Flight, an interesting capacity that Sophia discovered she could take to a certain limit. Sadly, the mood wasn't the right one for her to experiment with her newfound powers. Andrew had a massive headache and drowsiness and if that wasn't enough his wallet had been left in his backpack, which meant he had no transport card, debit card or even the keys to the house.
With no other option, he could only request Sophia to fly him to a spot where he could walk back, thankfully the concierge would have sparing keys to the mansion.
It was deep into the night and the vagrants were asleep so no one saw a boy floating through the night.
"This is amazing..."
"Right... but it is difficult to control".
"How do you control it?"
'Eh... it is hard to explain. I just have to imagine myself flying and I can fly... I also imagine myself touching and lifting up things and I can do it... that's why I failed to do so initially. It is different from being 'alive'... it is more difficult but easier once you've grasped the concept'.
"Is that so...?" He extended his hand forward towards a building, "HA!"
'What are you trying to do?!'
"You said I had some mysterious blue flames, right? I'm trying to use them".
'Don't use them, they're scary! they feel way hotter than normal flames!'
Andrew frowned, regarding his hands bereft of flames with the outlook of Manhattan's light background beneath. Dozens of people, or ghosts, walk aimlessly through the greyish city.
'Could it all be related to me? That I can see ghosts and also those blue flames now? I don't understand... mother' He sighed, in the past, it had been only his mother who believed his stories... but now there was no one. He lifted up his gaze to look at Sophia who was focused on her flight. They were just a little higher above most ten stories residential buildings.
"Is this as high as you can go?"
'Yes, when I try to go higher than this, I don't know why but I can't... it is amazing. Perhaps while you sleep I'll go and fly a little before coming back'.
"Wait wait, what do you mean coming back?" There could only be one thing in Andrew's mind and after some consideration, he thought that was a wonderful thing but with complications.
'I mean that I will be living with you from now on. What? got a problem with that?' Sophia confirmed his guesses rather defiantly.
"You're a girl and I'm a boy!" As much as he'd like to have a beautiful ghost girl -whom he didn't need to hold secrets with. He hadn't ever lived with a girl... dead or alive. It was going to be an eye-opener, surely uncomfortable at first.
'You're alive and I'm dead' she answered with a logical argument, or maybe not so much.
"That changes nothing!" Andrew shot a gaze to her shirt-covered chest that was still haggard, he didn't even know if she could change her clothes as theoretically, those were the clothes she did with. They're attached to her being.
'I don't have to go to the toilet, I don't have to take showers, so you won't be seeing me naked any time soon, as much as you'd like to~'.
"You're way more narcissistic than Clare" He groaned, that's the wrong thing about her... there is nothing more annoying than a beauty that knows she's beautiful and is not humble at all about it.
'Don't compare me to that plain girl... small breast, small butt, ugly face... look at me, there is no point in comparison'.
*Gulp*
Andrew gulped a mouthful, either at her assertion or the amount of venom coming from her mouth when it comes to Clare. Clearly, those two wouldn't be friends ever again. If Clare was 'ugly' he didn't even want to know what an ugly girl was.
'She must be spiteful and is throwing random nonsense as most girls do, that's it' He concluded swiftly, mostly because Clare also had that behaviour. A phenomenon more common among teenage girls than seeing ghosts roaming the streets.
In no time they were shrouded in the silence of Manhattan and Andrew recalled there was someone else he hadn't yet answered, yet it was also the most important person. He checked her phone and there she was, Beatrice.
Beatrice was merely asking if he was okay. Her question was ambiguous... but he also felt suspicious. She could just be asking if he was okay in a friendly manner... or she could be asking because she knows that broke up his schedule... if that's the case, how does she know?
His greatest fear was to realise that one way or another... Beatrice knew his real identity and all of their interactions so far had been a lie.
'I'm okay Beatrice, thanks for your concern, how did you know that I wasn't home?' He answered that and waited. The answer came faster than expected with a *ping*.
'I didn't know... I was just concerned about it since you didn't message me or anything after we exchanged numbers last night'.
Her answers made the boy raise his eyebrows further, 'Fair enough... I didn't write to you and you were concerned. But... a sexy girl such as yourself... would you be messaging me first?' He thought inwardly. They'd text the Mayers' heir, but they wouldn't text plain Andrew, this much he knew.
He may spend most of his time studying, but he was no foreign with the opposite gender... he didn't refuse to text her the night prior not because he expected her to do so, but because he hoped they could interact more before it was time for him to message her out of the workplace.
'I never expected you to message me first, Beatrice... to be honest I am a little honoured' He answered blatantly, expecting her answer.
'What's the problem? we have known each other for a while, what's wrong with me being concerned? Are you suspecting me or something?' Seeing her answer, Andrew felt troubled... she looked a little upset. Nevertheless, he decided to play a card.
'Not at all! I'm sorry if it sounded rude. It is just I happened to go to the club tonight with some friends and my parents were worried, so... it was a little suspicious to me that you were suddenly concerned. That's all, everything's cool!'
Andrew sighed and closed the phone, covering his eyes and hoping for the best.
'Why did you lie to her?' Sophia asked, this girl had been paying attention.
'I have my reasons, moreover... me saying that I was in my friends' house was also a lie'.
'You're unexpectedly clever, Andrew... just like the interview with the officer. You astonished me, being honest and all. You told her you were in a club because if she has contact with someone around you, she will be able to tell that you lied and hence, show you some signs or directly expose herself, right?'.
'As expected of you. You can't become the heir of a billionaire company without at least this much distrust... since you intended to take over your parents' buffet, I assume you are the same in this regard'
'I'm the same in more than just that regard... soon you will know'.
Sophia's words were cryptic but he didn't pry any further, soon enough he received Beatrice's answer.
'I see, then you should be careful out there... I didn't take you for the type of boy that goes to clubs, I guess there is a first time for everything, hehe~ I'll see you tomorrow, Andrew'.
Beatrice finished her message with a heart emoji which for some reason made Sophia's eyebrows twitch.
Andrew didn't know what to say, "Am I overthinking? it sounds like a genuine answer..."
'Have you ever gone to a club? how does she know?' Sophia pointed out something he hadn't noticed, mostly because it was a fair argument.
"I have never gone to a club.. but you could argue I don't look like the type of boy that would go, right?" He questioned Sophia who mumbled some things to herself before answering.
'Why wouldn't you? you're a little chubby, but you are tall and rather good-looking, sort of intimidating also. You don't look like a nerd even if you are... why would anyone think that you'd never go to a club? you give me that impression because I know for a fact you're a bookworm, but if she doesn't know, she shouldn't be able to tell'.
'Because I'm underage?' Andrew tried to dismantle her narrative, but the more she spoke the more convincing she sounded. Beatrice didn't know anything about him other than he studied in a private school in the area. When they said they rarely spoke about each of their activities and instead, spoke about random stuff such as politics or incidents Downtown.
'Oh come on... you wouldn't be the first to use a counterfeit ID to get into a club... but I guess you're right. That message doesn't prove anything if that's what you're concerned about... it is me trying to find something on her'.
"I never thought a girl would ever help me beat another girl's arguments..."
'Hmph! Pay attention because it would never happen again... I'll land in this alleyway, be careful'.
After flying for a while, Sophia finally found the right place to land not too far away from his residence, yet his mind was filled with Beatrice.
Mostly because Beatrice was his admitted crush... he decided to do something, recalling the wound on his chest and how he nearly thought he died.
'If that's okay with you, we could do something tomorrow after the shift'.
His heart palpitated loudly and even Sophia was regarding him in shock.
'Andrew Mayers actually made a move on someone! some random girl!'
He exhaled a breath of anxiety and left the alleyway together with Sophia, expecting Beatrice to think things through before giving him an answer.
*PING!*
That didn't happen... with shivering hands he took the phone, expecting a rejection, but that didn't happen... even the ghost was lurking around.
'That would be wonderful! it is going to be a little late though, it is either your place or mine.
Her answers made Andrew's hands shiver...
'O-Oi, Andrew... how old is this Beatrice? she's quite forward' Sophia was shocked, this girl was shamelessly inviting someone into her place, a boy at that... that wouldn't be a problem but she also mentioned 'late' any high school girl's parents would complain about a boy staying in their house late.
"Actually... she's twenty-three years old".
'WHAT?!'