Astrid attempts to carry four cups of coffee, doughnuts, pastry's and a bag full of cinnamon rolls all at once in her microscopic silver tray. She strolls past me and
" SMASH " her tray dramatically hits the ground next to me.
The hot synthetic coffee burning the side of my freshly shaved legs. Chocolate and cinnamon on my apron and the biggest disadvantage of being this short was the amount of sugar and cinnamon that spilled on my head.
" Ah, that's the first spill for today and you can gladly take this one" she finally looks in my direction and gives me a mischievous wink.
I guess this was well deserved. Just when I thought the cinnamon in my hair was too much, my feet began to drown as the coffee flooded the inside of my shoe. After cleaning up and changing into a new apron. I try to catch up to Astrid.
" I'm taking my break, will catch up after. Waiting for your explanation, where were you ? " she asked slightly raising an eyebrow
" I don't know, I mean asleep but I, it's a long story " I tried to explain
" Well practice your summarising skills and tell me what happened. You're never late for work and why was your phone off ? I tried calling you a thousand times" she said high pitched and annoyed
" Go ahead, tell her. I'm sure she'll believe you " i heard the voice again. Curiously biting the side of my lip, my eyes travel around the kitchen
" You're here ? " I muttered into the air
" hello!!! Back to reality Natalie , who are you looking at ? " She rhetorically questions as she turns around to look in the direction that I was staring. Turning back to me, she playfully punches my arm
" Which one ?" She smirks
Wait, what ? I wasn't intentionally just staring at the table with a group of guys from our college. Not to mention, they were not just any group of college boys. These were the loud, flirty, athletic , rich kids that threw parties every weekend. Were they pleasant on the eyes? Hell yeah !! Only some of the finest eye candy around here.
" I was looking at the window, what satisfaction would I get by looking at them " I say annoyed rolling my eyes
" Satisfaction from what you want to do with them"
Quickly changing the topic i blurted " I desperately need your help. You have a ouji board right? You can talk to ghosts and chase them away !"
" Firstly No! You want to cast out your demons? Go see a priest. Ouji board ? That's a stupid game to scare kids that live in their basements. No, I haven't had the privilege of speaking to a ghost but why do you ask ? "
" Privilege? " - I shout
She excitedly nods
" Wait! " She paused looking at me rather confused
Astrid has always been the first one in line at a horror movie premiere, she visited the woods alone at night and even searched the dark web. Whenever she tried to focus my attention to something spooky, I always ran away! Literally ran away. Like I mentioned earlier, I'm not afraid of ghosts but Astrid tries to get herself mixed up in the wrong kind of things. It's dangerous enough that people go missing after searching the dark web and Astrid has tries to summon spirits in her own bedroom.
" What's the reason for your sudden interest in the other side? " She asked sounding concerned
" I think I have a ghost haunting me" - i whisper and look around to ensure that no one heard me.
" A ghost? " she laughed
" darling " I trembled at the sound of his voice. There is just something about it, it is pleasing to my ears. I let out a deep sigh and close my eyes forgetting where I was and who was around me
" I'm a spirit "
Not like that makes this any less creepy. A spirit, I'm still the only one hearing a voice without being able to see him.
Quickly brought back to reality when my boss starts shouting for me. I realise that Astrid had left for her break and I was supposed to be at the counter.
All day I waited to hear his voice again, I wanted to know what's his story. I have so many questions that I need to be answered. Is he always with me? Or does he just appear at random times. What is it like on the other side? Is he alone or are there any other ghosts around? And yet again... Why am i the only one who that can hear him?
The day dragged and I really wasn't in the right state of mind. I kept staring at mid air and accidentally glancing at someone I don't intend on looking at.
" Come on, you're going home with me. I need to know what's going on in that brain of yours"
I didn't say a word, I just followed her.
Finally arrived at Astrid house, her parents weren't home so we ran straight upstairs to her room. It was the darkest room in the house. Colourful stones, cracked mirrors, Dreamcatchers, painted symbols on her Walls. Candle wax dripping from the corner of her table. Her room was cold, it felt creepy and I couldn't help but feel afraid of what kind of things got herself into. Astrid has a dorm room on campus too but after her mum found out about her late night adventures alone in the woods, they brought her right back home.
" What happened to your unicorn teddy bear" I asked looking around, remembering that she had it on her bed the last time I came here
" Oh it kind of caught on fire, accidentally " she said ashamed
I spent the rest of the afternoon with her, explaining what had happened last night. I tried to get him to talk multiple times, but it didn't seem like he was there or he was oddly quiet. Leaving Astrid's room felt like leaving a freezer. There were a few times that things randomly fell down from her table although there was no wind to blow it down. It was very strange and I was relieved when we left to go downstairs.
" Hello darling " - her mum greeted
" Hi Mrs Smith"
She seemed a bit worried and looked at me like she wanted to tell me something,