off and seriously thought I saw a ghost. I'm just happy I'm not going insane. I'm happy I'm not the..." Jin's words drop as he looks at me.

"You mean you're lucky you're not the crazy one?" I completed his thought. Shit. What everyone has always said about me is true, after all.

"I uhh..."

"It's fine, story of my life, literally. Crazy runs in the family." I say, grabbing the list from his hands to avoid the now awkward eye contact.

"Mine too, don't worry," Jin adds, finally relaxed enough to take off his leather jacket, revealing a White Stripes t-shirt. There it is. Jin Caldwell, the guy I'm haunting, is a White Stripe fan. I'm suddenly very intrigued.

"You like the White Stripes?" I ask, taking Jin off guard.

"Yeah, my favorite, how about you?" Jin smiles back at my question.

"Not my fav, but I like a couple songs."

"Let me guess...Seven Nation Army, like every other basic white girl?"

"Hey! It's a good song."

"It was until it became too mainstream and lost its power."

"Okay then, name one of their songs that isn't mainstream," I say, crossing my arms still offended that he called me basic.

"My favorite one," he shrugs back.

"Which is?"

"Effect & Cause."

"Okay," I say, embarrassed that maybe I am a little basic. "I don't think I know that one."

"Well, you should. You'd like it."

"And why's that."

"Just based off your Insta, it kinda seems like you're someone who doesn't put up with people reacting to you being you. The song came out in the early two-thousands but is more relevant today than ever because it speaks to the whole outrage culture plaguing our society."

Outrage culture plaguing our society? Who is this guy? "Wow," I say, taken back. "So you're a science nerd AND a political idealist. What have I got myself into?" I say, without realizing I sound like a total bitch. I mean, I can't help it, it's who I am. My go-to is insulting people. It's how I've survived all these years.

"Honestly, I'm just a guy who loves baseball who's trying to keep a low cover and not get killed," Jin smiles back. "BUT you can tell a lot about a person by what they listen to, so I guess I kinda am a political idealist just tired of all the hate and outrage perpetuated by American news and social media. And yes, I'm aware that makes me sound nerdy." Holy shit. This is getting weird.

"I say the same thing!" I say, a little too excited. "About the music, not the media. I enjoy a good online trolling."

"I can tell via your Insta story," Jin laughs."So what's yours?"

"My prediction?"

"No, you're favorite song?"

"Well, hands down my fav band in Disturbed, and my fav song is Down with the Sickness."

Jin's only response is a laugh.

"I'm sorry, but what's funny?"

"Down with the Sickness? Really? Aren't you trying to convince the whole world and yourself that you aren't crazy meanwhile your favorite song is Down with the Sickness?"

Okay, he has a point. A smile from somewhere I don't recognize escapes me, and for once, I don't have a snarky comeback. Well, I do, but I just don't feel the need to hurl it.

"It's just ironic," he says as he completes his ruff chuckle.

"Like I said, story of my life. I hope the gods or spirits up there are enjoying the dramatic irony of it all."

Jin's smile fades as we lock eye-contact again."You ready for the next step?"

No. "I guess."

"It's time to test our prediction based on the hypothesis. We need to find out if you'll leave your body and go to your old bedroom if I'm here and not there."

"How?"

"How else? You need to go to sleep."

What?!? "No! That's exactly what I've been avoiding the last two nights. Why do you think my eyes look this baggy!"

"You have to, or we'll never know what's really going on. You said you wanted my help. So here it is."

"What you going to do?!"

"Watch you sleep."

Wow. I don't know what it is about those words. I should be creeped out, but instead, I think I'm excited? What the hell is happening to me?