Head aching, Abby let out a groan. She sat up and found herself on the couch. How?
She massaged her temples trying to ease the fleeting pain before slowly getting up from her position. She paused for a moment when memories of the weird dream she had come flooding into her mind. There were banging doors, a paranormal club, ghosts, and a love confession.
Love confession. She thought blushing. It would have been great if it was a human that confessed to her though. Abby stood from the couch, still a bit wobbly on her feet as she walked her way to the kitchen. She sighed once again before opening the fridge to fill a glass with water.
"Hi!"
Abby drops the glass in shock and it broke into tiny pieces.
Neither she nor did the ghost in front of her bothered with the now broken glass. "Did you have a good sleep? I wanted to bring you to your room but I can only bring you to the couch."
"But I thought it was just all a dream..." she whispered to herself staring at the creature sitting on the countertop of the kitchen.
What was his name again? Nigel? Norman? No-
Noah.
"You passed out yesterday, are you feeling alright now?" Noah flew beside her placing his translucent hand on her forehead as if he could feel her temperature. "Hmm. Well, I can't tell how you are feeling unless you tell me." He chuckled. Abby only continued to stare at him turning the smile on Noah's face into a frown.
"Why, is something wrong?" He started asking. Worry evident on his handsome face. Abby can now see his clearly defined facial features as the sunlight enter the kitchen window.
Abby does not know how to react exactly. A ghost is talking to her after all. Never in her life did she imagine that she'd see one let alone have a chat with one so she ran. Again.
She grabbed her bag and ran out of the door without looking back.
Trying to catch her breath, Abby arrives at the bus stop in record time. Thank goodness, the bus is already there when she arrived. She climbed into the entrance of the vehicle and sat on an empty seat by the window. She closed her eyes for a moment, waiting for her breathing and her heart to calm down. Good thing, it's her day off at the bakery today. She didn't have to worry about not getting to work.
Abby got to school earlier than normal. She even had an hour to spare before her first class so she decided to visit the library and find something to help her get rid of the ghost in her aunt's house. As soon as she's seated in front of the computer, Abby dragged the mouse cursor to the web browser.
Clicking onto the search bar, Abby started typing.
How to get rid of ghos-
But she stopped halfway thinking what if she saw is not real? What if it's just all her? Maybe the stress is finally getting into her head and she just needed to relax, have some time for herself. Yeah. She's been working so hard to pay for her school loans and save up for an apartment that she forgot to take some time for herself and now she's seeing things. That must be it. Hah. She almost laughed at herself for almost taking it seriously. Ghosts are not real, she thought smiling.
How to protect yourself from ghosts - she typed
It won't hurt to know though, she mumbled to herself before clicking the first link that appeared on the screen. Just in case.
Clutching the phone in her hand she stared at the address on the screen.
She does seem to be in the right place, she thought before glancing at the old building before her. As soon as classes were over, Abby ran to the place where she read to have been selling things she could use for situations like hers.
"Hi, how may I help you?" A middle-aged woman greeted her as soon as she entered the antique shop.
"I-I'm just looking around." She replied almost awkwardly before hurriedly turning to the aisle next to her. She gave the sales lady a quick side glance. Their eyes met and the lady creepily smiled at her. Abby felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up. Why do weird people keep showing up? she murmured to herself before suddenly bumping into someone, bringing her attention back to what's in front of her.
"Ouch." the person let out as she knocked her head on the shelf in front of her.
"I'm so sorry. I wasn't looking-" Abby started apologizing before realizing who she bumped into.
With a big fat smile on her face, Natasha greeted her happily as if they've been best friends forever. "Hey!"
Abby nodded her head in reply not knowing what to say. Out of all the people she could meet in this already creepy shop, she had to meet the weird girl yesterday.
Gasping, Natasha started, "Are you also shopping?"
Yeah, right. Shopping.
"Uh- no. I'm just looking around." She lied swiftly.
"Oh, okay. Well then, what are you looking for?" She asked innocently but Abby had the feeling that if she answered her question, she'll get ideas in her head and might even follow her back to her aunt's house because from the short while she knew her, Abby saw how when Natasha Brighton wants something, she gets it no matter what. And from the looks of her current obsession with paranormal things and Abby's situation, her plans to have a peaceful college life will surely go down the hill once Natasha knows of that 'something' lurking in her aunt's house.
"Just things." Natasha looked too curious that she could almost see her eyes sparkling from it so before she could even dig a little deeper, Abby muttered out a quick goodbye before running to the other side of the store. She has to get what she needs fast and get out of there pronto.
Seeing the nearest displayed cross beside her, she quickly grabs it along with an old bible she also saw on the shelf just beneath it before running to the cashier. Her heart was racing the whole time the cashier's scanning the items but it seemed to relax a little when he started to put the items in the paper bag.
"Oh, you're done buying?"
Abby clutched her chest from the shock. She hastily turned her head to the cashier and saw that the items she bought were already inside the bag. She let out a sigh of relief. Good, she didn't see it.
She immediately took it, waved a quick goodbye at a gaping Natasha, and walked out of the door.
God, shopping has never been so stressful.
After an hour of searching the internet, half a day of attending classes, and finally being able to buy what she needed, Abby was armed and ready to protect herself.
Holding a cross in one hand and a bible in the other, she slowly entered the front door of the house, cautiously looking to her left and right just in case someone jumps in to scare her.
With her arms outstretched in front of her, she walked down the hallway oh so carefully. She has almost walked throughout the house but the ghost, Noah, didn't appear. Is he gone?
Feeling the relief from that thought, Abby relaxed a little.
"What's that?"
"Ah!" Abby fell on the floor, bottom first. Her hand shakily moves to her chest. She felt her heartbeat wild from the shock.
She closed her eyes for a moment to calm herself. Damn it. She felt as if her lifespan decreased by five years from all the shock she's been getting lately.
"Are you okay? I'm sorry I startled you." Noah began, sympathy laced his voice. Is he comforting her? Her eyes were closed but she felt something cold around her as if he was hugging her.
Abby began to snivel. She hated being comforted. She felt weak and pathetic. No one comforted her when her parents died and she was okay with it. She was used to dealing with things alone, no one comforted her when she was sad or happy or scared but she got through with it and now look how far she made it already. She's all grown up and she can take care of herself just fine.
She's been fine for so long.
She's okay.
And then she cried.
Abby cried hard for the first time in years. All the pent up frustration from being left alone by her parents and dying by themselves, her suddenly nonexistent relatives who abandoned her, her debts, all those sleepless nights she had for working part-time jobs, the childhood she missed, the normal teenage life she didn't get to experience, and everything else she'd kept inside her for many years.
She didn't even know why she had to let it all out now. She held it all in before just fine and now she's bawling her eyes out in front of a ghost she barely knew. She wanted to stop but her tears don't seem to run out and she hated it so much but for the first time, she felt like a heavy load was finally lifted off from her chest.
Abby blinked a few times before raising a hand in an attempt to cover her face from the sunlight that was pouring down the window pane. She let out a groan after feeling a looming headache.
"That's the second time you fainted while you're with me." Her head turned in record time that she swore she heard her neck click. Oh God, she might have broken something.
Noah sat at the bottom of the wooden staircase, leaning forward while resting his elbows on his thighs. He looked so devilishly beautiful even though he's translucent. Dear Lord.
He was looking at her amusement evident on his face.
Abby was now sitting upright from where she was with her back on the glass window. "W-what-"
"You fell asleep-" Noah butt in before she could finish her question. "-right after crying your heart out." he quickly added that made Abby's cheeks blush in embarrassment.
"Sorry." She mumbled out instantly, not quite sure why she apologized.
"No, I'm the one who should apologize." Noah immediately said with a small smile on his face. "-I might have scared you too much. I know I look scary but I'm a good ghost-"
"You're not scary-looking." Abby quickly let out. She heard Noah chuckle and then she felt a light breeze of cold wind touch her shoulder almost making her shiver. For some reason, she knew that Noah flew to her side.
"Then what do I look like?" he asked her in a playful tone. Feeling her cheeks flush, even more, Abby stood right away before running upstairs to her room. Abby made sure to splash cold water on her heating face before going back out again.
"In here," she heard a voice call as soon as she's downstairs.
Noah was now at the kitchen counter, sitting. "You forgot to bring these with you."
Noah began pointing at the kitchen counter where the cross and bible are placed.
Abby ran to the counter to grab her things and then she heard Noah let out a laugh.
"Those won't work on me by the way." He uttered out. He was perched on the countertop while his stare bore into her.
"What will work then?" Abby retorted almost sounding angry. Noah looked at her funnily before letting out a sigh as if in surrender. "Sorry. Please don't get mad at me."
"I'm not ma-"
"I need your help." He quickly let out.
Abby paused studying the ghost sitting on the kitchen top. Noah's gaze moved to the old grand piano sitting on the open sunroom beside the kitchen. "You reminded me of someone I used to know." He began, longing painted on his beautiful face.
"Will you listen to my story?" he carefully asked, hope shone in his eyes.
Abby hesitated for a moment thinking if it's a good idea to bother herself with his business but she nodded anyway thinking that lending him an ear to listen and talk to for a minute won't hurt her.
"I don't remember much when I got here. I wasn't sure who I was or what I did before I became like this." He explained while pointing at his translucent body.
Abby ended up following Noah when he floated through the archway leading to the brightly lit sunroom.
"I sometimes have glimpses of memories back when I was still alive, I think. They gave me an idea about myself. But those times are so rare I started forgetting..." he stopped perhaps thinking if he should continue his story. He glanced at Abby's face as if trying to seek approval for him to keep going.
Abby gave out a slight nod.
"Things changed when you came here. I started having those glimpses of memories again. Memories of that same girl I used to see when I first got here." He paused looking at Abby, "Come to think of it, you kind of look like her. Maybe that's the reason why I was so fascinated when I saw you."
"I have a confession to make," He smiled before looking down on his lap. "I lied when I told you about falling in love with you. I just desperately wanted your attention. Sorry."
"Oh," she breathed.
Noah gave her a boyish smile as he sat on the wide wooden piano bench, "May I?" he politely asked her.
"Sure." She nonchalantly replied then he started playing random keys. Abby stood at the entrance of the room, leaning her shoulders against the archway while still observing the lonely ghost. Slowly, a melody emerged from the random keys he was touching. He looked beautiful while his hands gracefully played.
He then started playing mellow music that was both sad and beautiful.
**www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNcsUNKlAKw**
Abby felt a lump in her throat while she carefully listened to the melody. As the music comes to an end, her eyelashes flutter open. A tear managed to escape from her eye so she quickly wiped it away, her sight never leaving Noah.
Noah remained unmoving; his fingers lingered on the piano keys before looking at her. "I found out I can move objects around. That's how I knew that I can play this piano. I can only do this for a limited time in a day though. Did you like it?"
"Yes, it was beautiful." She let out almost breathily, her heart heavy from the emotions stirring inside her from listening to his playing.
Noah nodded in satisfaction. "I'm not sure if you'll believe my story. I've lost count on how long I've been here. I think that the girl in my memories may know who I am. Maybe she can help me to move past this..."
"You mean crossover?"
"Yes. I'd like to leave this place too. I think I've been stuck here for so long." He replied in a tired tone. "I believe that the only reason I haven't gone there yet is that I still have things to settle from my old life."
Abby thinks so too–well from the movies she'd watch anyway so she nodded her head in agreement. "Will you help me?" Noah flew so close to her that she knew she could feel his breath if he were alive.
"I'd like to help but I don't..." she paused, thinking what to say next, "-I'm not sure if I'm the right person for this." she finally reasoned out.
"I knew that you're the perfect person when you were able to see me."
Abby definitely couldn't argue with that. He was right. No one could help him unless he's seen and heard first. She sighed as she was torn on what to decide. She wanted to help him but her plan was on top of her priorities right now. She can't afford to make extra detours. 24-hours in a day is not even enough for her to work her part-time job, sleep, and study at the same time. She's dirt poor though so she has to deal with it even she has no time to sleep or even have fun. Her life sucked that way.
"I..." she began
"There's a jewelry box in the basement. It's yours. You can do whatever you want with it. Just help me, please." Noah cut her off as if he knew that she was going to turn him down.
"Is that box even yours to give?" she grunted wariness in her tone.
"Well, the previous owner wouldn't leave it if they still need it, right?" he retorted.
Oh, now he just made it harder for her to reject him. Abby thought.
She glanced at Noah who was almost looking at her with puppy pleading eyes. She let out a sigh in disbelief. "Fine"
"Yes!" he shouted in triumph.
"But just so we're clear. After this, you won't bother me anymore?"
Noah bobbed his head up and down quickly in agreement. "I'll be able to crossover after this so rest assured that no one will be bothering you anymore."
"Okay." She nodded her head once in satisfaction.
It was a weekend the next day so Abby immediately started her new job. Sitting in the living room, she began asking Noah for more information. "I'd like to know what the girl in your memories looks like."
"She looks like you." He answered simply.
Abby stared at him while arching a brow. "That was very helpful."
Noah's face lightened up. "Maybe it's your sister!" he announced while looking proud.
Abby's face scrunched up. "I'm an only child."
"A long lost sister then?" he added. Abby waved her hand to interrupt him. "Okay, stop."
Noah raised his hands in surrender.
"Why don't you just come with me to look for her? You did tell me that I'm the only one who can see you, right? I think our search would be much faster if you're there to help-"
Realization dawned on Abby's face as she studied Noah's worried expression, "You've never left this place..." she whispered.
"You mean – can't leave this place." Noah crossed his arms, clearly feeling troubled.
Abby ran her fingers through her long black hair in frustration. "Finding her would be like looking for a needle in a haystack if you were going to help me but now that I know you won't be of help then I'd be a grandma before we'd even get clues about your mystery girl."
Abby walked back and forth trying to figure out what they'd do next while Noah stared at her from the couch. She came to an abrupt stop as if getting an idea and then her face would turn into a frown and then she'd go back to walking once more.
Noah chuckled to himself. Abby then made another stop as she turned to him, hand on hips. "Have you ever tried going out?"
But before Noah could answer her, Abby let out a tired groan "of course he tried, how'd he know that he can't get out. Stupid." she mumbled to herself before resuming her walk.
After a few hours of absolutely nothing. Abby admitted defeat and plopped down on the couch in front of her. She glanced outside and the sun was starting to set. They wasted hours of thinking and they didn't even come up with anything. She sighed in exhaustion.
"I'm hungry." She let out before standing to go to the kitchen. She went to grab groceries that morning to lessen her food expenses. Home-made food was cheaper than buying take-outs.
Abby took out a bit of raw pork, a sachet of marinating sauce, and some chopped garlic. She mixed everything and stir-fried them after. She took out a cup of instant rice, popped it in the microwave until it's ready while she took out a clean set of plates, spoon, and fork.
"That looks good," Noah commented on her dinner. "I wish I could have a taste. What do you call that?"
"Stir-fry barbecue. I don't know. I just made this recipe up." Abby let out a chuckle.
"It still looks good though," Noah commented while his chin rested on his hand.
"I'd like you to know that I'd share this if you can eat," Abby told him in all seriousness.
Noah stared at her before letting out a snicker bumping his translucent shoulder to Abby's, "Good to hear that." He gladly said. "Do you know what I miss the most?" he began, his eyes gleaming trying to recall a good memory, "-the taste of coffee," He announced groaning.
"Then you should remember to drink lots of it in your next life." Abby said with a soft chuckle, "-Anyway I've thought of something while I was cooking." Abby started before eating a spoonful of rice. "We can try drawing your mystery girl. I took a few art classes when I was younger. You'd just have to do a really good job at describing her. A drawing of her is going to be helpful for me to find her."
Noah's eyebrows formed into a thin line like he was thinking something deep and then his face relaxed again. "I'll try."
Abby flashed him a smile. "Great! Let's try doing that after I eat."
As they both sat cross-legged on the carpeted floor of the living room, Abby took out a white paper and a pen. "Let's start."
Noah racked his brains out trying to remember every little detail that could help him describe the girl in his memories. Good thing for him, ever since Abby arrived, his memories did not only start to come again, they also became clearer and vivid than before.
After an hour of bickering on what should be and what should not be drawn, Abby smiled in satisfaction as she placed the black pen down. "I'm done." She announced.
Noah floated beside her trying to take a peek at the drawing but Abby instantly moved the paper close to her chest to hide it. "Hold on. Give me a second. I forgot to add a few touches." She uttered while taking the pen on the floor again.
"I don't look like her by the way." Abby carefully stressed. She took another minute and then she turned the paper around to show him. "Tada!" she said.
Noah's anticipating smile slowly turned into a disappointed frown. "What's that?"
Abby grinned, "It's your mystery girl." She said looking at the paper and then to Noah.
Noah's body shook trying to hold in a burst of impending laughter but after a few seconds he just let it all out. He even made it even more dramatic by bringing a finger to his eyes as if wiping an escaped tear. "You should have told me you can't draw. I could have done a better job."
Abby slammed the paper on the floor and grumpily crossed her arms to her chest. "You're very welcome."
He laughed again clutching his stomach like he was in pain. He then looked at the paper one more time, "This is kind of cute though-" he said nodding to himself, "-ugly but cute."
Abby only glared at him again.
Noah floated beside her, hand on his chin while thinking, "We'll first need to find someone who can draw." He said before taking the paper from the floor looking at her drawing for the nth time and then letting out another amused chuckle.
_to be continued_
A/N: ctto Rousseau for his cover of Claire de Lune (link somewhere above). Very beautiful music indeed. I'd picture Noah playing amazingly like that as well.