Episode 11: My New Colleague

I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I couldn't be looking like a haggard on my first day of work though I doubted there would be many people to notice. The ghosts might notice and think of me as one of their own.

One of the books in the library suggested that there were always ghosts near ley lines. From my previous day's research, I hadn't found a single answer but more questions had erupted like an atomic explosion. I had walked to the tree house in the evening with the hope of meeting Will. I even walked a few miles into the forest but I couldn't go any further. I wondered if he was still mad at me for the last time.

My phone beeped. A text from Joanne.

Sorry, can't pick you up today. Alfie's on his way to you now. He will drop you.

What!

I hurried with my breakfast and rushed out of the house. I couldn't let mom see me getting on Alfie's bike for a ride to my work. That would be disastrous. I would meet up with him midway.

Luckily, I didn't need to run half the way. Alfie was already standing at a five minute's walking distance from my home. Smart boy.

"Wanna take a short cut?" he asked judging my look. He could tell I was late. I nodded as I got on his bike. "That would be great."

We travelled through the forest. I shivered. I realized only too late that his shortcut meant going through the forest.

My hands had gone cold on his shoulders. Alfie looked at me in the mirror and asked, "Shall I turn over?" He clearly understood which memory ran through my head while travelling through these woods.

I shook my head no. I could tell he wanted to protest, seeing the blood drain out of my face but I looked away.

Soon we were at the edge of the falls. "Do we have to swim?" I asked, half joking to keep myself calm.

"Sure, if you wanna appear as a wet cat on your first day of work. What an entertaining mood changer it will be for the grim mood of the library," he replied. I stuck my tongue out at him. He laughed and continued, "Or you can sit quietly and remember the path and not tell anyone about it."

So I sat quietly and became amazed as Alfie took me through an opening just wide enough for a person to pass between the falling water and the mountain. He paused the bike for a moment for me to explore the inside of the cavern as the reflected light of the water fell on the wall.

"It's beautiful," I exclaimed as he smiled, "I know," and restarted his bike and soon we were on the other side of the falls. We travelled for another ten minutes through the woods and we were infront of the oldest building of the town.

"Thanks a lot for today," I said handing back his helmet. "Thanks for showing me your secret spot as well."

"Anytime sweetheart," he winked at me as I groaned. Having a handsome eighteen year old flirt with me would have been flattering once but it just felt corny now.

"Do you ever go to school?" I teased, sounding annoyed.

"I am in school," he said and I glared at him, "atleast, that's what Mr. and Mrs. Hurst think." He grinned.

"So, you skip school to explore the forest! That's how you know so many of it's secrets. Now that I have a job, maybe I should bunk sometimes."

Alfie looked away from me, at his watch. "You are a bad employee. Late on the very first day."

I frowned at him, slightly hitting him on the arm as a manner of goodbye as I walked inside the library.

"Good morning, Gra-", my greeting hung in the air as my eyes failed to comprehend the situation before me. Because Granny was nowhere to be seen. And in her place behind the desk stood the guy I had been craving to see for the past few days.

Will.

We both stood there frozen, looking at each other like it was our first meet when he, thank God for that, broke the silence.

"Granny did inform me that she had hired a new part timer. Welcome," he smiled. So breathtakingly beautiful. And warm, this time, unlike our other encounters.

"Hey, Bluebud, you forgot your bag," Alfie walked in the door. No. He couldn't be here. He couldn't see Will. No!

But Alfie acted perfectly normal like he hadn't seen Will's gorgeously elfish features. He handed me my bag, gave Will a look of approval, smirked at me and disappeared after blowing me a kiss. So, he atleast noticed Will's gorgeousness if not the inhuman features.

I looked back at Will and a shiver ran down my spine. All warmth I had felt before, everything positive that I had felt about him vanished. His face was colder than I had ever seen him.

Maybe now wouldn't be a good time to bring up my questions.

I headed for my locker in the inner room, Granny had shown me the last day. I put my bag in and forced myself to breathe calmly. I headed out after two minutes.

Will was shuffling through the stacks of papers in a corner of the room, looking for something.

I mustered up my courage and asked, "Umm, when's Granny coming in?"

He didn't even look at me as he answered, "She isn't. She is taking a break."

I couldn't decide if that was a good thing, especially not with him being like this.

"I went to look for you yesterday, near the tree house."

"Why?" he asked flatly.

The question felt like a slap on the face. My ears and cheeks burned. How could he be so indifferent?

"Better circumstances, you said, I went to meet you under better circumstances," I tried to sound bold, keeping the desperation and humiliation in my voice hidden.

At that, he looked at me. His eyes masked an expression I couldn't read. Atleast, it wasn't so cold and hostile anymore. I relaxed a little.

"I didn't think you would come," he said softly avoiding meeting my eyes. Pain flared in my chest. That's right. It was pain in his eyes too. I wanted to take it away. I wanted to see him smiling warmly. I wanted to hold him tight.

"Why?" I asked.

He still avoided my eyes as he answered, "I waited every evening after that night," his expression turned furious at the memory of that night. I shrank back in fear. "I waited but when you didn't show up the following days, I thought you wouldn't. So, I forced myself to stop going down to the tree house; to stop thinking about you."

It was pure pain on his face, contrary to the joy in my heart. He thought about me! He waited for me! He wanted to see me! He wasn't avoiding me!

" I am sorry. I meant to visit sooner. But somethings came up."

Things I need you to clear up for me.