Another three years swept by her like the wind, and people still overwhelmed her with those stares whenever she tried to talk to Ree-ree in public. They often wondered who she was talking to, laughing at or with, and probably concluded their stares with the thought of her needing immediate psychiatric help.
Charlotte sometimes would pause to wonder the same thing. With all honesty, there was nothing before her, but the slightest shift of the spoon on the table or the loving faint touch of his presence on her shoulder would remind her that she was indeed talking to someone. He was listening, finding her jokes funny and agreeing that her mother had hidden agendas to ruin her life completely by believing she was depressed or sick upstairs.
The light touch on her shoulder would have her talking and smiling again. She always had something interesting to talk about. There was nothing more about herself to tell because she had this feeling he knows everything there is to know about her.
He was her joy.
Her sunshine.
Her rainbow after a stormy day.
Her warmth after surviving the long days of winter.
Her favorite flower.
And it surprised her they both had one thing in common—loving the same thing—which most couples rarely enjoy together.
Horror movies. But with a sickening twist of the demon never being conquered by the hero of the movie. They also enjoy watching true crime together and their relationship was more of; match made in hell type.
He followed her everywhere and entertained her during her lunch break. She would smile so much on her way back home from work because it was the only time given to bond more with Ree-ree.
Her faithful lover and her best friend.
''Oh, stop it, Ree-ree,'' She waved a warning hand at him as she threw her head back in laughter. Scaring almost half of the people dining with her in the restaurant. It was night and it was raining heavily outside. Thunder and lightning were flashing through the sky, and most people couldn't even get up to leave as they watched this human throw back her head again to laugh at the empty seat before her. Even the waitress would politely walk up to her and ask if everything was alright with her.
Charlotte would just shrug her shoulders and nod with a smile at the waitress or whoever walks up to her in concern and tell them her life was perfect. She would never shy away from talking to Ree-ree in public no matter what. Just because they couldn't all see him doesn't mean he deserved to be ignored.
Her behavior had started small talks at tables. Which wasn't the first, second or the third time it was happening on one of their many dates. The conversation only ended with them concluding that she was crazing or at the verge of completely losing it. Probably already so frustrated and overwhelmed with life.
Charlotte poured herself another sip of red wine and leaned closer to refill Ree-ree's cup, a satisfied smile spreading across her face.
They should think whatever they want to think or call her whatever name they wish to call her. She was sure none of them was as happy as she was. None of them has a loyal friend like Ree-ree or a man like him in their life.
They were envying her because she was the only one having a wonderful time at their table.
Charlotte paused to wipe the tears streaming down her face from laughing too much. Ree-ree could be hilarious at times, and she loves that about him.
''Okay, okay, okay. I have another one.'' She bounced excitedly on her seat and imagined him leaning close at the other end of the table. One hand propped alluringly under his chin, the other tapping a rhythm on the table, his intense gaze fixed on her with undeniable intrigue. ''Move your spoon if you think werewolves are just the same as dogs but just with a lot of fur and a snark for mates.''
The spoon moved in a heartbeat. To her surprise, she found herself chuckling before smiling at the empty seat in front of her. If only he listened to her cries to make himself visible to her for once, their love life would have been so much easier and sweet.
She would tell him every second that went by that he was hers, and she was undoubtedly his. She sighs and goes back to stirring her cold soup with her spoon. Not having the appetite for the terrible thing as it smelled funny. She glanced over to Ree-ree's side and felt her heart sink deeper at the reality of things. The fear of him actually not being real, and it was all in her head.
She was going to die that day. She promised herself as she stared longingly at where she believed he was watching her as much as she was watching him.
Her dad sometimes joked about her crazy imagination. He says it felt like he was getting to know the crazy side of her mother all over again. He met her back when he was still a lifeguard and she was the damsel distressed. Surprisingly, her mom was suicidal at that time. She told him she was tired of imagining a world that was not real and believing it was real.
It was exhausting and mind draining. She made a dangerous move on her life when it didn't stop, but persist.
Dad said her mom changed after he proposed to her and showed her what it feels like to see love than to imagine it. He expected things between them to be better, but it only grew darker the moment she was born and started her early life with an imaginary friend named Ree-ree. The reason her mom was so desperate or insane was that she feared her daughter might end up like her—-walking down the dark path of suicide. Her mom tried everything she could to heal her, driven by this fear.
Charlotte believed her and her mom's condition were never similar. While hers might be a severe case of a mental disorder…hers weren't.
She feels Ree-ree as strong as a chill running down your back on a cold, winter night. He is here and ever-present beside her. It is just the same as seeing him but not physically, which she would understand if he was a shy person who loves to make his presence known to her than for her to see him.
She would never end up taking her life, although there is a dark truth that her mom might if she is fed up with her ''nonsense.''
Charlotte doesn't actually give a fuck if she ends up dying or being killed. The fact remains clear and glaring; She loves Ree-ree and he loves her too.
The world she once cared about when she was just little betrayed her so much by revealing its ugly side to her. Her friends left her out of fear. Her dad left her. Her mom murdered her dad for the stupidest reason. Her boss at work is a complete jerk who needs to grow up. Her neighbor is an abusive husband…the wife cheats all night when he isn't around and bakes her random pie to keep her lips sealed about it. Her car just got stolen yesterday. The pastor across the street keeps giving her weird glances as if she is dirty and possessed by a demon.
Their neighbor's dog is a true nuisance, and she sincerely hates her life and the circumstances.
But
She tilted her head a bit to smile at him again. Her hands supported her head as her eyes moved dreamily at him.
It's bearable because of him.
''Oh,'' She jumped up suddenly as she quickly pulled out her phone from her purse to check the time and cursed loudly. She turned to face Ree-ree with a slight pout as she just remembered, ''Oh, Ree-ree. I almost forgot the horror movie we wanted to binge-watch together by eight. Shall we?'' She gathered her purse and her things in her hands ignoring all the eyes that fell on her in horror and in genuine concern. The table beside them even leaned close to wave his hands at the space before her to be certain they weren't the only one blind to see her admirable date.
The poor individual fell back in shock as he hasn't seen a severe case of mental illness like this before. She is conversing as if someone were indeed there, before her. Telling her jokes and saying things that made her blush like a dummy.
Or could it be a ghost that only she could talk to and see?
They all just couldn't figure it out.
She sighed out and repeated, ''Ree-ree?'' and tilted her head a bit to the side when he wasn't responding to her. The smile on her face returned when the spoon moved gently inside the plate of cold and untouched soup.
''That's more like it!'' She bounced on her feet and stretched forth her hands to his side for him to take it. She imagined his strong large hands folding around hers. She imagined the numerous sparks that would be flying all over her skin at his gentle touch.
The angry flapping of the butterfly wings in her stomach.
They were indeed meant for each other.
''Pour a bowl of soup on my face next time I get too carried away by our dinner—''
Everyone held their breaths when she suddenly paused in the middle of the dining room. Her hands slipped away from her invisible date's hold. She just stood there, looking like she had been frozen by time, before her eyes rolled to the back of her head and collapsed right in the middle of the floorboards of the dinning area of the restaurant.
The panicked sounds, murmurs and racing hearts of everyone at the diner were muffled by the heavy downpour and rumbling from the dark clouds above them.